The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Don’t Underestimate Rick Santorum’s Campaign Strength in New Hampshire

“Ten days ago I was at 5 percent [in the polls] and every question I got was ‘Why don’t you pack it up and endorse another candidate?’ And now they’re saying ‘You’ve got to win [in Iowa] to exceed expectations.’” — Rick Santorum on NBC’s Meet the Press JOHNSTON, Iowa One of the stupid assumptions […]

Rick Santorum Talks Steelers Football

JOHNSTON, Iowa My friend Dan Collins insisted that I must interview the candidate about his favorite NFL team, which I did Friday night: SANTORUM: “We will beat the Browns this week. My prediction is, both the Patriots will lose to the Bills and the Ravens will lose to the Bengals and we will be the […]

SANTORUM SURGE SUNDAY: Final Poll Makes Front-Page News in Des Moines

JOHNSTON, Iowa You’re looking at the front page of Sunday’s Des Moines Register, which I just bought this morning at a convenience store down the street, and which carries the results of their final poll: Mitt Romney tops the latest Des Moines Register Iowa Poll in the closing days before the Iowa caucuses, but Ron Paul […]

‘Quite a Difference!’

AMES, Iowa Here at Buffalo Wild Wings near the campus of Iowa State University, the place is packed with media covering the Rick Santorum campaign. I’ll have photos in a few minutes, but first, let me explain that title quote. On Aug. 11, after the debate before the Ames Straw Poll, I came to this […]

Guess Who’s Gonna Be Watching Hawkeye Football Tonight With Rick Santorum?

Well, me, obviously, but also all my friends in Iowa are invited tonight to the Des Moines suburb of Johnston for the party tonight as the Iowa Hawkeyes take on the Oklahoma Sooners:  8:45pm CT: Senator Santorum will host an Insight Bowl Watch Party in Johnston, IA. Location: Okoboji Grille 8481 Birchwood Court Johnston, IA So if any of my […]

IOWA NOTEBOOK: Occupy Caucuses?

Rick Perry speaks at Smokey Row coffee shop Pella, Iowa, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011 DAVENPORT, Iowa After days of chasing after campaigns, I find myself in the unusual position of waiting for the campaign to come to me. Rick Santorum will be here in Davenport this evening for a 7 p.m. event, and so I’m […]

Rick Santorum Gets ‘The Kind of Optics a Cash-Strapped Candidate Can’t Buy’

DAVENPORT, Iowa That’s how Alexander Burns of Politico sums up the elements that compose the last-minute “Santorum Surge” here in Iowa. The question is how high that surge will go, and the situation here in Iowa is so turbulent now that it is impossible for anyone to say. I spent hours driving to Pella yesterday […]

SANTORUM SURGE: Finally, the Polls in Iowa Are Catching Up With … Me

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa I’m inside a town hall meeting with Rick Santorum. About a hundred people here, and the big news today in Iowa is the CNN/Time poll showing Santorum surging into third place, with 16%, ahead of Newt Gingrich, who is now fourth with 14%, followed by Rick Perry (11%) and Michelle Bachmann (9%). […]

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