Front-runners losing luster?

[babylonsister]

Front-runners losing luster?

David Yepsen • November 25, 2007


Two new polls out last week indicate Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee could win their respective caucuses in Iowa, upending the national front-runners and reconfiguring the 2008 presidential race.

With only 38 days left until the Jan. 3 caucuses, the two are proving the old "Nagle rule" of Iowa caucus politics. That truism, dictated years ago by former state chairman and congressman Dave Nagle, says the key to winning an Iowa caucus fight is to "organize, organize, organize - then get hot at the end."

Obama got hot at the Iowa Democratic Party's recent Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, when he gave a superior speech to the audience of 9,000 in Des Moines. Huckabee started warming up when he finished second in the Iowa GOP's August straw poll, and the buzz for him has only increased in subsequent debates and appearances.

more...

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071125/OPINION01/711250322/-1/LIFE04

[PDittie]

1. Ya gotta hope so.

Democrats historically always nominate the winner of the Iowa caucuses. (So what happens if Hillary comes in third there?) And I really think Romney is still going to win IA -- and NH too, for that matter. I read somewhere that he's spending $85,000 a day in the Hawkeye State.

Giuliani's strategy of betting everything on Super Tuesday means he has to survive three weeks of no-longer-front-runner status, and the avalanche of media criticism that comes with it.

These national polls showing Hillary and Rudy leading large just don't mean shit, IMHO.

[babylonsister]

2. I do hope so. Clinton is not a favorite, and I'd be

shocked if Giuliani were selected (so many lies, so little time), frightened if Huckabee is. At least Romney is a known known, even though he seems to be dumb as a box of rocks. The rethugs really don't have anyone who's outstanding.

[neutron]

6. How can she be a favorite when the Edwards people are

villifying her. They were even running gender slurs about her in Daily Kos. Claiming they were typos (wink wink)

[durrrty libby]

3. "Democrats historically always nominate the winner of the Iowa caucuses"

I read that it is more like 58% not 100%

Iowa wants you to believe they are that important because they love the money

and don't want it to stop

Eventually we will get rid of this arcane ritual

[PDittie]

4. Yeah. "Always" was uncareful

and I'm with you on the fact that two small, mostly rural, mostly Caucasian states shouldn't have so much influence on the nation's presidential selection process.

[neutron]

5. To bad Obama is inexperienced

and his middle name is Hussein.

What kind of a prayer do you think he'll have in a national electioni?

Edwards has made some lousy choices. As a result, he won't even have
the bucks to run a national campaign.

Hillary has run the smartest campaign.

She doesn't trash her opponents, she is upbeat, likeable. A good speaker.
A good liberal who was the first to realize that our Healthcare was in
trouble, and the first to try to do something about it. When she wasn't
even a politician.

[jenmito]

8. It's not too bad because it's not true...

and his middle name has WHAT to do with anything? As a matter of fact, having a U.S. president with the middle name Hussein could be great for world relations. There are billions of Muslims who are not our enemy and having a president who they feel is similar to them in name only could be a good thing, no matter how you want to spin it.

Hillary sure DOES trash her opponents. She mocked Obama for living overseas as a child which DID give him a unique experience and world view. She accuses others of taking things right out of the Repub. playbook when she did just that with her comment about Obama.

[asdjrocky]

7. Thanks Sister. Good post.

My pick in 08!

[defendandprotect]

9. Why not? We have a YEAR to go --- !!!! ??? !!!!