Late afternoon rally

What a spirited crowd!

spontaneous songs

Which other candidate had volunteers and supporters who break out into "America the Beautiful."

Driving in from Chicago to meet her Hero

More time with the People

Most politicians would use this opportunity to pick his pocket.

More meeting with the People

Yes, it was that hot.

talking with the People

conversations

I was able to observe Dr. Paul closely for a while he interacted with supporters and media. I watched him, his face, his posture, his gestures, his demeanor as he was being interviewed by someone. Frankly, it struck me as if I were watching a neighbor having a conversation, rather than a scripted, controlled regurgitation of focus-group-cleansed talking points. You can just tell he is a thoughtful man.

Into the shade

Mitt had a separate tent for his staff to keep out of the sun. Ron Paul, ever frugal, opted for a delightful shade tree.






I don't think any candidate for President prefers sunshine in government more than Ron Paul. Iowa sun in August is something else, though.

The Parade Van

Since we were there so early, we procured a choice spot and prettied up the parade van with signage. Every vote counts. It's parked next to the central avenue that voter use to approach the Straw Poll grounds.




Here's a closeup.


Yes, I found the typo and removed it. :-)

shouting down the Ron Paul rally?

Two Fred Heads try to out-shout the Ron Paul rally. Of course, they needed a megaphone and a boombox with a mic.

Fred, uh, just between us two. You really need more than two people to show up for you if you're serious about this.

Ron Paul late morning speech

Misc images around the tent

Fife and drum. Our forefathers mustered to this sound. Did you?







Joe Seehusen, RP08 Iowa coordinator, laying it down.



Ron Paul radio

Delivering the votes

This Tommy Thompson worker was leading a gaggle of Tommy Thompson voters from the bus to the voting area. Note the stack of tickets. Nothing untoward here; it just gives you a little background into how things are done.

Mitt's compound

Early in the day. No, he didn't buy a ferris wheel. That was Huckabees, er, I mean Fairtax.





Later in the day.



The tanned rockstar gives a speech. "My brother visited all 99 counties..."




Remains of a Ron Paul placard outside of Mitt's area.

Crowd pic at the Iowa Straw poll

This shot is of a pedestrian walkway where booths were placed for "issue tents."

That pedestrian bridge you see in the background is where the Ron Paul march ended and we raised our voices.

Fairtax a Huckabee front group?

In case you're not sure whom the Fairtax organziation was supporting, check out their "Scorecard" inside their tent.

By the way, as a CPA, I endorse the Fairtax.

If politics has taught me anything it's look at what they DO, not what they SAY. If Huckabee agrees with the moral concept of a Fairtax, then I guess as governor he would have a long record of fighting to repeal his own state's income tax. Right?

Ron Paul's Big Tent

Literature tent. May not have been an official tent.


Inside Dr. Paul's tent at 9:30 AM before things get rocking.

getting to Ron Paul's tent

As you turn the corner, Ron Paul's tent was flanked with signage with very meaningful quotes.







As a matter of perspective, the Romney/Brownback tent would be over the hill between the two buildings in the picture below. The Huckabee & Tancredo tents would be to the left. Tommy's tent is behind the photographer.

Tommy Thompson's tent & getting ready

Quick shot of Tommy's tent. RP's tent was situated to the left of that.

More Iowa Straw poll background pics.

A look at the media trucks outside the colliseum where the speeches were given. At left is Brownback/Romney. Yes, that's a climbing wall.




That's a look back down the parking area. Busses were delivering folks at the near parking lots, and car parking farther down. If the turnout was higher, they were expecting to put people on the far side of that stadium.

View entering the Iowa Straw Poll grounds

The first tent you see was Brownback's. Behind his is the Romney megaplex. On the right, note the kids play area. Nothing says first degree burn like sliding down sweaty hot vinyl baking the sun all day.

On far left, you can see the FairTax Ferris Wheel & tent. At near left are BBQ catering trucks.

Getting started w/volunteers.

Ron Paul volunteers prepare to greet Iowa Straw poll voters. That early, there were no other candidates out there.









Spoke too soon. Here's the Romney-rent-a-crowd.

Ron Paul Iowa Straw Poll

Starting off bright and early from eastern Iowa to pick up a voter.

Yes, that radio station is 770AM out of New York. The night before I was listening to a station from San Antonio.

new blog

Since I'm going to blog more often directly about my business and investing outlook, I've created a new blog over at Wordpress. (I'd heard good things about that as a blog host. So far so good.)

I guess this "Haymaker" blog will be more of a personal blog, compared to http://heyercapital.wordpress.com/.