ELECTION SEASON STARTS TODAY!

<span><span><span>I'll be watching the results tonight with great interest for the following reasons:           Yesterday Romney and his folks raised expectations to the highest level by making the bold prediction that Romney is going to win the caucuses tonight. If Romney fails to do that it'll reinforce the perception that he's a very weak "front-runner" who CAN"T close the deal with rank-and-file Repub "conservative" voters. I don't care how the Romney campaign tries to spin it. If he doesn't place FIRST tonight, it won't be a good sign at all.            Add to that…..           IF Santorum actually wins tonight_combined with the fact that Newt has now declared all out war on Romney (in retaliation for the millions of $ worth of attack ads by Romney's Super Pack) THAT could really spell BIG trouble for Romney as they leave Iowa and N.H. and take the fight south, beginning with South Carolina and then Florida. </span></span></span><span><span><span></span></span></span><span><span><span>Sidethought:           I think Mitt and *friends* may have made a strategic error in savaging Newt so thoroughly in Iowa. They severely wounded Newt but they DIDN'T kill him (politcally speaking), which IMO makes Newt all the MORE dangerous. Now Newt's primary goal is destroying Romney rather than winning the GOP nomination.            Re: Ron Paul            Paul and his core supporters are also claiming he's going to win tonight. As I stated last week. He had better have at least a 2nd place showing (and a strong 2nd place showing at that) or everyone will know that his "widespread" appeal is pretty much NON extistent.             Re: Bachmann and Perry            Even if they have a poor showing tonight (and I expect them both to have a poor showing) they've both stated they're in it at least until South Carolina. But we shall see.           As for Huntsman? I'm sure he knows he never really stood a chance.</span></span></span>

BREAKING NEWS: Wed. Jan. 4, 2011CBS News: "Bachmann Cancels SC trip after poor Iowa finish: Plans news Confernce"DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republican presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann canceled her campaign trip to South Carolina on Wednesday after a dismal showing in the Iowa caucuses.Campaign manager Keith Nahigan told The Associated Press that the Minnesota congresswoman planned a news conference in Iowa later Wednesday morning. Nahigan would not say whether Bachmann intends to drop out.Bachmann told a small group of supporters Tuesday night that despite the vote she was staying in the presidential race as the only true conservative who can defeat President Barack Obama. […]Read:http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505103_162-57351926/b…Hmm. Mayhaps she AND Rick Perry are coming to the same conclusion(?) They're done.