<B>Early</B> numbers from Iowa, with about 1/3rd of people reporting: Kerry: 37% Edwards: 33% Dean: 18% Gephardt: 11% Kucinich: 1% Excellent! Apparently, the numbers might be primarily rural areas, so things may change... but Dean getting his ass kicked would be very good for the November race, in my opinion.
Kucinich getting a measurable percentage means that he actually won a caucus, right, since he and Edwards have a vote-splitting agreement? I'm a little surprised (but not disappointed) by Dick's poor showing.
The Dems are collectively beginning to let out a sigh of relief. Wow Edwards at 33% impressive showing so far, but it's still very early...
I just got back from the Iowa caucuses, and I must say that it was an experience. The way it worked was that we all gathered in a room, heard statements from supporters of the various candidates then broke into groups based on the candidates we supported. If a candidates group did not reach "viability" (15% of the people present) then they could either choose to recruit more people to their candidate or join another candidate's group. A second counting of the groups was then taken and the top several groups were able to elect a delegate to the county convention. My precinct had two delegates to elect. After the first "grouping" only two candidates reached viability, Dean and Kerry, so each of those groups was able to elect a delegate. I'm really not exactly clear about how they're saying a candidate has a specific percentage of the vote, since individuals did not cast any votes, they elected delegates. I guess maybe they're counting the candidate's delegates? This evening did give me a view of the mess that is direct democracy. I'm very happy I went, but straight voting seems like it would be a lot easier. Less idealistic and elegant, but easier.
ABC projects Kerry as the winner with 38% and Edwards second with 33% also a record turn-out - this is a good thing.
Iowa does not determine the nomination any more than New Hampshire does. Nor should it. TJ, find the nearest waitress (hint: she's wearing orange short-shorts and a tight, white t-shirt) and ask for a napkin. There's a bit of froth you might want to rid yourself of. You know, if you're going to take home that buxom, narrow-waisted cartoon you pathetically described. Fraud.
Clinton didn't run in Iowa in 1992, though. As a matter of fact, it was largely skipped since Harkin, a native son, was running. Even as a political story, Iowa was largely ignored in 1992 because of Harkin. I would think these sorts of results mean more for two people other than Dean, though. First of those would be Gephardt. As a midwesterner, he can't be happy with crapping out in the midwest. Secondly, the strong showing by Edwards could give him attention going in to the early primaries and potentially give him a boost.
NICE! Harkin's the Iowan. Pretty good guy, actually, but way too organized labor - and too midwestern - for mainstream tastes. Tsongas was the Kucinich of the race, maybe even the pre-Nader: He told the truth, didn't give a damn, and the "major" candidates were scared to death of him, especially after he kicked ass in NH. Not scared that he would win, mind you, but terrified that he would out them for the spineless pudenda that they were/are. RIP, Senator. Jerry's the mayor of Oaktown. He's nuts. And he'd most likely make a better president than Coach Bush, Gore, or any of the current Democratic candidates. Clinton, well, his wife's an evil lesbian. Bad! Pill-popping freak told me so. And, you know, one thing pill-popping freak didn't tell me was all the legislation he signed was totally Republican and would have been laughed out of the Democratic-controlled King George-era House, but still, to TJ and BS and all the other neck-radio listening halfwits around here like to denigrate him because he was a LIBERAL! and got a BJ in the OVAL OFFICE! and lied about it and so on, despite the fact that he signed into law legislation that a Democratically controlled congress would never have allowed, like NAFTA, the welfare reform bill and the crime bill just to name a few, but I guess they don't have time to discuss that on neck-radio what with all the all the erectile-disfunction medication ads and whatnot.
LOL, TJ doesn't have the moves to pull a Hooters waitress; It's really hard to get waitresses on duty, especially at a place like that, cause they get propositoined all the time. You need to find her when she's off duty and crying and coked out, not while shes on duty.
No surprise here ... Gephardt to Drop Out of Presidential Race Jan 19, 10:36 PM (ET) By DAVID ESPO DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Rep. Dick Gephardt intends to drop out of the Democratic presidential race after a poor, fourth-place finish in the Iowa caucuses, a party official said Monday night. ...
I thought you guys were going to criticize his drinking habits. Should have titled this Kerry wins plurarity or whatever.
Yeah, of course, but I'm sure he could at least get a *napkin* from one, you know, a napkin that doesn't have a phone number written on it or anything.
Funny, Faux news cut into his victory speech, I guess he was saying things that would win over the middle.
They already won over the middle: http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/2004/la-na-poll20jan20,1,6027043.story?coll=la-home-headlines Kerry, Edwards Show Wide Appeal in Party Poll shows their positive messages swamped Dean and Gephardt in almost every major group. They did best among voters who decided last. By Ronald Brownstein, Times Staff Writer DES MOINES — Sens. John Kerry and John Edwards reshaped the Democratic presidential race in the Iowa caucuses tonight by demonstrating broad appeal across the party, while Howard Dean and Rep. Dick Gephardt saw their core base of support crumble, according to a poll of voters. Kerry, lagging behind Dean and Gephardt in Iowa until last week, beat both among virtually every major group of voters. Kerry displayed almost equal appeal to men and women, working class and more affluent voters, liberals and moderates, and those with and without college educations, according to the survey of caucus-goers...
Maybe it's wishful thinking on my part, but things seem to be going Clark's way. Assuming he doesn't stumble, I think he's just about the favorite at this point, which should be very unwelcome news to Bush supporters.
