It's very clear what's going on here. Ron Paul clearly would have beat McCain and Giuliani. Beating them in the straw poll would have been huge. Finally, the mainstream media would have had to give Dr. Paul a little airtime. This is just another way of minimizing Paul's success.

obvious why they backed out. romney is way more organized with ground support and money. this does not look good for them. everybody knows that when they say the resources would be better spent somewhere else ot win the caucus is bologna becuase what better place to get a boost than there? there isn't? good sign for romney.

mccain is over i think. thompson will jump an then flatten out with time. he is lazy and the same version as mccain, nobody knows it yet however. almost every vote in teh senate was lock and step with mccain. he used to support his immigration bill as well.

Both campaigns have foreseen a loss in the Ames Straw Poll, losing to the very popular Ron Paul with just a fraction of the resources would be devastating to their bids for the nomination. Not including Mitt Romney helps them as he will be the only one seen losing. It gives them more options and allows them to ride out their "media appointed" titles as front runners throughout the summer.

Can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen.

I predict Ron Paul will win the straw poll, because his views are shared by most Americans. Ron Paul has clearly won the last 2 Republican debates, despite getting such little attention from major news networks. I think Gulliani and McCain are pulling out of the straw poll so they won't be embarrassed when Ron Paul wins, and so they can discredit the results of the poll.

It is interesting to me that we have 3
people who are supposed to be "front
runners" or "top tier", and the only
reason they are on top is because
of the media saying they are. Or because they have a lot of Money.
This is not a democracy.
The American people are not buying it
any more.
This was the talk around the water cooler today.
It was so obvious that there was unfair
treatment of some of the candidates during the republican debate.
With very little credence given
to Ron Paul, who everyone following this KNOWS that he won the earlier
debates hands down.
Yet he is according to CNN "No where"
in the polls?
I am shocked that CNN would stoop so low as Fox News did.
He got VERY minimal time compared to other cadidates.
The camera work was lousy when it came
time for him to speak.
This was so blatant. And I think
deserves some explanation, because
this is our country, and the American
people want to hear what ALL the cadidates have to say.
My guess is you probably won't post this, but at least read it and pass
this along.
I really had hopes that CNN would
be more fair, and not be in the same
catagory as Fox.
Next time let Lou Dobbs run the debate.

Will they even have a straw poll if the candidates keep backing out?

I think it is pretty clear why they want to avoid something like a straw poll. We all know Ron Paul would win it, plain and simple.

That would pretty much destroy the whole 'he's barely registering in the polls' lie, wouldn't it?

You know, I am beginning to wonder if Hillary isn't being picked for us. See, nobody is going to vote for these clowns THEY are picking for Republicans. So, that will leave Hillary against weak republicans.

Ron Paul! Write him in if you have to, ask your poll worker how to do it. All states allow it. You do not have to vote for the 'value menu' they pick for you.

This just may have to be a revolution this time. Ron Paul not getting nominated will just strengthen our resolve even more! And we will not forget those media outlets that tried to circumvent our democracy.

Well if the amnesty and no Felon left behind bill passes then he might just as well skip all of the states