10 GOP hopefuls make their pitches at straw poll without a poll

DES MOINES - Hillary Clinton, President Barack Obama, Congress and the media served as punching bags Saturday for Republicans seeking their party's presidential nomination at the Iowa GOP's first Growth and Opportunity Party.

Over the course of the day, 10 candidates spoke to more 2,000 Republican activists.

Many in the crowd sported stickers championing their favorite candidate. However, others said that despite what polls say, they haven't made up their minds three months ahead of Iowa's Feb. 1 first-in-the-nation precinct caucuses.

'This has been the first presidential election cycle that I've participated in where I've had this hard of a time coming to a decision on one person,” said Gene Newgaard of Iowa Falls.

Newgaard initially planned to back Scott Walker before the Wisconsin governor dropped out. Now, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, former CEO Carly Fiorina, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson are on his short list. But he also is looking at New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.”

Billed as a fall festival with beer and barbecue along with candidate speeches and pitches by interest groups, the day took on the atmosphere of now-abandoned Iowa GOP Straw Poll - without the poll.

The Iowa Democratic Party wasn't impressed. Comparing it with its Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, which drew 6,600 people a week earlier, spokesman Sam Lau described it as 'a low-energy, anti-working family affair.”

'There would be nothing scarier for our middle-class families than a Republican in the White House,” he added.

The GOP had its own Halloween touches at the Growth and Opportunity Party, including Hillary's Haunted House.

Most scored quick points with the partisan audience by teeing off on CNBC, which hosted a GOP debate Wednesday.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush joked about his debate performance, but told supporters he knew there was someone who did worse: 'CNBC.”

'What a train wreck,” former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said, adding that it has united the GOP candidates in opposition to more debates on NBC 'if they are going to run them like that.”

If Iowa Republicans are having a hard time deciding who their nominee should be, the candidates seemed to agree whichever one of them is on the 2016 ballot will be facing Clinton. None mentioned her rivals - Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley - by name.

Also not mentioned - at least, by name - were the party's front-runners Carson and real estate mogul Donald Trump. Carson's supporters were visible in hospital scrubs.

Trump had supporters in attendance, too, such as Matt Swanson of Muscatine. Although he was disappointed that the New York businessman did not attend, Swanson was not swayed to change by the speeches he heard.

Huckabee is his second choice. 'After that, let the best Republican win, because I'll vote for any of them over Hillary,” Swanson said.

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul led off the calling for the party to broaden its horizons to win in the 18 states where GOP presidential candidates have not won in 30 years.

If the GOP was the party of the entire Bill of Rights and defended all the amendments to the Constitution as vigorously as the Second Amendment, 'we're going to rock and roll to victory,” he said.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal also hit hard on social issues, including his administration's decision to defund Planned Parenthood over allegations that it illegally sold fetal tissue.

Fiorina touted her experience in the private sector and called on the Iowa activists to take back their government.

'We have to cut government back down to size and hold it accountable,” she said.

Rick Santorum, who won the 2012 caucus talked about the many battles he won to be elected and re-elected to the U.S. House and Senate. He focused much of his time talking about economic issues, including limiting legal and illegal immigration.

Instead of delivering a speech, Christie took questions during his 15 minutes. He promised to 'unequivocally” defend the Renewable Fuel Standard. Christie also warned that some candidates who say they are for the RFS in Iowa say it needs to be studied when they are in New Hampshire. That's a way to say they are against it, Christie said.

'Don't let them double-talk you on this. No baloney,” he said. 'You won't get any of that from me, I can guarantee you.”

Bush acknowledged there are 'big personalities on the stage,” but in an apparent reference to Trump said, 'Leadership is not about me, me, me.”

'Leadership needs to have the humility to listen, to learn, then to fight for people who all they want is a chance to rise up,” he said.

Bush tried to tamp down questions about the viability of his campaign, saying he will campaign 'with my arms wide open, with a hopeful optimistic message.”

He also took a shot at Rubio, who spoke earlier, for his absences from the Senate, saying that anyone who is elected to office 'should do what Chuck Grassley does - show up to vote.”

Rubio and Graham focused on the need to rebuild the military and for a strong American presence on the world stage. Graham, who spent three decades in the Air Force, said he had two enemies: federal debt and radical Islamic terrorists.

'I intend to destroy them both,” Graham said.

Obama, Rubio warned, is 'eviscerating” the nation's defense capabilities.