Obama wins Iowa. Update.
Submitted by pale on Thu, 01/03/2008 - 22:18.
Clinton came in third, Edwards in the middle.
I am not sure this means all that much though, as Bill Clinton lost Iowa, and many others who have gone on to win the nomination.
I get a creepy ass feeling whenever Obama starts talking about religion.
Hell, when any of em do. I would like Edwards too, except for all that "faith" talk.
Clinton? I really wanted a Woman in that position. Truly. But that Iraq vote, and the problem she had apologizing and accepting her own mistake really makes me wonder.
What are your thoughts on this development?
Update:
After I posted, I was over on Michael Moores site....Heres an open letter. He says it very well.
60 % didn't vote for ...
... Obama. Sorry to use that chestnut. It doesn't mean a great deal in the context of a multiple choice caucus. If it were a two person choice and 60 % voted for the other person then you have a clear indication.
I think there is an exceptionally strong Democratic slate this time around. Any one of the three would be a better than average President.
I am not too surprised that there wasn't a 1/3 split as the polls suggested. It was too close to predict. If anyone got 40 % I would have thought it would be Hillary.
I am not bothered by candidates declarations of faith ( in American elections ). It just goes with the territory. Call it deceit, triangulation, lack of integrity, whatever but an American Presidential candidate can not say that faith is not very important to them, personally. It would be political suicide.
The traditional media and dKos seem to think that Iowa means a great deal, at least momentum-wise. That Hillary is 10 points back in Iowa is a large disappointment for her. But Iowa is only the first. If she finishes 10 points back in New Hampshire, then she will not be able to recover. If she is well back it might turn into a two way Obama / Edwards race. IMO an Obama coronation is the more likely result.
Now Obama vs Huckabee or Obama vs McCain is not something I could call, at this time. My inclination is to think they would be close ( closer against Huckabee than McCain ). Now if Obama's Iowa win means he has the youth energized, mobilized and voting for him that will be a big plus. Can one assume that he automatically has the black vote ? Likely so. As I recall blacks make up about 20 % of the population, add some youths, independents, Democrats and soft Republicans and you might have a bankable 40 % of the vote in the Presidential election. That is a balance to the 40 % number that Huckabee can pull from the Christian Right ( plus racists and people who hate Muslim sounding names ).
Too early to call, perhaps too close to call.
Interestingly....
The really amusing and funny part of yesterday?
Hillary came in 3rd, but she still got almost twice as many votes as
Huckabee
Powers that be, powers of three, keep me strong during this insanity......
Lots of unusual...
...stuff in Iowa. Hillary's vote count compared to Huckabee's is in the top five at least. Devilstower at dKos had a fp post on the increase in turnout for the caucus.
Other curious things :
Giuliani at 3 % - He didn't campain in Iowa, but still, jeeez.
Thompson at 13 % - He doesn't even really want to be President.
Ok, now for my questions:
Can Huckabee sustain his surge ? Or did he win because Iowa is close to his home state of Arkansas ?
If it becomes a two horse race ( Huckabee / Romney ) can McCain sneak up the middle as a GOP establishment - support the troops candidate ?
As always I have other questions. Such as, you ask ? Ok, does anyone know where my good Phillips screwdriver is ? ( BTW, I know the phrase " good Phillips screwdriver " is an oxymoron .)
Maybe she isn't toast....
....maybe she's a bagel.
With 55 % of precincts reporting in New Hampshire primary Clinton is at 39 % and Obama at 37 %. It's a honest to goodness contest. Too close to call, but much different than the polls that had Obama winning by 10 points.
Not entirely off topic but another comment ( poll ) on the US presidential race.
It seems that if Canadians could vote in the US Prez election they would vote decidedly Democratic. Even Canadians that identify themselves as conservative would vote for Democratic candidates over the Repugs.
Now what does that say for Steverio's love for the Bushies ?