MyDD :: More strange scheduling from the McCain-Palin campaign

More strange scheduling from the McCain-Palin campaign

by desmoinesdem, Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 10:16:49 PM EST

The latest Iowa poll (from SUSA) shows Barack Obama leading John McCain 55 percent to 40 percent. Obama leads 48-46 among men and 61-34 among women. Most significantly, Obama is beating McCain by 40 points among the 32 percent of respondents who told Survey USA they've already voted.

Yet Sarah Palin is coming back to Iowa on Monday to headline a rally in Dubuque.

What's really weird is that Dubuque, along the Mississippi River across from Wisconsin and Illinois, is in the uncompetitive first Congressional district (Bruce Braley, D). It's far from the central and north-central population centers in the fourth district, where Becky Greenwald is challenging Tom Latham, and farther from the fifth district, where Rob Hubler is taking on Steve "10 worst" King.

Your guess is as good as mine.

While I have your attention, please kick in a few bucks to Becky Greenwald and Rob Hubler so they can run more tv ads during the final stretch. You can view Greenwald's final ad here and read the script here. Hubler's tv ad is here (scroll down past the text of the Des Moines Register's endorsement editorial). The Ames Progressive blog recently featured these races too.

Tags: Barack Obama, John McCain, Sarah Palin, Becky Greenwald, Tom Latham, IA-04, Rob Hubler, Steve King, IA-05, 2008 elections, Congress, House, Iowa (all tags)

Permalink :: 33 Comments :: Post a Comment

Re: More strange scheduling from the McCain-Palin (none / 0)

Laying the groundwork for 2012?

by Lolis on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 10:20:41 PM EST

Re: More strange scheduling from the McCain-Palin (2.00 / 1)

Send her where she can't do more damage:-\

by nintendofanboy on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 10:32:42 PM EST

Re: More strange scheduling (none / 0)

Perhaps Steve King considers Palin too liberal to pal around with.

"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman

by Steve M on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 10:38:22 PM EST

Re: More strange scheduling from the McCain-Palin (none / 0)

Good point. But why is Obama going to Iowa on Friday?

by triebensee on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 10:38:26 PM EST

Re: More strange scheduling from the McCain-Palin (none / 0)

To makes sure the state doesn't think it's taken for granted... After all, the McPalin campaign has been going nuts there...

"This was never part of our arrangement, Specter" "I am altering the deal! Pray I don't alter it any further!" "This deal keeps getting worse all the time!"

by LordMike on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 10:53:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

to help Greenwald and Hubler (none / 0)

That's my opinion, anyway.

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by desmoinesdem on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 11:13:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: More strange scheduling from the McCain-Palin (none / 0)

I remember reading that he's going there to make up a visit he canceled when he visited his grandmother.

Can't vouch for the accuracy, but that's what I read.

by Bush Bites on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 11:15:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

true, but even when that visit was scheduled (none / 0)

Obama was leading McCain by double digits in Iowa according to the polling average.

I think this is about coat-tails and bringing more Democrats into Congress. Obama was just in Minnesota doing a rally with Al Franken, I think for the same reason.

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by desmoinesdem on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 11:21:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: More strange scheduling (none / 0)

I don't think that that's it - he canceled visits to Wisconsin, too, but didn't return for strategic reasons. I imagine that he's in Iowa for good luck (since that's where his campaign got off the ground), and/or to make sure Iowans know that they aren't being taken for granted.

by rfahey22 on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 11:51:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: More strange scheduling from the McCain-Palin (2.00 / 1)

So he can get back to Illinois and take the girls trick-or-treating.

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by mistersite on Fri Oct 31, 2008 at 01:28:19 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: More strange scheduling (2.00 / 1)

Memo to McCain campaign: one truism of the primary season -- and indeed of the general, I'd argue, is that the closer you are to Illinois, the more popular Barack is. of all places in Iowa for her to go... Although, she did do a rally in Los Angeles a few weeks ago and it did mobilize the wingnuts for some of their propositions. You guys have any statewide issues on the ballot this year?

by Todd Beeton on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 10:41:35 PM EST

Re: More strange scheduling (none / 0)

That's the point... They are trying to attack Obama strongholds to lower his margins....

"This was never part of our arrangement, Specter" "I am altering the deal! Pray I don't alter it any further!" "This deal keeps getting worse all the time!"

by LordMike on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 10:54:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

nothing controversial (none / 0)

Gay marriage won't be a referendum issue in Iowa until 2010 or 2012.

The only statewide referendum we've got is about replacing the words "idiot" and "insane person" with "mentally incompetent" in the Iowa Constitution.

Join the Iowa progressive community at Bleeding Heartland.

by desmoinesdem on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 11:22:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

strange scheduling (none / 0)

I agree, this is testing the water for 2012. Also, we will have to see what she says (and does not say) and how much ad-libbing she does.

But, in the end, it will be just like the line from Ghostbusters: "This chick is toast."

by Hammer1001 on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 10:51:37 PM EST

She's hurting the 'pugs, (none / 0)

so they're sending her places they've already lost! Aha!

Senator Al Franken. Have I died and gone to heaven? Not yet. We're still in Purgatory.

by NM Ward Chair on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 10:58:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

maybe you are joking (2.00 / 1)

but I've been wondering if that is what they're doing.

Still, why not send her to a Republican part of Iowa, where at least she could fire up the base? Weird.

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by desmoinesdem on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 11:17:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: maybe you are joking (2.00 / 1)

No... One of the McCain people said that there just aren't enough votes in western IA to make a difference... they have to reduce Obama's margins in the east...

"This was never part of our arrangement, Specter" "I am altering the deal! Pray I don't alter it any further!" "This deal keeps getting worse all the time!"

by LordMike on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 11:47:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

well, there are a lot of anti-choice Dems (none / 0)

in the Dubuque area. Maybe they figure these people will like Palin. Who knows?

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by desmoinesdem on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 11:52:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The key to the 2012 theory... (none / 0)

is is she setting her own schedule apart from the campaign? If so, it's definitely a 2012 play.

Your old role is rapidly aging. Please get out of the new one if you can't lend a hand, for the times they are a changing.

by Travis Stark on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 11:07:38 PM EST

I have no inside information (none / 0)

but I would be shocked if she is controlling her own travel schedule. I would think those decisions are out of her hands.

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by desmoinesdem on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 11:18:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

strange scheduling from the McCain-Palin campaign (none / 0)

I don't agree that it's for 2012: Iowa only matters if you need to establish yourself - especially in the GOP. She's already a frontrunner for 2012, so it's got no more value than say, South Carolina. Probably less.

When you start out making the "slippery slope" argument, where do you draw the line?

by Jess81 on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 11:45:21 PM EST

not to be mean (none / 0)

but i think hillary clinton would disagree.

Being Normal is for the Mediocre.

by Doug Tuttle on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 11:58:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: not to be mean (none / 0)

You need to win Iowa if nobody's heard of you, OR you're the single opponent of someone nobody has heard of. If Hillary Clinton wins Iowa then she's off like Kerry in 2004.

But the GOP in 2012 won't apply - you'll have Romney and whoever else will establish themselves between now and then hanging around until their money runs out.

When you start out making the "slippery slope" argument, where do you draw the line?

by Jess81 on Fri Oct 31, 2008 at 12:18:09 AM EST
[ Parent ]

it is very bizarre (2.00 / 1)

Well I don't know about polls but I do know that Iowa has the best ground game for the Obama campaign. However there is one thing I am concerned about is if there is a concerted effort to suppress the Dem votes, esp the youth/student vote through fallacious and surreptitious means. I have been scratching my head about this for a long time and if I know the Republicans or for that matter any campaign they don't put so much energy in one state unless they have a shot. If this is just empty bravado then it is foolish, but that does not mean we should be complacent. It is good that Obama is going because he needs to energize the base.

by tarheel74 on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 11:55:36 PM EST

Re: it is very bizarre (2.00 / 1)

Some reassurance for you... A few weeks ago, the Des Moines Register reported what the McCain camp was "seeing" in Iowa. It wasn't tightening of the polls, but, supposedly the voters would be more "persuadable"... it's the same thing they were supposedly seeing in PA... It's a real reach... Personally, I think McCain just can't believe that Obama could win a 99% white state.

"This was never part of our arrangement, Specter" "I am altering the deal! Pray I don't alter it any further!" "This deal keeps getting worse all the time!"

by LordMike on Fri Oct 31, 2008 at 12:56:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: it is very bizarre (none / 0)

which makes me worry if all the racial dog-whistling is working. I mean McCain can go down in history as George Wallace part 2 but I still remember an older white man asking Edwards if he can assure him that if "he" wins "they" will not exact retribution or some nonsense like this. The same stuff is being used here in PA in predominantly white areas. Shameful but then the truth is the country still has a lot of racists in both parties.

To be honest after 2000 and 2004 I am a glass-half-empty kind of person but while a part of me feels cautiously optimistic the other part still worries and frets over the stupidity of American people and whether they will once again get conned by empty platitudes and traditional race-baiting, fear-mongering and other GOP nonsense.

I hope you are right, I hope we win. The future of this country depends on this.

by tarheel74 on Fri Oct 31, 2008 at 01:04:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

bad moves redux (none / 0)

this is like the rscc's one mil put towards mi-sen in 2006. that mixed with palin's ambition.

Being Normal is for the Mediocre.

by Doug Tuttle on Thu Oct 30, 2008 at 11:57:46 PM EST

And today, guys and gals, here in Iowa... (none / 0)

I declare my 2012 Candidacy for President of the United States.....

Ok, admit it, this has been a very strange campaign, so that would fit right in, right?

Rush Limbaugh, Sara Palin and Joe the Plumber...The Triad of Republican Irrelevancy.

by WashStateBlue on Fri Oct 31, 2008 at 12:24:20 AM EST

I can't understand it either (none / 0)

Given the SUSA poll, it's more than strange. If the poll is accurately capturing how many people have already voted in Iowa and by what margin, then McCain has already lost it. He would need to win the remaining voters by a 20% margin to take the state, which clearly isn't going to happen.

by al1 on Fri Oct 31, 2008 at 05:44:40 AM EST

trying to hide Palin or just discredit her (none / 0)

There are only 2 options-

1) Send Palin to a lost state where an additional loss of votes do not change the elctoral college.

2) Or the Romney sympathizers are just making sure that Plain comes out in the worst possible light. Afterall, whereve she has been in the last 2 weeks on the campaign, McCain would lose all of them. FL, OH, PA and IA (Okay, maybe I am hoping FL and OH, but so is Romney.)

by ann0nymous on Fri Oct 31, 2008 at 07:42:17 AM EST

Hi, dmd! (none / 0)

Just kicked in my last contributions to Hubler and Greenwald. As I recover from four days straight of GOTV next Wednesday, I will be interested to see how they did. Thanks to you, I won't be kicking myself for not helping them.

by RunawayRose on Fri Oct 31, 2008 at 11:22:11 AM EST

Go Palin (none / 0)

Sometimes I wish I still lived in Florida so that candidates could pander to me. In the Boston area, nobody does that. I actually saw a McCain field office in Boston Common a few weeks ago and thought that was weird, because there's nothing for McCain to win here -- at least in Cambridge, true blue is an understatement. So you know, Palin is doing something right (no doubt by accident) by campaigning in a "safe" region. Waste of money and time? I wouldn't say so -- anything that doesn't help the Republicans can't be that much of a waste! But it's nice for the residents of the district to be given some attention sometimes.

by mauro7inf on Fri Oct 31, 2008 at 12:07:22 PM EST

Re: More strange scheduling from the McCain-Palin (none / 0)

Join the Iowa progressive community at Bleeding Heartland.

by desmoinesdem on Fri Oct 31, 2008 at 04:30:24 PM EST

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