Obama and Huckabee take Iowa caucuses

[Howie]

I had to laugh when my wife kept getting interrupted watching ER as the Iowa race was updated. Brooke -" guooosh, they act like this is the presidential election" At any rate, I'm surprised at both outcomes, Republican and Democratic. You guys?

[Universal Mind]

It's just the Iowa Caucus. Things will probably be different after this. If the presidential election ends up being Obama vs. Huckabee, it will be very shocking. If that happens, I will be voting for my first Democrat. Excuse me for saying this, but I don't have it in me to vote for a Baptist preacher. I have developed a very bad attitude toward that denomination over my years in the section of the country they rule.

[wendylove]

Universal Mind did you vote for Bush? Also are you aware that Obama wants to pull out of Iraq?

[Universal Mind]

Universal Mind did you vote for Bush? Yes, but only with a "not Gore" and "not Kerry" attitude. I have never enthusiastically voted for anybody. The real choices always suck. Also are you aware that Obama wants to pull out of Iraq? It's getting close to about time for that. However, I would not vote for Obama with great enthusiasm. I just really don't want Huckabee in the White House. Beyond his scary fundamentalist government ideas, he pardoned way too many criminals in Arkansas, so I don't trust his attitude on dealing with foreign criminals.

[wendylove]

I just really don't want Huckabee in the White House. Beyond his scary fundamentalist government ideas, he pardoned way too many criminals in Arkansas, so I don't trust his attitude on dealing with foreign criminals. Oh yeah, Huckabee released a criminal that killed two people. Americans voted Bush(including Universal Mind) America will proberly vote Huckabee.

[Universal Mind]

Oh yeah, Huckabee released a criminal that killed two people. The list goes way beyond that guy.

[wendylove]

The list goes way beyond that guy. So he released more criminals.

[Jeff777]

Has huckabee signed an affidavit to abolish the federal reserve?

[Alric]

I wouldn't worry to much either way. The person who wins iowa normally doesn't win overall anyway. Its only the first out of 50 states after all. The one thing it does show however, is that Giuliani is dead. He really did horrible. I don't know how he will come back from that. Sure its just one state, and doesn't mean a lot over all but still, he was well below 5%. A poor showing for someone who was supposed to be a front runner.

[Taosaur]

Giuliani didn't even try in Iowa--he knew they weren't going to vote for some divorced New Yorker who lived with gay people. Still, I think he is pretty dead in the water. All the GOP candidates are real nightmare scenarios, with the possible exception of McCain. Obama does look like the best Democrat, not counting Kucinich, but after '04 I have very little faith in the electorate's basic good sense and commitment to progress--racism and other fearmongering may well sink an Obama campaign

[bluefinger]

I may not be in the US, but when I saw the results and footage from CNN this morning, I was quite surprised by the outcome, and also how each candidate seemed to carry himself/herself on the results. Obama seemed to be the most confident out of the lot, along with Huckabee (both seem to carry themselves well with their speeches, regardless of their ideals), whilst Hillary kept giving off the wrong vibes, especially having Bill standing behind her to one side. It is always quite fascinating to examine the candidates this way, and may have more of a clue (regardless of the result) to whether they will do well in the presidential race. Now, for what I think of either of the two winners: Obama - I think he's the best option for the US at the moment. A new face for a country in need of change. Hillary just keeps giving off the wrong vibes for me, and it's like chewing on tin foil. She may have the political experience and money, but I simply can't trust her. If I could vote for one of them, it would be Obama. Huckabee - He may be a Baptist preacher/musician and I may not know exactly what his policies are, but just from all the footage I've watched from CNN and various other news channels, he is quite a warm person (body language-wise). I feel his success may lie in the fact he doesn't come across as a stern politician (along with his religious beliefs in Iowa garnering support amongst evangelicals). However! If he were to be pitted against Obama, I wouldn't vote for him. Why? Again, it's to do with religion. I don't agree with religion having a foot-hold in politics. It's something that must be secular, especially in this day and age, and after having Bush as president for nearly 8 years now, it's left me with a very bitter taste on the whole issue. Politics and Religion is not a good mix. That is my perspective. I may not be american, but who ends up being the US president is still something that matters to me, as it has near global implications (look at watch Bush has done -shudders- ).

[Abra]

Huckabee holds my views on my top three issues. I'm left-of-center, though. I chose him off of a sheet in which the candidate's names were hidden, and only their issues revealed. He was my first choice. I don't mind, though. Because he's just this cool. But I don't know. My views might change. I'd like to know how the candidates plan on implementing their plans. That will be the major factor in my vote.

[Alric]

No offence but anyone who votes for someone because of an ad like that is an idiot. Not that anyone who votes for him is an idiot, just anyone who did because of this ad.

[Abra]

No offence but anyone who votes for someone because of an ad like that is an idiot. Not that anyone who votes for him is an idiot, just anyone who did because of this ad. Did I not start off by telling you the method by which I chose him? From a list of candidates' ideas, but without their names? I posted the ad because I thought some would find it rather funny.

[tkdyo]

This is good news for us. I really dont want Clinton in office, she is too two faced and just downright gives me bad vibes. Obama may want to pull out, but I think he will do it when there is enough stability to do so (which is the current plan anyway) I hate how every election I end up voting for someone just because I dislike them less than the other one....

[Roller]

Coming from outside the US, I'm kind of surprised to realise that I've been following your presidential race more than most people living there have. If I were there I would vote Obama hands down. Hillary does have experience, she is very intelligent and knows what she is talking about. She doesn't have a chance of winning presidency if she were elected democrat candidate, though. There is a HUGE anti-hillary movement, and while it is shallow to judge politicians on their media appearance, it does decide it for a lot of people. Her media presence/persona make her a very easy person to hate - you either like Hillary or you hate her completely. This 'negative vote' means that it would be relatively easy for a republican candidate running against her to organise a very negative campaign, (or let others do it for him, in the case of Huckabee). Obama has the 'generational change' appeal. He makes brilliant speeches - he can speak to people and he is a black politician that has moved beyond the civil rights movement. After a period of growing disatisfaction with a conservative president, Obama appeals because of being new, clean and different. He's new without being threatening, and this counts for a lot. True, he has only won Iowa, and I don't have much knowledge about how your other states traditionally work out, but Iowa has a 95% white population and is a generally conservative state. Also, by winning the Iowa caucus, Obama and Huckabee achieve media attention in a 'winning' position, ie. they appear to be winners, and appear commanding and capable. This will give them a boost in other caucuses and potentially undermine other candidates support bases. Bring on Obama.

[Alric]

Thats how it normally goes, you vote for the lesser of two evils. Unless your a Ron Paul fan, then you vote because you think hes the best person out there. I wonder what people outside of the country think about Ron Paul. He has a battle ahead of him, but I still think he has a shot. Most people think Huckabee is a one, maybe two state person. We will find out soon enough though.

[Cyclic13]

How did Huckabee win? He clearly doesn't have the support... Was Ron Paul even involved in this caucus?

[Moonbeam]

It's getting close to about time for that. What have you done with Universal Mind?!

[Universal Mind]

What have you done with Universal Mind?! Hey now, I've only been arguing why we should have gone there in the first place and that we can't leave until the time is right. We are getting close to that time. We are about to have been there five years, and we can't play Mommy forever. It's getting close to time for the child to get out on his own and take care of himself. That does not mean I think today is the day. If I have said otherwise in the past, I have changed my mind. I'm think Iraq is about where they can take care of themselves if they want it bad enough. If they end up not wanting it bad enough, then this experiment in liberation was a failure from the beginning. It is like welfare recipients. Many of them will just stay on it forever if they think the government is going to just keep giving it to them. But when you tell them they have one year left, they tend to start trying to figure out how to take care of themselves.

[Roller]

How did Huckabee win? He clearly doesn't have the support... Can you say 'evangelical'?

[Howie]

How did Huckabee win? He clearly doesn't have the support... Was Ron Paul even involved in this caucus? I don't know how he won. Here is a link that seems to be accurate. Checking them against the others it seems to follow suite. That is unless they are all inaccurate, which we both know is a possibility too. I like this one, as it shows each county and their results as well. http://www.politico.com/iowacaucuses/iowamap-popup.html Iowa is primarily white voters. This may be a sign of what is to come. I guess the more advocates for Obama would be more likely to show their opinions this early.

[Alric]

The much under reported Wyoming is getting close to finishing. The the way they do it there, you have to win an entire area or you get nothing. Anyway It seems Huckabee didn't get any votes in Wyoming. Seems like Romney is going to win, with thompson and then hunter following him. Though the last two can change as the last couple votes come in. No one else has any votes at the moment. http://content.usatoday.com/news/pol...lts.aspx?sp=WY

[Howie]

The much under reported Wyoming is getting close to finishing. The the way they do it there, you have to win an entire area or you get nothing. Anyway It seems Huckabee didn't get any votes in Wyoming. Seems like Romney is going to win, with thompson and then hunter following him. Though the last two can change as the last couple votes come in. No one else has any votes at the moment. http://content.usatoday.com/news/pol...lts.aspx?sp=WY Thanks for that update Alric.

[Alric]

I should point out, they have some goofy system. So its probably not a good representation of anything. Which is probably why its not reported much. Also for anyone interested in why they have so many fewer delegates than in iowa, its because they lost half of them as a punishment for holding it so early.