Caucus Update "Static Age" edition

Today, the Register ran the totals the field of GOP hopefuls have spent on tv ads.

Ron Paul                 $265,532
Tim Pawlenty           195,463
Michele Bachmann   41,949
Rick Perry                    38,040

I have been pretty impressed with all the ads this year.  Paul's are very professional, and Bachmann's ascent that led to the Ames Straw Poll win was likely helped by hers.

Also of note, the near half of a million in tv ads is a far cry from 2008 ($8.6 million in advertising - 3.6 million on the GOP side).

Since the caucus isn't a sprint, but a marathon, you might want to check out cash-on-hand totals as well.

Perry       $15.1 million
Romney   14.7 million
Paul            3.7 million

Not that bodes well for Josh Brolin's stand-in.  This time last cycle, Rudy Giuliani led the pack with 16.6 million.

More fun than money or ad spending, The Washington Times asked the candidates for their favorite movies.

Herman Cain: The Godfather  (Get it?  Get it?)
Rick Santorum: Field of Dreams ( Good movie.  cough*pander*cough)
Newt Gingrich:  Casablanca
Michelle Bachmann: Braveheart (or Saving Private Ryan)
Ron Paul: None (Seems appropriate.  Oddly he also mentions that he was invited to the premier of Couples Retreat by Vince Vaughn)
Gary Johnson: Dr Zhivago
Rick Perry: Immortal Beloved (What an odd choice, but I love that movie. Oldman as Ludwig Van is beyond awesome)
Mitt Romney: O Brother Where Art Thou (Love this movie too, but kinda leftfield)

Caucus Update: "The Loneliness of the Campaign Frontrunner" edition

Last Sunday was the first big event held in Iowa since Herman Cain took the lead - The Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition Banquet.

All the top candidates were there except Romney and Huntsman.

But, it's not like they are real Christians anyway.

This should have been Cain's big Iowa return, but it turned against him.  He was left busy handling questions about whether he was truly pro-life.

Cain had said something akin to families should make decisions regarding abortion, and was attacked by everyone for being soft on the issue, even if his comments only meant that he was not willing to 100% commit to the "Don't care if your brother raped you.  You gotta carry that baby to term" crowd.

Still, 9-9-9 got a standing ovation, we're told, and Cain amused with “As the great philosopher Emeril Lagasse says, ‘Kick it up a notch.’” ("It's a joke y'all" ,Cain said, preempting anyone who wouldn't get the joke).

Gingrich was one of the more well-received speakers, and Santorum spoke in a soft voice that wasn't likely heard by the back row (and during the unenviable final spot as the media packed up).

Bachmann's biggest applause came when she was going to shut down the EPA, and the Departments of Education, Energy, and Interior.  Paul quoted Old Testament, and Perry spoke proudly of defunding Planned Parenthood (and said God doesn’t call people to be perfect.  “If any of you have watched my debate performances over the last three or four times, you know I am far from perfect.")

Conventional Wisdom stated that no one had a 'Huckabee moment' and won over the audience completely.  The Register's Kathie Obradovich considered the event a loss for Herman Cain who couldn't put the 'it's a family decision' abortion comments behind him.

While the event brought the six contenders back to Iowa, each found ways to pass the time.  Rick Perry and Rick Santorum (though not together) spent the weekend hunting with Congressman Steve King.

Herman Cain decided to tailgate at the Iowa State- Texas A&M game (The current governor of the Lone Star state is an Aggie alumnus.  Subtle!)



Bachmann took her campaign to church, and Ron Paul rallied at the University of Iowa .

Perry's trip to the farm to hunt pheasants drew at least 160 people.  Cain's bus in Ames drew perhaps 100.  Bachmann drew 70 and 40 in her two stops (though she did fill a room, and had to stand on a chair to reach those in the back).  130 showed up for Paul in his Des Moines stop.