Friday, January 4, 2008

Barack and Edwards Impressive in Iowa


WOW - talk about a painful blocked shot of the Billary machine!!

Barack and Edwards both had a message of change. Hillary had a message of experience. The Des Moines Register said 100,000 first time caucus goers would show up and vote for Barack - they were right. Clearly, these folks did not care about the money spent by Barack or Hillary. Iowa voters - and all of America - want a massive change in DC.

The monkey is clearly on the back of Hillary. She has to win New Hampshire. The debate on Saturday night is the chance for Hillary to stop Obama's massive momentum - look for a change in message to "experience to bring about change." Edwards also has to perform well, but the fact that he was out spent by massive margins and lacked Bill Clinton or Oprah shows that he is a huge force. And, if his speech last night wasn't amazing enough, Obama gets to look even more presidential.

I spent 3 freezing days in Iowa for John Edwards knocking on doors, handing out lit and hanging stuff on porch screens. Iowa is a political science major's fantasy. Concerts with John Mellencamp, Jim Dean being at the Steelworker's hall, even KY3 from Springfield was there. I have much more respect for the caucus process. I spent 30 minutes in a coffee shop in Indianola talking about Edwards v. Obama with wonderful woman. The folks there cared enough to be informed and to go out on a horribly frigid night and wait in line. As Missouri native Sheryl Crow says, a change will do us good.

1 comment:

Phil Cardarella said...

I am very concerned about the electability of Sen. Obama. The failure of the Democratic political establishment to confront the war issue has led to an upswell of support for him -- from the grandchildren of those who gave us George McGovern, a wonderful man who carried one state.

Obama is a blank slate that everyone is reading their own hopes onto. What happens when -- in September or October -- the Repub mud machine fills in those blanks for the rest of America?
Muslim name, educated in Muslim country, youth of drug abuse, one term senator? Oh, and African-American. Look what they did to Kerry -- a legitimate war hero who had been on the scene for decades.
No one will say they are not voting for him for any of those reasons -- except "experience" will suddenly be a lot more important as an issue.

The selection of a candidate is not entirely a merit process -- or W would be just an embarassing footnote, chuging Coors in Crawford.

Does anyone seriously think Obama can carry Missouri against McCain? If so, pass the joint.