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    Iowa Caucuses Highlight Weak GOP Candidate Pool

    This story comes from the Yahoo! Contributor Network, where individuals publish their unique perspectives on some of the world’s most popular websites.
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    COMMENTARY | Finally, after months of debating and speculation, Iowa voters were able to weigh in on the GOP candidates on Tuesday, January 3. As reported by Yahoo News on The Ticket, Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts Governor was the winner, but only by a mere eight votes over former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, both receiving 25 percent of the votes. Texas congressman Ron Paul finished in third place with 21 percent, a few thousand behind Santorum and Romney.

    According to the Huffington Post, poll results had shown the three men as early favorites, so while the end result is not all that surprising, the Iowa caucus has highlighted the bottom line in regard to the Republican candidates in 2012. Each time a potential nominee rises to the top, they seem to fall quickly to the bottom when voters learn more about the reality of what that candidate would bring to the White House. Romney is the only one, as of yet, who has not been on that particular ride, and will likely become the candidate that President Obama will have to face in the 2012 presidential elections.

    Rick Santorum was at the bottom of opinion polls just weeks ago, and Iowa voters who aren't happy with Romney's George H.W. Bush-like qualities apparently didn't have any other solid choice to go with. Before long, Santorum will likely become another candidate to return to the bottom of the pack.

    As recently as August, congresswoman Michele Bachmann won the Iowa straw poll, and Romney was seventh on the list in the supposedly significant contest. On Tuesday, the Tea Party favorite fell to sixth with only 5 percent of the vote. Republican voters may have finally seen the true colors of the three-time congresswoman who knows how to make a speech, but her words often times don't make any sense when people take the time to hear what she is really saying.

    Newt Gingrich had a brief rise to the top not even a month ago, but he fell to fourth, with 13 percent of the vote in Iowa. It didn't take long for his true colors to show. The man who is on his third marriage, and admitted to cheating on his spouse(s) also purports to have family values, and it's easy to see that Gingrich is mostly just full of hot air.

    Herman Cain was on top of the polls in early November, but he took a dive to the bottom and ultimately left the race amid sexual harassment allegations.

    The bottom line is, the Iowa vote has shown the Republicans don't have much to offer, and it's unlikely any one of them will be strong enough to beat Obama.

     

    60 comments

    • anthony  •  Baghdad, Iraq  •  4 mths ago
      Hey republicans you still can't accept the fact that this GOP field is so weak and everybody knows it. Sad when you have to run from reality..BYE...BYE...GOP..in 2012
    • ELKE  •  4 mths ago
      If, they say god is with them ,then where is he ?looks like he enjous giving them ,the republicans a kick in the a--
    • Sun is setting on US  •  4 mths ago
      Republiboobs are a disgusting bag of losers who can't get organized. Of course they have no real candidate. Of course the tea partiers turned on themselves and are now supporting pseudo picks. Of course the independents and moderates will find none of these losers appealing when the general election comes. Looks like God isn't spelled G-O-P after all, eh Righters? LOL
    • Mike  •  Lexington, Kentucky  •  4 mths ago
      If the Tea Party still has balls it will at least try to stop Romney.
      • A Yahoo! User 4 mths ago
        Tea Bags have their mouths full of balls.
      • João Lucas 4 mths ago
        Agreed, Mike! The question is, does it have any balls?
      • UnitedWeStand 4 mths ago
        The Tea Party only cares about getting a Republican in office.
    • McNeil  •  Los Angeles, California  •  4 mths ago
      Breaking AP: "Danger! Danger Will Robinson! Eject! Eject!" Last known transmission from RNC National Headquarters. Investigators are trying to piece together the rubble from the first primary disaster but have yet to find the Black Box. RNC spokeman Joe The Dumber said, "All that's left on the caucus floor is a large amount of Santorum. Clean up crews in HazMat suits cordoned off the area and set off a small nuclear device because it takes that to clean up after a Republican gathering."
      • steadfast 4 mths ago
        That's funny as a Motherf#*&@r, McNeil!
    • The Voice  •  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania  •  4 mths ago
      Let's see, the "weak" field includes 2 former governors, a former Speaker of the House, and a former Senator. Now, what were Obama's qualifications? Quoting the Huffington Post is all you need to know about this article.
      • A Yahoo! User 4 mths ago
        what did chenny gbush know how to lie and start a war.
      • Brian 4 mths ago
        former, former, former. Because their constituants were tired of their lies they got voted out. Santorum got routed in PA but now he is strong for the Presidency? Same with Romney. Not gonna happen in 2012. Look for a truly strong Republican field in 2016.
    • dbro  •  Minneapolis, Minnesota  •  4 mths ago
      It took the Iowa caucus to figure that out?
    • Yahoo user  •  4 mths ago
      Case in point: Ron Paul has made a career out of running for president for over 30 years in DC, and has always been widely ignored, considered a "non-issue" and not a concern to the rest..but this year, the GOP candidates are SO bad, all their voters are rushing to support him. He is using the same catch phrases he always has, but now people are listening...That speaks volumes..
    • maroon  •  Fontana, California  •  4 mths ago
      Candidate Pool? Could be the gene pool
    • Gemini621  •  Naga, Philippines  •  4 mths ago
      Obama will win a landslide ... majority of americans who read and understand the issues know he is a true and wise leader... no amount of bashing from racists and bigots can change the fact.
    • Gator  •  4 mths ago
      So far the only one making any sense is Ron Paul, doesn't the rest of the field realize our unsustainable situation, this isn't a time to be Bi-partisan our country is broke, our infrastructure is crumbling, we are less liked by the rest of the world than any other time in modern history, mostly due too our over reach not only into the lives of American homes, but international matters not concerning our immediate security, I would just assume see Obama win if Newt, Mitt and Rick get the nomination, I won't waste my vote in the GOP field.
    • Jeff Stront  •  4 mths ago
      Weak? Did you say weak? You are so kind !
    • Philip  •  Santa Clara, California  •  4 mths ago
      Of course that is an oblique reference to the gene deficiency.
    • Trevor  •  4 mths ago
      The media- and money-driven Iowa caucus highlights the undemocratic character of the US electoral process, in which the vast majority of the population—the working class—is effectively disenfranchised. The spectacle underscores the vast and unbridgeable chasm separating the entire political system from the concerns and needs of the people.

      The Republican candidates seek to outdo one another in calling for the dismantling of what remains of social programs and the reduction of taxes on corporations and the rich. Obama carries out essentially the same policy, while cynically presenting himself and the Democrats as advocates for “middle class” working people.

      Neither party, both of which are in the pay of Wall Street, offers any policies to address mass unemployment and the growth of social inequality, poverty, homelessness and hunger in America.
    • Clint  •  Rocklin, California  •  4 mths ago
      If the liberal media vetted Obama half as much as they do the Republican candidates he wouldn't be where he is today and he would have no chance of re-election if they started the vetting process today.
    • divad41  •  4 mths ago
      boy, the headline got that right
    • CecilT  •  Raleigh, North Carolina  •  4 mths ago
      I think that the democrats came out in droves in Iowa to vote for Ron Paul to split the vote. Maybe when they get to a state where you actually have to be a republican to vote or a ID so dead people dont vote, we will see a difference. As for this article sure is nice to see the mainstream media hasnt changed, they dont have a good word to say about republicans. Bias maybe, yes i think so. Today two positive stories about the president and 2 bad stories about the republicans.
    • A  •  San Mateo, California  •  4 mths ago
      Weak?
      The only thing going for Barrack is his being a good Orator, but we now know that is all he is.
    • dellman  •  Southfield, Michigan  •  4 mths ago
      A 1%er that would love to help his constituents, A former Senator that lost re-election by 18%, A Governor that wanted to secede from the US, A disgraced former House Speaker that loves to womanise and a Texas Congressman that would let the world go to hell by forgetting foreign policy.
    • madd texan  •  Seattle, Washington  •  4 mths ago
      Nice hatchett piece.
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