Sanctum Santorum: Iowa Edition

How much of an utter disaster was Iowa for the GOP last night?  Mitt Romney officially beat Rick Santorum by 8 votes.  Eight. Votes.  And that Romney lead magically appeared literally at the last moment as the results from one of the precincts were "found" at about 2 AM eastern time as Santorum was winning by a handful of votes.

Yeah.  The Republicans can't even steal their own elections without looking like completely incompetent douchebags, and Romney still didn't get more than 25% of the vote.  No amount of spin can cover up this meltdown for Romney as that means 75% of Iowa's GOP caucus goes rejected him outright for people even crazier than he is.  Kevin Drum sums up last night:

So now we have a new anti-Romney who will suddenly learn the dangers being in the spotlight and having voters actually get to know him; a promise from a bitter Newt Gingrich that the gloves are off and he's now going to crush the Mittster and sow the smoking remains of his campaign with salt; the apparent end of Rick Perry; and a few days of chuckleheaded nonsense from people who should know better that Ron Paul owes a big part of his third-place success to his anti-war message and might now ride the burgeoning isolationist youth vote in the Republican Party to victory. (Actual reality: Ron Paul owes his success to his usual combination of economic crankery and fanatic opposition to social welfare in every possible form.) 

Worst part?  There's two debates between now and New Hampshire next Tuesday, another two debates between NH and South Carolina on the 21st, and another pair of debates between SC and Florida on the 31st.  It's going to be a bloodbath.

The GOP establishment will now do everything in its power to declare Romney Supreme Champion of Everything by next Wednesday and ignore the fact that Romney still can't get more than a quarter of the GOP to give a damn about him.  The base hates him.  It's  going to be ugly.

When's the last time you remember anyone winning a presidential primary or caucus with 25% of the vote, in such a painfully suspicious way?  Never.  It's a joke.  Now Mitt can claim victory with 24.6% of the vote, or pretend that Iowa never happened.  Either way, it means Iowa Republicans rejected Romney in vast numbers.

In no way did Romney wrap this up last night.  The GOP establishment versus the Tea Party cranks war is now in full bloom.  Enjoy the spectacle.

And remember, Barack Obama won yet again last night.