Iowa Review

With roughly 48 hours to Iowa, the GOP field is finally ready to see if they have what it takes to beat President Obama.  With Mitt Romney taking the last serious poll from the Des Moines Register, Iowans seem to finally accept the inevitable facts on the ground, despite pleas of desperation every day up to the caucus.

And while Mitt may actually have the lead with committed voters, the rest of the 40-odd percent of voters still in the air are far from committed to Mitt or anyone that reminds them of Mitt.  It’s easy to see why if you look at the polling.

24% Romney

22% Paul

15% Santorum

And with the media, it’s sad to see the way Ron Paul is now Public Enemy #1 in the eyes of the establishment GOP.  For example, VOA’s latest article notes:

“Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has consistently ranked near, or at, the top of the opinion polls over the past year. A poll by the prominent Iowa newspaper, the Des Moines Register, Saturday gave Romney 24 percent support, compared with 22 percent for Paul, known for his libertarian views.”

…Known for his libertarian views?  A more accurate view perhaps, “has consistently stayed at the top in Iowa since August 2011?  The only candidate who stuck to his views, even when his honesty really came back to bite him via the media this past week?

It’s not that I’m sold on Ron Paul, but I’m definitely seeing the tentacles of Mitt’s media wing starting to wrap around the cerebral cortex of reporters.  Check out Fox News:

“Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, continues to lead by a thin margin in most recent polls, while Paul competes with Santorum for second position.”

Again, check out that polling above.  According to the real “liberal media”, competing for 2nd place is when you’re up by 7%, not down by 2% (if that, considering margin-of-error!) It’s as if there is no 2nd place, because Paul occupies it (and has occupied it for God-knows how long).

I mean, heaven forbid, some news agencies have an agenda here.  And while most of the reservation and rhetoric comes from the other media corporations, you can’t deny that big saltwater tank in the middle of the conservative room…right?

At least the Boston Herald takes it directly from the horse’s mouth, offering up Scott Rasmussen, and distancing themselves (perhaps purposely) from Massachusetts’ leftover son.  And heck, another serving of FoxNews’ agenda to try and 86 Ron Paul as an added bonus.

For people who see it in real-time, Ron Paul and Mitt Romney are your choices.  If you’re a conservative, think about that.  If you waffle, you pick a candidate in Romney who represents nothing of all that clamor and uproar since 2010.  You can’t believe that the guy who instituted Mass-A-Care will revert ObamaCare…do you?

And maybe that’s the whole point of Iowa.  It’s a test of commitment to the ideals set forth by a band of rebellious conservatives in 2010.  Do you really believe in all of that stuff?  Are you willing to sacrifice your personal ideals just because the media says Ron Paul can’t win a general?

I know, that sounds pretty rhetorical, but in the end, I have to say Romney does have a better chance in a general.  But that’s assuming Romney won’t self-destruct with years of flips and flops when President Obama’s campaign lets loose with their brand of media tentacle.  Heck, you might just vote Obama just to save whatever face you have left to reboot in 2016, what the real candidates are waiting for…Mako out.