With the Ames Straw Poll happening today, the expectations game that everyone has been playing (a fancy way to state "dishonesty") is finally over. A few highlights:

Rudy released an internal document stating that Romney would win by an 8-1 margain over the next closest candidate. The media bought the line. Talk about ridiculous.

Newt stated that Mitt had outspent his opponents by 35-1. I'm curious where Newt got the inside campaign finance numbers from all of the GOP candidates to be able to make that statement. Again, trying to build up such an incredible expectation that there's no way Romney can meet it and his win is minimized.

And Brownback, made this bizarre statement noted in the NY Times' blog:

One early prediction: Sam Brownback, the Kansas senator, told reporters that he expected to defeat Mr. Romney. “The less will be that Iowans don’t seem him as a consistent conservative,” said Mr. Brownback.

Obviously the senator doesn't understand the expectations game because he just set the bar for his own performance impossibly high.

One side note, Ron Paul supporters are enouraging each other to get free rides and tickets into Ames by posing as Romney supporters as Mitt has offered free rides and tickets to his team. I find that dishonest.