Governor Terry Branstad, a man who has won six statewide races in Iowa, was asked for a little political analysis this morning at the end of his weekly statehouse news conference. 

When asked about the “strengths and weaknesses” of Sarah Palin, Paul Ryan and/or George Pataki as GOP presidential candidates, Branstad called them “all good people” who were welcome to his “advice and counsel.” 

Jon Huntsman said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” that “in New Hampshire, they pick presidents. I know they pick something else in Iowa.”  Branstad was dismissive.  “He’s off on the wrong track and Jon Huntsman isn’t even an asterisk when you take a poll.”

Branstad was asked about Rick Perry’s debut as a national candidate and if Branstad believes there are people within the Obama Administrator who have committed treason.  “I think he did a tremendous job at the Iowa State Fair. I thought he was as relaxed and confident and at home at the Iowa State Fair as anybody I’ve ever seen and I’ve see a lot of ’em,” Branstad replied.  “…The only thing in Texas, they always say how big everything is and we tend to downplay and understate here, but I think he came across very well.”

When pressed about Perry’s treason comment, Branstad talked about the gold standard. 

“I think you’ve got to look at things in context,” Branstad told reporters. “I think that was probably the wrong choice of words, but the idea that somehow we’re going to correct the problems in this country by printing more money — I think people are very apprehensive about that…I think a lot of people think we ought to go back to the ‘Gold Standard’ considering the value of gold versus the value of the dollar. I’m not advocating it, so don’t jump to any conclusion, but I’m just telling you, look at where value is…Inflating the currency more, printing more money, I think Perry’s right about that. Printing more money, in my opinion, is not going to revitalize the American economy. It’s just going to make whatever we have less valuable.”