Ames Iowa Straw Poll – Mitt Romney is on the Launch Pad

As mentioned yesterday morning, South Carolina’s switch of Primary dates has made this a race for organization. Mitt Romney will win that race 10 times out of 10. He’s sharp, well prepared and has a thorough game plan. When we consider that statement carefully, those are the qualities we need in a president as a war rages and the world stands at the precipice of chaotic upheaval.

Romney has demonstrated a skill in organization that makes his campaign the envy of the Republican race. And he has the cash and charisma to turn that organization into a threat to the Democratic front-runners.

Romney’s soft spots are curious and few. He’s been accused of animal abuse, flip-flopping on abortion (though I can’t understand how changing one’s mind constitutes a flip-flop, since a flip-flop would require changing one’s mind twice and arriving back at the original conclusion – another post for another day), being too programmed and being a Mormon. Last time I checked, he doesn’t deny being a Mormon. But the old media is asking stupid, bigoted questions, repeating false allegations about the religion and treating Mormonism like a crime, all the while using evangelicals as a shield.

I was raised among the Southern Baptists, and one of their preachers – not related to me, which is an important distinction given that my father and brother are Southern Baptist preachers – said that the only religious litmus test he had was that he wouldn’t vote for a Methodist representing New York. And I’ve heard my father dismiss the issue of Mormonism as well. So evangelicals that I know, and ones I’ve heard, have no religious problems with Mitt Romney. Then again, the old media never met a fact they couldn’t ignore if their agenda needed a fudge, I mean, nudge.

The animal abuse charge stems from an event that happened at a time when standards were different. That is, humans were more important than dogs and a case of Fido having bowel problems wasn’t cause for a special prosecutor. As for the flip-flopping, I have a new rule in life about every three or four days, and today’s new rule is that if Sam Brownback is vituperating about a candidate’s position, that candidate is likely to be right.

Senator Brownback’s pontification on the issue of abortion is just this side of reprehensible. He behaves as if those who were not born with pro-life views have no moral authority to address the subject. That sort of pig-headed bloody-mindedness only serves to splinter a party that will need all hands on deck to beat the Clinton machine in 2008. Brownback, attacking Romney incessantly, seems about as sincere as Hugh Heffner delivering a lecture on monogamy.

As for the too-programmed charge, I offer Barack Obama as a comparison point. Presidential Candidates have to offer opinion and insight on so many subjects that it is nearly impossible for one person to know them all. It is nice to think that a candidate has thought something through before speaking. Obama is probably wishing he had a few canned lines to fall back on after his last two weeks. At least he didn’t claim 10,000 people were injured or killed in the bridge collapse. We might have had to call the President of Canada and ask for help. Yes, he has made statements that foolish sounding.

Romney has earned a fortune in business ventures, turned around the fortunes of Salt Lake City (kept the Olympic hope alive), served as the chief executive officer of a populous state and has learned quickly on the campaign trail. Observers have noted his adaptability in many situations and have been impressed by his skill at quick assessment followed by decisive action. Those are the traits of a wartime president, and for those of you who still haven't completely grasped it yet, we're at war.

His social agenda will appeal to social conservatives who aren't running for president or in the extreme fringes. His fiscal policies are sound. He has a premium team around him, and most people will acknowledge that in this complicated age, a team is key to success.

My own personal gauge for whether or not I can support Romney is that the old media savage him at every opportunity. That's a very good sign for a Republican Candidate. Unlike John McCain, Romney gets hounded by the old guard of Washington's media elites.

Mitt Romney has put together a formidable campaign with a legitimate shot at the White House. He does have some weaknesses, but his strengths more than balance his sheet. Oh, and he has a commanding lead in Iowa at the moment, with many voters prepared to cast a ballot in his favor. That’s not a guarantee that he’ll win, but eight other candidates would love to be in his place. If that sentence sounds familiar, we might want to get used to it.

I have a feeling we’ll be hearing it often between now and January.