Students at R.J. Grey Junior High of Acton, Massachusetts, performed 'The Music Man Junior" in March 2011. The musical was set in 1912 in fictional River City, Iowa, believed to be Mason City, Iowa.

Oh, Iowa. You are just an hour or so away from me but a million miles politically – at least in the Republican Party where the so-called values conservatives prevail. It is amazing how few caucus goers – 120,000-  can have such a big impact on the race.

Willard Mitt – never a hair out of place in my 170 years of campaigning in Iowa – Romney received just seven votes more than Rick – don’t Google the meaning of my last name – Santorum. Willard received 30,015 votes or 24.6 percent of the caucus votes, while Santorum received 30,007. The difference was .2 percent.

Rick – how do I get this shoe out of my mouth – Perry received 12,604 votes but that was big compared with Michelle – don’t confuse me with the truth – Bachmann, who received 6,073 votes or 5 percent. Ron – gosh my racist newsletter wasn’t even written by me – Paul received 26,219 for third place. And Newt – a cross word would never cross my lips – Gingrich got 16,251 and Jon – seems the most reasonable so will never really get a shot at the presidency – Huntsman, who bypassed Iowa, received 745 votes.

Remember the Iowa Stubborn song from The Music Man? It goes to the issue of whether the very conservative folks in Iowa were picking a president or weeding out candidates – Bachman left the race Wednesday, while Perry says he’s going on to South Carolina (bypassing New Hampshire).

When we treat you, there’s nothing halfway

About the Iowa way to treat you,

Which we may not do at all.

There’s an Iowa kind of special

Chip-on-the-shoulder attitude.

We’ve never been without.

That we recall.

We can be cold

As our falling thermometers in December

If you ask about our weather in July.

And we’re so by God stubborn

We could stand touchin’ noses

For a week at a time

And never see eye-to-eye

But what the heck,

you’re welcome,

Join us at the picnic.

[ From: http://www.metrolyrics.com/iowa-stubborn-lyrics-music-man.html ]

Gingrich may have come in fourth, but he has put a target on Romney, just as Romney’s PAC put a target on Gingrich in the Iowa campaign.

In comments quoted by Reuters, Gingrich said, “Together I think we survived the biggest onslaught in the history of the Iowa primary. We aren’t going to go out and run nasty ads. But I do reserve the right to tell the truth. And if the truth seems negative, that may be more a comment on (Romney’s) record than it is on politics.”

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/04/us-usa-campaign-gingrich-idUSTRE8030CZ20120104

Gingrich vowed to challenge Romney’s conservative credentials in the weeks ahead. Clearly, none of these candidates picked up Midwest Nice personalities in their visits to Iowa, but they did pick up on that so-called stubbornness.

It used to be said that the Republicans were all unified, but Democrats “ate their young,” a reference to their willingness to attack each other. Not so this year. Republicans have some of the biggest fangs I’ve ever seen.

You go, boys. Chomp away. You are making wonderful commercials for President Obama this year.