You don't need a Weatherman to know which way the wind blows. Or, blowhards love Iowa. Or a mix of both thoughts, with a politician wanting a future. Breitbart reports. [UPDATE: Pence in Iowa.]
DES MOINES, Iowa — Former Secretary of State
Mike Pompeo told a gathering of about 100 conservatives in north Des
Moines on Friday morning that their beliefs are under “assault,” but
they can “retake” their country by getting engaged now.
“There is an assault on the ideas you all got up to come work hard
for — and the candidates you all are working hard for,” Pompeo said in a
speech and question-and-answer session for which he earned a standing
ovation at both ends. Pompeo’s comments came at the Northside
Conservatives Club gathering early Friday morning at the District Venue
in the Ankeny neighborhood of Iowa’s capital. The address represents one
of the earliest forays of a potential GOP presidential candidate in
2024 into the first state that will help decide who represents the party
in the next presidential election.
This is serious shit. Not a ludicrous traveling freak show. Even though the endgame aims of both bombastic exercises are identically mean. Each in its way wants to "Go into ‘Every Nook and Cranny of America and Retake’ What Made U.S. Special." What escapes my understanding, if we're special as a nation, why would one presume to suggest a need to be made great again. Unless, special in a bad way. Going into every nook and cranny to gin up money? Not Iowa, that's aimed at political capital. And that's why Pompeo this early in Iowa is serious shit.
And Pompeo would be the first to say, made us special - in the past tense. Suggesting we gotta work at being special again. I.e., Great Again. That Beacon of Light refrain, yet again, and get that light kindled for whatever reason, in Iowa.
FURTHER: Politico publishes about a perceived lack of vigor to the Pence campaign, the post ending:
Stuart
Spencer, the famed Republican strategist who advised Ronald Reagan,
said he concluded that Pence was a “sincere guy and has a belief system”
when Pence refused to be cowed by Trump on Jan. 6. But he doubted that
will do him any good in 2024.
“The Trump people don’t like him, and all the people who were anti-Trump don’t like him,” Spencer said.
For Pence, he said, “That’s not a big Lincoln Day dinner.”
Olivia Beavers and Daniel Lippman contributed to this report.
Interestingly, that Filed Under list - a fact highlighting Pompeo is one among several, early. None of whom were collaterally mentioned. Not a horse race yet.
