Sunday after the Iowa Straw Poll

And the Winner of the Ames Straw Poll Is…

With a sizable turnout about 3,000 votes greater than organizers expected, 16,892 total votes cast, REP. MICHELE BACHMANN WINS THE AMES STRAW POLL. More results as they come in.

Rep. Ron Paul placed second, and Gov. Tim Pawlenty placed third.

http://pajamasmedia.com/tatler/2011/08/13/and-the-winner-of-the-ames-straw-poll-is/

This is the equivalent of getting the results of a preseason game in the NFL. There is some interest, but it really doesn’t mean a thing.

Pawlenty Drops Out

Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty dropped out of the race for the GOP presidential nomination on Sunday, hours after finishing a disappointing third in the Iowa straw poll.

"I WISH IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT. BUT OBVIOUSLY THE PATHWAY FORWARD FOR ME DOESN'T REALLY EXIST SO WE ARE GOING TO END THE CAMPAIGN," Pawlenty said on ABC's "This Week" from Iowa shortly after disclosing his plans in a private conference call with supporters.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?
f=/n/a/2011/08/14/politics/p054559D49.DTL#ixzz1V0rMvKVs
It’s probably for the best. He wouldn’t have been able to raise enough money to properly compete.

More Reason Obama will Lose in 2012

…Gault cites a number of factors for declaring that "temporary shocks" is no longer a credible explanation for soft growth during the first half of 2011, including:

• "HISTORICAL REVISIONS TO GDP," which showed growth tailing off to just 1.6% over the past four quarters.
• CONFIDENCE IN U.S. POLICYMAKING HITTING NEW LOWS, a trend reflected in Friday's dismal consumer confidence data. "The artificial debt-ceiling crisis took the country to the brink of default," he writes. "And the resolution produced just more discretionary spending cuts, not progress on entitlements and revenues, which are the long-term keys to the problem."
• EUROPE'S SOVEREIGN DEBT CRISIS SPREADING beyond the so-called periphery while "European policymakers have been consistently one or two steps behind the markets in their reaction."…

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/consumers-lose-confidence-once-hopeful-economists-172309264.html

Expect to see a lot of lashing out by the Democrats at the TEA Party and Republicans. They will attempt to improve their prospects by tearing down the opposition. It’s the only thing they have left.

Perry is Officially In

Texas Gov. Rick Perry tossed his cowboy hat into the ring Saturday, shaking up the GOP race as he puts his undefeated political record on the line in his first presidential rodeo.

"IT IS TIME TO GET AMERICA WORKING AGAIN AND THAT'S WHY WITH THE SUPPORT OF MY FAMILY AND UNWAVERING BELIEF IN THE GOODNESS OF AMERICA, I DECLARE TO YOU TODAY AS A CANDIDATE FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES," he said in a speech at a RedState Gathering of conservative activists in Charleston, South Carolina.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/08/13/perry-to-announce-candidacy-for-gop-presidential-nomination/#ixzz1V0teL9d8

One in and one out.  It's starting to get interesting.  What will Sarah do?