Obama Pulls Ahead in Iowa

Chart from source,
Des Moines Register

This year, Nevada will have it's first-ever relevant vote in the primary/caucus season. It sounds great, but is sort of ironic. Because we have a caucus instead of a primary, it is very likely that a much smaller number of people will actually have a say in the outcome. I personally think it was sort of an ego thing, though I haven't sorted out what organization pushed the hardest. It reminds me of communities that install incongruous "roundabouts" where road intersections used to be, because they think it makes their community classier.

Anyway, we got our caucus, and we got it early: January 19th is our day. But if this poll is accurate, by the time it swings through, we may be down to only two choices (for Democrats, anyway): Obama and Clinton. I believe most of the handicappers are counting Edwards out if he doesn't do will in Iowa. I personally hope he pulls off an upset.

Oh, and yeah, I'm guilty of paying attention to the horse race over issues here. I don't care. In this particular race, it doesn't matter who wins as far as I'm concerned. That's why I'm not really dissecting who might win on the Repbulican side. Whoever gets the Democratic nomination gets my vote; period. The other party is simply not an option this time.

[Excerpt]

New Iowa Poll: Obama widens lead over Clinton

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has widened his lead in Iowa over Hillary Clinton and John Edwards heading into Thursday's nominating caucuses, according to The Des Moines Register's final Iowa Poll before the 2008 nominating contests.

Obama's rise is the result in part of a dramatic influx of first-time caucusgoers, including a sizable bloc of political independents. Both groups prefer the Illinois senator in what has been a very competitive campaign. . .

Read more at: Des Moines Register