[Commentary] About a month ago, I heard Ron Paul’s campaign staff pledge that they would get 10,000 of their supporters to the Ames Straw Poll during their alternative event next to the ICA/ITR Republican Candidates Forum, from which Paul was excluded.  Then it was revealed — on Paul’s own official Straw Poll site — that Paul was only able to buy 500 tickets ($17,500 worth) to give away.  The other 9,500 supporters will theoretically have to buy their own tickets — or will they?

I suppose they could take Mitt Romney’s free ride and barbecue and then vote for Paul, but could 9,500 of them really squeeze by Mitt’s crowd-wranglers?  And, more aptly, where are those 9,500 Ron Paul-supporting Iowans going to come from?  Unless they have an elaborate voter file and direct mail campaign going on behind the scenes, it doesn’t seem possible.  And the internet probably won’t save them: the Des Moines/Central Iowa Ron Paul group on Meetup, the primary social networking site used by Paul supporters, has only 98 members.  Other Ron Paul groups visible to someone in Des Moines have even fewer members, and many members are in multiple groups.

So why hasn’t Ron Paul spent more time on the ground?  His first long trip to Iowa is this week; and, while he is spending every day here until the Ames Straw Poll, he is making an average of two public appearances per day.  And a candidate like Paul probably does not make an extreme amount of private appearances, which leaves me wondering: what is he doing to pass the time?  Okoboji?

Here’s Ron Paul’s public schedule (after the jump):

August 5th, 8:00 AM ABC Iowa Debate Des Moines IA
August 5th 11:00 AM Worship First Federated Church 4801 Franklin Avenue, Des Moines, IA
August 5th 12:10 PM Meeting Tower Park (50th and Hickman), Des Moines, IA
August 5th, 6:30 PM Townhall Event Town Square (off Hwy 34 and Court), Fairfield, IA
August 6th, 3:00 PM Townhall Event Wellsburg Community Center, 501 N. Adams, Wellsburg, IA
August 6th, 7:00 PM Townhall Event Music Man Square, 308 S. Pennsylvania Avenue, Mason City, IA
August 7th, 12:00 PM Meet and Greet Maxine’s Restaurant, 311 Cedar St. (Main St. off of Hwy 20), Lawton, IA
August 7th, 3:00 PM Townhall Event Cronks Restaurant, 812 4th Ave. S., Denison, IA
August 7th, 7:00 PM Townhall Event Holiday Inn & Suites, 2202 River Road, Council Bluffs, IA
August 8th, 12:00 PM Meet and Greet Pizza Ranch, 520 Livingston Ave., Creston, IA
August 8th 6:30 PM Meet and Greet Pizza Ranch 120 High Avenue West, Oskaloosa, IA
August 9th, 9:00 AM Jan Mickelson Interview Iowa State Fairgrounds/1040 AM WHO Radio
August 9th11:00 AM Speaking Iowa State Fairground/Des Moines Register Platform
August 9th 1:00 PM Grand Opening of Iowa HQ Des Moines Bldg, 405 – 6 Av, # 104, Des Moines, IA
August 9th 8:00 PM Rally Cedar Rapids, IA (Crowne Plaza, 350 First Ave NE, Cedar Rapids IA 52401 Cedar Rapids, IA)
August 10th 6:00 PM Ronstock Iowa The Bali Satay House, 2424 Lincoln Way, Ames, IA
August 11th 10:00 AM Iowa Straw Poll Hilton Coliseum, Lincoln Way & Elwood Drive, Ames, IA