Ames Iowa Straw Poll

Hello all,

I will try to describe the events of the day and explain what was going on at the Ames Iowa Straw Poll. However, as this was our 1st time participating, you may do better with the details at the IOWAGOP sponsor site - http://www.iowagop.net/straw.poll.asp, or at Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ames_Straw_Poll.

Unlike our political lives prior to this point in California or Arizona, where there are at most 3 or 4 GOP Candidates looking for the GOP nomination, at the AISP all candidates are welcomed and encouraged to attend. This is a golden opportunity to be able to support and vote for the candidate of your choice that most closely supports your position on your platform of choice. You have this chance even if you know that after the AISP they may drop out. This is one of the few opportunities to taste democracy before it's watered down, peppered with hyperbole, and vanilla flavored so that it can appeal to an largely uninformed masses via 10 second sound bites.

Anyway, our whole family went and we had a great time. I am including some of the pictures that I took below.

Mitt sitings -Mitt in crowd, Mitt and Ann whizzing past us in the morning, and Mitt on stage with Ann and the "Five Brothers".

The "Five Brothers" and the "Five Brother's Mitt Mobile" that they used to travel to every one of Iowa's 99 counties (more details at http://fivebrothers.mittromney.com/)

Resting in the shade was a major theme in the extreme heat. Here's Camilla taking a break, Deborah taking a break in the shade, and the whole family sitting and eating lunch just before Mitt spoke.



Family entertainment: that's Gavin and Camilla doing the bounce house obstacle course, Everett climbing the rock wall, Everett petting Cinderella the piglet, and the kids on the "Fair Tax Ferris Wheel".

Update: I was hoping to get this actually posted Saturday, but with meetings during the day and a date with Deborah last night, I didn't get it done. However, that means that there is additional information that I can now include - THE RESULTS!!! http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070812/ap_on_el_pr/iowa_straw_poll;_ylt=All6Ea7QsKzLxw5fbMl0_G9I2ocA

Hope you're all having a great summer for those still out of school and condolences to those that are already in school.

Love you and chat later,

Marvin