Shades of '08...

[Drunken Irishman]

At least from the Republican side.

I know a lot of you probably weren't following the Republican primary as much as the Democratic one that year, but if you'll remember, Romney was almost always seen as one of the front runners because of his money and lead in Iowa.

He held a sizable lead there - in fact, Romney led in almost every poll from December of '06 to NOVEMBER of '07.

Then, out of nowhere, Huckabee started polling ahead of Romney in a few polls. Huckabee's first-ever lead in Iowa came in a poll done on November 26, 2007 - he led by 3 points.

Subsequent polls showed Romney leading, but barely. Then, at the very end of November, Huckabee took the lead and led in all but five polls up until the Iowa Caucus, where he beat Romney.

Gingrich has pulled off a similar feat. He rarely registered in any polls and then, at the end of November, surged.

The same issues that dogged Romney in '08 are dogging him once again - he can't close the deal. The Republicans are starting to panic realizing he might be the candidate and, as it was four years ago, they're now flirting with someone else.

THE difference, and this is big, Huckabee didn't win the nomination. Huckabee's win in Iowa allowed McCain to take New Hampshire and instantly become the frontrunner.

There is no Republican, IMO, that has the support or credibility to do that right now. If Gingrich wins Iowa, Romney very well still could win New Hampshire and control his own destiny.

Then again, if Gingrich wins Iowa, he very well could use that as momentum, like Kerry in '04, to take New Hampshire and if that happens, all bets are off for Romney.

A guy like Huntsman, who's invested most of his resources in NH, still is not registering in the polls to be a threat.

So that's why Romney is in a good position, even if he does lose Iowa. But losing Iowa will prolong the race and that's something the Republicans don't want.

That means one thing: GO NEWT!

[yowzayowzayowza]

Huntsman's the only rational threat to Obama. Among the rest, the crazier the better!!

GO NEWT!!!!