Obama Wins Round One

Barack Obama won the Iowa Causcus yesterday, and by a fair margin. John Edwards came in a surprising second, and, the formerly unbeatable, Senator Hillary Clinton came in a close third behind him. Many see her loss as a bigger story than Obama's win. Not me. She's the establishment, no matter her gender. These Iowans caucused for Change. And dare I say it, it was about more of a change than just which party runs the White House.

Democrats turned out in droves, 236,000 of them. That's nearly double the 124,000 that showed up four years ago. The reds' brought out 120,000, which was an improvement from last election. But 236,000 to 120,000? I thought Iowa was red? Actually, Iowa is 92% white. I guess Barack Obama's "ethnicity" wasn't the factor in "Middle America" some folks might have thought. Another surprise came from the "youth vote" the talking heads (not the good kind) so easily dismiss. Their numbers tripled this year in Iowa and 57% of them caucused for Senator Barack Obama to be the Democratic nominee for the President of the United States. I guess Senator Barack Obama's message of hope and a change in attitude, action, and policy in Washington D.C. inspired them a little more than whatever the hell John Kerry or then-Vice President Al Gore was stiffly selling.

Even the red victory of governor mike huckabee was a shocking repudiation of the "Washington establishment". True, 60% of republican Iowa caucus goers were evangelicals and huckabee is a baptist preacher, true believer, that wants to "take this nation back for christ". But his nine point win over mitt "the flipper" romney was more than anyone thought was possible. You can hear it in the reds that are trying to pump up grandpa mccain's fourth place finish. The neo-conservative, rich people rule, reds who have become the "republican establishment" don't like huckabee's populist talk.

The one other thing that strikes me is how Obama's, Clinton's, and Edwards's support can be seen around the Country. Any of the three, but most likely the first two, could win any of the primaries. The reds on the other hand are split. Middle America goes for Huckabee, New Hampshire will go for "the flipper" or "grandpa". Florida, California, New York, New Jersey could all go to lil' napolean rudy. They are divided.

Oh how seven years of feed the rich economics and incompetent/criminal foreign policy can change the landscape.

The New Hampshire primary is on January 8th. The Iowa Caucus was just round one. It is a Big Round One, but it might not the president maker some make it out to be.

One last note: Senator/hopefully future Senate Majority Leader, Christopher Dodd and Senator/hopefully Vice Presidential candidate, Joe Biden have dropped out of the 2008 presidential race.