AFP: One day in campaign of Ron Paul

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — It's 10:00 am at WHO Newsradio in Des Moines, Iowa, and Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul begins in its studio a long day of political campaigning in this Midwestern US state.

With huge earphones covering his ears, he keeps describing the economic situation in the United Stated States in dark, pessimistic colors.

"Things look bad," he says on Friday morning, arguing that federal spending must be reduced at all cost.

On the other side of the glass studio, his campaign manager, Jesse Benton, nervously prepares messages on his mobile phone.

"We're growing and building support," Benton tells AFP.

After campaigning in the shadow of other candidates, Paul caught second wind in recent days in Iowa, a crucial state in the nomination contest.

According to a survey from the University of Iowa made public Thursday, he is now running in second place with 20.4-percent support, just behind former pizza magnate Herman Cain, who had 24.5 percent.

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney was third with 16.3 percent. But 8.1 percent of respondents remained undecided.

"Our goal is to be in the top three in Iowa and in New Hampshire," Benton said, citing the two states that will hold the first contests of the 2012 primary election campaign on January 3 and 10.

"And at the same time, we're building a very strong organization," the campaign manager adds. "We'd like to win, but our goal is to be in the top three."

After an hour-long radio interview, Paul, closely followed by his bodyguards, rushes to his 4X4 and heads toward Vinton, a small town in eastern Iowa.

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