Paul (or Ron, either way) "encouraged"

A bunch of hippies Republicans (and bloggers!) descended on Iowa recently to catapult Texas Congressman Ron ("His Momma Gave Him Two First Names") Paul into fifth - fifth! - place in some make-believe election they held there. In Iowa, I mean.

Des Moines Register columnist David Yepsin, who attended the straw poll in Ames, Iowa, said Paul's supporters "won the visibility wars," and bloggers at National Review Online's The Corner noted the large number of anti-war Republicans who had come to support the Texas congressman.

(Raw Story)

First place went to - you're gonna be amazed when I tell you - Mitt ("But Not a Pretty Boy Like That John Edwards Guy") Romney, the guy Republicans vote for while fantasizing about Fred Thompson's wife. Go figure that.

In the meantime Huckabee is happy, Brownback (not wetback) is bummed, and John ("10th Place") McCain is a loser. Giuliani chickened out.

"The political significance of this event was questionable," explains the NYTimes, right on top of things as always.