McCain wrote off Iowa tonight

[bluestateguy]

He looked right into the camera and called for getting rid of ethanol subsidies.

I can't imagine that that helps in Missouri either.

[MadMaddie]

1. What are the papers saying in Iowa and Missouri?

[McCamy Taylor]

2. He kissed goodbye to the whole farm belt.

[Unsane]

3. First thing I thought when he said that.

No way he can win Iowa now.

[faithfulcitizen]

4. doesn't help in Indiana either.

As the saying goes..."there's more than corn in Indiana."

[Omnibus]

12. Good, I'd like to see a blue Hoosier State.

I always thought IN and OH should go Democratic in presidential elections, to make a contiguous link between the Upper Midwest and the New England States. It'd just make it easier to secede or join Canada if we have to.

But this year, it looks like we'll have CO and NM detached from the other blue states as well. Will we EVER get contiguous borders?

[Barack_America]

5. Yup. That immediately crossed my mind as well.

Ethanol subsidies ain't perfect, but they've kept a lot of farms in the Midwest from going belly-up.

You phase that sort of thing out, you don't just yank it.

[firedupdem]

6. I just moved to nebraska and they have this ethanol gas here..

I don't know too much about it but I'm calling the Lincoln headquarters on Monday just to make sure that message gets to these blind republicans. I hear that shaves a lot of money from farmers.

[Captiosus]

7. I think he's going to lose more than that if media makes a big

to do about the idea of freeze spending on everything but military and veterans spending.

If that's reported properly, it would scare the bejebus out of people. Imagine if, all of the sudden, all government spending is shut off unless you're in the military, a veteran or eligible for the "other entitlement programs" he vaguely mentioned.

No doubt he just threw away the farm belt. I can't wait to see him try to backpeddle on that one. I just hope the media seizes on this whole idea of freezing government spending for a couple days.

[TheCML]

8. I said the same thing....

I was watching it in Omaha with a lot of people who probably dont care but as soon as he said that I yelled "there goes Iowa". If only we could get the Western side of the state to go Blue. I would love to see Obama carry this state by 20 points. Wont happen but I can dream.

[Tinksrival]

21. Where it all began! IOWA!!

Welcome to DU. :hi:

[KitchenWitch]

9. And large parts of Minnesota.

Perhaps that is why he did not choose Timmy the Tool Pawlenty as his running mate.

[Drunken Irishman]

10. Not like he had a chance in Iowa anyway.

[Omnibus]

11. I live in Iowa...

...and that's the first thing I thought of when he said that.

I don't personally agree with ethanol subsidies for corn or other food crops, but I know full well that it's a third rail here in Iowa.

[grantcart]

13. and the rest of the corn belt Indiana

[snowbear]

14. Big Eddie said ethonol is HUGE in North Dakota too....

So I'm sure they're not overly joyed with him there either?

[rucky]

15. The corn-ethanol growers already figured out it's not viable.

but it was fun while it lasted.

[Eric J in MN]

24. Obama has been way ahead in Iowa polls for a long time.

On edit: I meant that as a reply to the original post.

[book_worm]

16. Well, the polls in Iowa have been strongly for Obama for months.

[David Zephyr]

17. Yeah, we said the same thing in our home.

Iowa is looking good this cycle.

[vaberella]

18. Two nights ago he wrote off Indiana because of Letterman.

I'm not surprised by this. Ethanol commercials are what I see on all the cable news channels as well. He's basically turned the nation against him...except those last few strong hold republicans who lack intillect.

[EC]

19. I said the same

thing...Told my dog, well he just blow off Iowa....Of course my dog just laughed...

[loudsue]

27. jHAHAHAHAHAHA!

:rofl:

[krkaufman]

20. I'm not sure it'd go over all that well in a lot of the Midwestern states ...

... and a few other places now, given how many ethanol plants have been springing up.

How much corn is grown in Indiana?

[chiefofclarinet]

22. I said that to the TV!

And, my friend I was watching the debate laughed at me. I would hear something completely insane that McLame says, and go nuclear, and then go back to what I was talking about. It happened a lot.

[JI7]

23. McCain wrote off Iowa ever since 2000, remember, he skipped the caucuses this year

he is not popular in the state. while Iowa is where Obama got his big win. it's where Bush got his win the Primary. Iowans already know this. he has no chance there.

[Hippo_Tron]

26. Yea but McSame flip-flopped on ethanol in 2007 when he wanted to contest Iowa

And then flip-flopped back again when he realized that wasn't happening.

[Hippo_Tron]

25. This is one issue that I agree with McCain on, but he's flip flopped on it a few times

And honestly I don't think he would do jack shit about it as President. An empty promise to make himself look like a maverick. At least Obama is serious about the things he plans on reforming.

[FlyingSquirrel]

28. Missouri is VERY important.

It is a bellweather state and I don't think too many Democrats have won the WH without it.

[saltpoint]

29. It really was surprising to hear McCain reassert his opposition to

ethanol voluntarily when Iowa, for example, is now a likely Democratic pick-up from Bush's 04 totals.

McCain might just as well have added, "And I hope the Hawkeyes finish last in the Big 10!"

[mopinko]

30. illinois- archer dannings midland

that's who he wants to drop.

[IA_Seth]

33. It's actually Archer Daniels Midland...

And they have a big presence in many of the ag states (as far as I know).

They operate one of the largest (if not the largest) corn processing plants in the US here in Iowa.

He may have done a hell of a lot of damage with that statement, especially if any corn producers were on the fence.

[Lerkfish]

31. not a popular decision in Ohio and Indiana, either.

[Kber]

32. Does he favor yanking the subsidies on just corn based ethanol

or all ethanol (like switch grass, for example).

'cause while corn may not be the best ethanol source, it was an important bridge and there are promising crops being researched. I don't think now is the right time to dial back on research or support for alternative fuels.

Just mho.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

34. I think Iowa wrote McCain off several months ago...

nt

[moondust]

35. Ethanol.

It's a big deal in the corn belt. Obama might benefit from running some ads there of McCain's strict opposition to it, perhaps mentioning that McCain would cut it off at the knees. In the longer term Obama might want to develop a plan for a graceful transition away from corn-based ethanol, possibly to some other type of crop base, if it is conclusively proven that the corn base is a bad idea.