How is the media interpeting Romney's 8-vote 'victory'?

[WI_DEM]

I'm at work and don't have cable tv at home, so wondering if they are calling it a real victory or if it is considered a set-back?

To my way of thinking--the front runner for the nomination edging out a guy like Santorum by only 8-votes seems like a set back for Mittens.

[barbtries]

1. on NPR they called it a virtual tie.

and if NPR doesn't stop covering republicans 24/7 i don't know what the hell i'll do.

[Proud Public Servant]

2. I disagree

Not a setback for Mittens; just the opposite, really. If you look at the history of the Iowa caucuses, guys like Romney rarely win. The caucuses tend to favor midwestern candidates first and foremost (so, really, this is an even bigger repudiation of Bachman than it seems); beyond that, they tend to favor populists and charismatic candidates. There have been a couple of exceptions to that rule (George HW Bush, John Kerrey), but it's a pretty clear pattern. If anything, I suspect the media will underplay this victory, especially since "It's a horserace!" is a better media narrative than "it's Romney for sure." But if Romney can take Iowa and doesn't even have to compete for NH, I'd say it's all over.

EDIT: I just saw the FiveThirtyEight headline on this, which is "An Ugly Win, But Winning." I think that's exactly right.

[WI_DEM]

4. perhaps, except...

Romney has been running for six years straight, had outspend Santorum and still could only tie him. Add to that the fact that he didn't improve on his showing from 2008--still 25% and actually almost the exact same vote (perhaps even a few votes short of 2008). Santorum tied him even though there were other candidates who spoke to the same constituency as he did--primarily Bachmann and Perry. Had they been out of it, Santorum probably would have won easily--like Huck did in 2008 against Mittens. No to me this reveals a very weak candidate that the GOP will have in Mitt.

I also wonder where is the famous 'enthusiasm' that the GOP supposedly has. Turnout was not that great especially since the GOP had the caucuses all to themselves. They can't blame bad weather. About the same amount turned out this time as in 2008--and nowhere near what democratic turnout was in 2008.

[Proud Public Servant]

5. Oh, I agree he's a weak candidate

In fact, I pointed out in another post that nobody, Dem or GOP, has ever "won" Iowa with a smaller percentage of the vote than Mitt got last night; his ability to fire up the base is non-existent (but Obama hatred will provide the fire Mitt can't). I just meant that I don't think he actually has any real competition for the nomination; Santorum hasn't got the money or organization to keep goint toe-to-toe with Mittens, and the failure to beat him in Iowa isn't going to change that.

[RC]

3. How can anyone get behind any of the multimillionaire clowns from the Party that caused

our financial melt down? And not only that, they have been working against any real recovery.