The GOP governors tour hits Iowa (AUDIO)

I am sitting in the Jasper County Republican Party’s headquarters in “rootin’ tooin’ Newton” according to the gentleman who followed me and two other reporters in the front door.  The JCHQ is located on the square, to the south of the county courthouse, in a a store front that used to be a furniture store in a former life.  This is the spot where Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad (who wants to be governor again) are scheduled to be in half an hour for a get-out-the-vote rally.  (*Pawlenty will be in Iowa later this week.)

It’s a small room.  There’s a woman with a small child in the corner and several “seasoned citizens” are sitting in a little anteroom on chairs while about two dozen people mill about.  Branstad has just entered the room at 10:35 and a woman approached him for autographs on a few items.  At 10:41 a.m. Branstad races to the back of the building to greet Barbour. 

It’s unclear whether I’ll have enough power to keep the laptop going through the rally.  I think we’ve overloaded the circuit with five laptops along press row.  Barbour just walked into the room to shake hands.  In an exchange with former RNC Committeeman Steve Roberts of Des Moines, Barbour called Roberts an “old friend.”

Roberts, who was on the RNC when Barbour was its chair, told Barbour he wanted to talk with him about 2012.

“Let’s get through this election first.  This is the election that counts,” Barbour said, adding he’s got the “fcot on the accelerator” for 11.2.10.

UPDATE:  The power strip was not providing power, my laptop battery lasted about 5 minutes on its own, so I couldn’t live blog the event. You can listen to a 20 minute mp3 of Barbour’s speech, then Jindal’s speech here: BarbourJindal