View Full Version : Obama & Huckabee Win Iowa Caucuses


razz
01-03-2008, 09:37 PM
I like both guys, congrats to them :)

side note: I LOVE Ron Paul (I believe he's much too intelligent to win) but their forums are making me LOL at the moment, and I thought those landslide polls were accurate! (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=252)

DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN) -- Barack Obama will win the Iowa Democratic caucus and Mike Huckabee will be the Republican winner, CNN projects.

With 95 percent of precincts reporting, Obama had the support of 37 percent of voters, compared to 30 percent for Edwards and 30 percent for Clinton.

"The numbers tell us this was a debate between change and experience, and change won," said CNN political analyst Bill Schneider.

Edwards, in a tight race for second place, said Iowa's results show that "the status quo lost and change won."

"Now we move on ... to determine who is best suited to bring about the changes this country so desperately needed," he said.

With 78 percent of Republican precincts reporting, Huckabee had the support of 34 percent of voters, compared to 25 percent for Mitt Romney. Fred Thompson had 14 percent, John McCain had 13 percent and Ron Paul had 10 percent.

Rudy Giuliani, who has turned the focus of his campaign to the February 5 "Super Tuesday" primaries, trailed with 4 percent.

"We've paid a lot of attention to states that some other candidates haven't paid a lot of attention to," Giuliani said, adding, "Time will tell what the best strategy is."

Huckabee's victory can be attributed to his overwhelming support among evangelical voters and women, according to CNN analysis of entrance polls.

McCain, who had largely abandoned Iowa to focus on next week's New Hampshire primary, said, "The lessons of tonight's election in Iowa are that one, you can't buy an election in Iowa; and two, that negative campaigns don't work."

With such a close race on both sides, voter turnout was key. The Iowa Democratic Party reported seeing record turnout. The party said there were 218,000 caucus attendees with 93.5 percent of the precincts reporting.

The Iowa Democratic Party said 124,000 people participated in the 2004 caucuses, while the Republican Party of Iowa estimated that 87,000 people took part in the 2000 caucuses. (President Bush ran unchallenged for a second term in 2004.) Photo See your pictures of the candidates in Iowa »

Caucus-goer Kathy Barger, inside a Democratic caucus site in Walnut, Iowa, said the room she was in was packed to the brim with a line out the door.

"I don't know how they are going to be able to fit everybody in the room, much less count the votes," she said. "There are bodies in every available space in the room."

The White House hopefuls were campaigning down to the wire in Iowa, determined to reach as many people as possible before the 1,781 caucuses that started at 7 p.m.

Iowa Democrats, unlike Republicans, use a more complicated system to determine a candidate's viability. Republican caucus-goers are asked for their support for a candidate only one time during the event. Democrats are asked twice: an initial question of support, and a second if their first-choice candidate does not reach a 15 percent threshold to achieve viability.
Don't Miss

* I-Report: Calling all Iowans!
* Poll: Ties in Iowa but many undecided
* Iowa caucuses 101: Mastery of the rules key to victory
* Election Center 2008

The candidates might disagree on matters of policy, but in the closing week of the Iowa campaign they were working from the same script on political strategy. Some candidates rode in buses, while others took planes to cities and towns across the state in 11th-hour drives to give a final boost of adrenalin to their candidacies. See the challenges facing each candidate »

Huckabee was vastly outspent by Romney, who poured millions of dollars into a sophisticated get-out-the-vote operation. But Huckabee told supporters in Burlington during a last-minute rally that they could send "an important message" Thursday night.

"With the eyes of the world on Iowa, imagine what it's going to be like when they tune into places like Burlington, Waterloo, Des Moines, Dubuque, Sioux City, and they find out that caucus-goers here in Iowa can't be bought, that they can't even be rented, that they'll make up their own minds and they'll make it up for what they stand for," he said.

For most of 2007, Huckabee languished in the single digits in the polls and had very little success raising money. But his momentum picked up in the final six weeks of the year when social conservatives -- an important voting bloc in Iowa -- began to move his way.

Meanwhile, Thompson, a former senator from Tennessee, and Rep. Duncan Hunter of California needed strong showings in Iowa to keep their campaigns going, while Paul, a representative from Texas, is likely to ride his surge of popularity through February 5 -- "Super Tuesday," when 24 states hold their primaries -- no matter where he places in the early contests. Video Watch Thompson say personal ambition is bad »

On the Democratic side, Clinton, a New York senator, and Edwards, a former North Carolina senator, were battling Obama, a senator from Illinois, for their party's nomination in a contest that has come down to two main themes: change and experience.

Clinton was working to convince Iowa caucus-goers she has the experience to enact change, while Edwards and Obama preached that she is too much of a Washington insider to bring change to the nation's capital.

With an Obama win Thursday, Clinton loses the sense of inevitability she has as the national front-runner. New Hampshire polls showing Clinton tied with Obama could grow more troublesome.

Obama, whose campaign organized babysitters for potential caucus-goers, said he was expecting a high turnout.

"We've seen these enormous crowds as we travel across the state in this last week, and the weather's been brutal, so for these folks to be coming out just to hear a candidate at the last minute, it's doubtful they're not going to go to caucus," he said Thursday.

Edwards -- who placed second in the 2004 caucuses -- swore off sleep to hold a 36-hour marathon. Video Watch Edwards call for an investigation of oil prices »

Democratic hopeful Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico said he was feeling good in the final hours.
advertisement

"You know, I think a lot of the undecideds are breaking my way. Iowans make up their minds at the last minute, maybe 30 percent of them in the last three to four days, and I'm seeing good movement," he said. Video Watch Richardson call for a 50 mpg fuel standard »

The second tier of Democratic candidates -- Sens. Joe Biden and Chris Dodd, and Richardson -- all needed strong showings in Iowa to avoid a fatal blow to their campaigns.

Source: http://us.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/03/iowa.caucuses/index.html

HazzaDaShiz
01-03-2008, 11:25 PM
I don't really understand the American system. The Australian one is much simpler. The leaders are picked by the parties, 6 week campaign, and then you vote for the House of Representatives (Lower House) and the Senate (Upper House).

So what exactly does this mean?

Oh, I see Hillary didn't win anything. Should be a bit of a relief, I guess.

razz
01-03-2008, 11:52 PM
I don't really understand the American system. The Australian one is much simpler. The leaders are picked by the parties, 6 week campaign, and then you vote for the House of Representatives (Lower House) and the Senate (Upper House).

So what exactly does this mean?

Oh, I see Hillary didn't win anything. Should be a bit of a relief, I guess.

Caucuses are pretty much how the Presidential candidates for both parties are chosen.... and its the first one. The person who wins it usually gains a ton of momentum.

Long way to go though :)

HazzaDaShiz
01-04-2008, 12:00 AM
Caucuses are pretty much how the Presidential candidates for both parties are chosen.... and its the first one. The person who wins it usually gains a ton of momentum.

Long way to go though :)

So things aren't definate? Clinton isn't definately out of the race?

razz
01-04-2008, 12:49 AM
So things aren't definate? Clinton isn't definately out of the race?

Nah, what's funny is how the polls before the Caucus were showing Hillary with about 45% support and Obama at around 17%, I just :rolleyes: when I saw those.

He's more likable, he's much more focused on his plans, and I can see most people voting for him...

nitsuj
01-04-2008, 02:17 AM
Ron Paul '08!! out of these candidates however, id have to say obama. he doesnt seem as religion centered, and i think he actually might change something rather than just talking out of his ass for 4 years and letting the next one pick up all the fallen pieces. theres plenty of pieces for the next president to pick up already...

Tyler Self
01-04-2008, 12:17 PM
If I may ask, Razz, if you are in Canada, why are you this interested in the American presidential elections?

Is Huckabee the former Pastor? It also doesn't surprise me Obama won in Iowa, it was his home state after all.

remyhero
01-04-2008, 12:57 PM
I thought he was from illinois

razz
01-04-2008, 01:16 PM
If I may ask, Razz, if you are in Canada, why are you this interested in the American presidential elections?
Good question. The majority of my family members reside in the US (I live 10 minutes away from the Canadian-American border), I plan to move there in a couple years.

Also, American politics effects the world...including Canada. We made the stupid decision of going to Iraq because the US did, and our Prime Minister feels it's necessary to be the US's puppet. The way it effects the world is through foreign policy, I care about the people dying, both innocent Iraqi's and American soldiers...I feel it's just not worth it.

And lastly, Canadian politics is just SO BORING, nothing interesting happens, ever.

Is Huckabee the former Pastor?
Yeah, and I think he's a genius when it comes to politics. I disagree with his foreign policy but he's smart. For example, in Iowa (after Mitt Romney) was releasing a bunch of attack ads, Huckabee decided to make one but chose to not release it at the last second.

How is that smart? Well the media wanted to see it, he showed them the ad that he chose to "pull" and lo-and-behold, they all replayed the commercial about 1000 times on their networks, live.

Conclusion? He not only looked like the good guy but he got his ad shown anyway.

It also doesn't surprise me Obama won in Iowa, it was his home state after all.
Actually, Illinois, but close enough :)

Obama's Victory Speech, I love this guy:

yqoFwZUp5vc

fall from grace
01-05-2008, 05:19 PM
Am I the only one who feels sorry for Barack Obama, i mean come on, he's running for the presidency of the United States of America, he's black, and his last name rhymes with Osama.

Dog Town
06-06-2008, 09:52 PM
Razz just curious, what do you like about him?

I have a ton of issues starting with his judgment. His affiliation with racist, terrorist, extremist, etc....

His wife's views (and she's speaking for him) of taking from the rich and giving to the poor....which I have HUGE issues with. We as a country are on the verge of a huge mess, and while some like to point the finger at Mr. Bush we need to remember things started going down the tubes when the new congress took over.

We with the election of Mr. Obama are looking at huge tax increases, a much larger government (one which now employs almost 50% of the working US), and while I think he;s a AWSOME speech reader, he's not too good at all on his feet talking...wonder how he will do if he does as he says and meets with the nutcase leader of Iran?

Anyway...just wondering what you like about him? Change?

razz
06-08-2008, 02:05 AM
^ I just agree with him on most of the issues (obviously not all), but things like stem cell research, Health Care, global warming, and Iraq. Also, I think his affiliations are nothing more but prejudices against him, because he's obviously a senator, and lots of things come with that.

When you're a senator you meet a lot of people, and he happened to know people who I personally don't think share the same view as him. Reverend Wright may have been a little crazy but that's the way black churches are run, this just happened to get media attention because of Obama. Other affiliations like Farrakhan are nothing more but extraneous affiliations they had with the Church, obviously, we can't assume everyone who goes to that Church agrees with Obama.

Then again, there's lots of things I don't agree with him about...but I don't expect to vote someone who'll share every view I do.