According to Politico’s chief columnist Roger Simon, even if Ron Paul wins the crucial Iowa primary, the result will simply be ignored and the establishment media will instead concentrate on the order in which Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney finish.

Simon tries to downplay the significance of Iowa by pointing out that “exotic” candidates have won in the past, yet fails to mention how two of the last three successful Republican nominees started the campaign trial with a win in Iowa.

He then denigrates the importance of August’s Ames straw poll, which is normally seen as a key barometer, simply because Paul almost won it.

“The media’s not going to be blown away” by a Paul win, states Simon. In other words, if Paul wins, the media will simply continue to ignore his existence in a desperate effort to prevent him from building the kind of momentum that would increase his chances of performing well in New Hampshire, Florida and subsequent primaries.

“If Ron Paul wins Iowa, we just take it out,” remarks Simon.