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Candidates have a lot to gain and lose this Saturday. How can they use the debate tonight to get it done Saturday?
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Do quite well on Saturday I have no idea is actually I don't make predictions.
But it's it's significant is significant for me personally is significant for our campaign is significant on -- for the cause of liberty.
That was Texas congressman Ron Paul explaining how the Ames Iowa straw poll is important to liberty and probably the future of the world.
And this is power play and congressman Paul is.
Maybe right about that because Republicans are getting ready to start narrowing their field and picking a nominee.
A crucial part of that process is gonna go down Saturday right here in Ames Iowa where we're -- it.
For the debate that's tonight but on Saturday Republican activists from all over the state come here.
And day aside from meeting free barbecue they also happen to cast their votes and -- it a decisive straw poll that has a history of winnowing the field.
It's tough stuff but fortunately we have with us somebody who can explain that to us and this is this is Tim Albrecht and he's the communications director.
For Iowa governor Terry Branstad and that's great and we think it's wonderful that you're serving -- public.
-- what we want to talk to you about today is how you win this crazy thing you can't see -- Internet but there is a tent city.
That has grown up on the other side of the parking lot here as everybody's getting ready to bands are are unpacking their stuff it's no amount.
So you helped.
Mitt Romney win this sucker in 2008.
Yes you you work for Pat Buchanan here plus network for -- Z fours and 99 words Forbes.
So what's the secret if you work it.
Though you are now public servant get if you were advising of these campaigns how do you win the -- I love me in on this side of it this here is my fourth Strobl and one -- I don't have any stress for one so it's very happy as all these campaigns right now are stressed out they're not sleeping.
They're going on -- but they all know how important this is Ron Paul.
Tim Pawlenty Michelle Bachmann Rick Santorum they're all doing it right they're gone all across the state.
I think does a -- top four finishers -- not prepared to tell you exactly where everyone's gonna land.
You got to visit the -- you gotta go to every county He got to get the buses and get him here more importantly.
Almost sometimes you gotta get him back home to its -- campaigns don't wanna forget our.
I saw that same thing people are talking about in here that the -- campaign is actually running their own little Greyhound line.
And they're gonna take people from around the state bus them in -- say they don't have to park.
They can go have some ribs listen to some Mike Huckabee play the -- you have cast their votes and then they'll -- home.
That's serious undertaking -- straw poll it's logistically very -- -- have buses.
Who lined up at a location you have to have a bus captain gets in their -- -- got to make sure they have their bright colored T shirts on.
In 99 we are -- -- -- reports.
Last time -- yellow for omni hotel you're gonna wanna have a a right T shirt you want him on all your supporters -- got to Boston down here.
You feed them what you've got to get that all important vote because ultimately.
And they're not voting for you in that -- it's all for nothing so lot of these campaigns had to make sure that other supporters don't get on their bus so logistically it's very difficult.
He got to make sure they vote for -- once they're here has Ed Rollins whose campaign manager for Michelle Bachmann.
And interest in mind the in the days that I hope that they go and enjoy the barbecue at temple -- -- ten and then go and enjoy the music at Herman -- status.
And then they come and vote for Michelle Bachmann.
It is does that happen that people -- come with their minds made up -- go around and sample everything so everything and then go vote -- -- -- -- and I think Ed Rollins Ed and he's exactly right they are gonna go around and they're gonna go to every tenth.
And this year I think it's a little different because usually that ticket -- -- for you you eat your candidates barbecue.
It's going to be a lot of undecided people this year because that fields -- -- -- police say it yet.
So in some ways people to do a symbolic vote for Ron Paul saying I'm not really comfortable with anybody.
But he's been talking about the -- the last four years and and that's the thing that's why you no one can count Ron -- loud enough to do dad because He has if if you want to cast a protest vote if you are conservative.
Republican and -- and you're not satisfied with your offering up.
Ron Paul is the protest vote that you can count that sends the clearest message it says number one I'm not satisfy and it's as number -- stick to the clearest principles and what -- -- tonight in that debate.
I guarantee you.
Is that Ron Paul is gonna come out you know put the -- to everybody and he's gonna say you're a bunch of -- yep and I'm the only one in this mix that keeps it real and sticks to the constitution so that's got appeal to people.
And Ron Paul won every single straw poll nearly last time except this one where He got -- and they said.
-- -- this -- it's a legitimate test of organizational strength and you have to have your passionate supporters here.
He's gonna build on at this time he's learned an important lesson from his fifth place finish.
And I don't think you can say.
Four years ago that trouble was legitimate because He got fifth but -- somehow if He wins this time that it's not right -- I think that the other dynamics at the same.
But so is Ron Paul how many.
Do you expect to see it calling come out of this rubble -- the field gonna shrink is this gonna absolutely I'm watching -- place very closely at 1999 finish Elizabeth Dole and 2007.
It -- Sam Brownback both of whom are going to be very strong candidates but couldn't quite Muster -- the top -- Fourth place somebody watching very closely as well Gingrich -- Santorum who's got what it takes a really.
Kind of catapults into that second maybe even first hear that there's been tremendous buzz in the state about Michelle Bachman right now I mean everybody and I was talking about her she's doing great on the stump she's really out there she and there's a buzz you can you can feel -- -- candidates getting traction if and that's happening for her right now.
How hard is it to translate that energy into trouble but I think that that energy is precisely what you need for straw poll -- it's -- nature vs nurture.
Michelle Bachmann has the energy the energetic supporters.
Do well organized themselves to get there.
Now -- nurture is Tim Pawlenty because he's got the organization I'm an organizational -- easily I think that that should set somebody apart.
But I don't now because she's got a lot of passing out there are some gonna watch those seem very closely to see the nature vs nurture what really plays out.
Okay and last -- is there when that when they're on stage tonight in their debating we mentioned how Ron Paul's gonna be going to take the bark off of everybody.
How influential is what set on that stage tonight on the final decisions in the -- -- will be surprisingly influential five months ago ideas that it wouldn't of mattered because every candidate has bought their ticket they have their supporters here.
But I saw what happened in the New Hampshire debate two months ago and some candidates there isn't some candidates struggled after that.
And I think that those same candidates are gonna wanna make their mark in this debate because it could change a lot of minds really quickly that's a dynamic we've never had.
And kudos to the state party for making it happen what are we had we had met strongly and the Washington examiner and the Los Angeles area -- we had met strong with this yesterday ended the logistics and the enterprise here very impressive.
Let's look at real quick into the fall whoever the Republicans -- -- your party chooses.
It's evident now that I was going to be a swing state.
That it's implies that it's on.
It is does that surprise you at all I mean.
Do it.
Barack Obama rocked this state really -- in 2008 Rite Aid He did it it does not surprise me our voter registration ranks are surging after last year's primary.
This -- the first time we haven't had a contested Democratic Caucus since 1996.
-- have a lot of independents registering -- Republican a lot of conservative leaning.
Democrats but Terry Branstad won the election last here on the debt issue He attacked the debt.
That the state was racking up.
-- Obama's now racking up debt a year ago islands had the lowest credit card debt in the country we don't like -- and that's going to be a big ball and chain for Barack Obama.
There you heard it Internet and we thank you Tim Albrecht -- reform campaign operative now turn public servant but we appreciate you sharing the old knowledge with us --
