Surprised at the victory margins of both Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee. Encouraged by the record turnout in both the Democrat and Republican caucuses. Shocked that the fourth-place finisher in the Democratic race (Bill Richardson) received only about 2 percent of the vote.
Read MoreThe Picks
Against better judgment, I’m going to lay out my predictions for tonight’s Iowa caucus results. Based solely on the feeling I’ve developed while following the campaigns across the Hawkeye State for the past week I will predict:
Read MoreBarack and Roll
On a day when Hillary Clinton spoke three hours earlier and just a few miles away, Barack Obama drew the largest crowd I have seen so far when he spoke at the Veterans War Memorial in Cedar Rapids yesterday.
Read MoreClinton School Watch Party
We’re anticipating a big crowd tonight for the Iowa Caucus watch party. It begins at 7:30 p.m. Here are more predictions:
• Martha McNair, Fayetteville High School English teacher – Democrat: Clinton; Republican: McCain.
Read MoreThompson Supports Conservative Values and Tasteful Home Decor
Unlike many of his conservative counterparts, Thompson chose to lash out at the Democrats instead of his Republican competition: “the Democrats will lead us to weaker national defense, to a welfare state, and to a weaker, more divided country. And that’s what Thursday is really all about. Somebody has got to stand in the way of that.”
Read MoreHillary Supporters Hit The Road To Help In Iowa
I spoke with Hillary volunteer Susan Cummins at the Clinton rally in Cedar Rapids yesterday. Cummins lives in Maryland and works for the Food and Drug Administration. She has taken time off to come to Iowa to support Hillary.
Read MoreDon’t Take Her On Faith
Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack introduced Hillary Clinton to a packed gymnasium at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa yesterday. Vilsack told the crowd that the rapidly approaching caucuses made him think of a football analogy: “It’s the fourth quarter, we’re in the red zone, it’s first and goal, and I sure am glad that my QB is Hillary Clinton.”
Read MoreElection Day in Iowa
Election eve provided some interesting developments. Pollster Frank Luntz noted a John Edwards television advertisement that is proving to be very effective. In Luntz’s televised Democratic focus group, the majority of participants were voting for Edwards. Some 3,500 people also showed up at an election-eve Edwards rally featuring John Melancamp last night. Momentum at this stage of the electoral process is a candidate’s dream.
Read MoreHuckabee Rocks With Woogey Boogers
After the remarks, Huckabee donned his bass guitar and joined The Woogey Boogers in a post speech “rock out” on stage. Huckabee recruited MSNBC reporter Joe Scarborough from the crowd to join him. Scarborough played rhythm guitar while Huckabee laid down the bass lines to “Sweet Home Alabama.”
Read MoreAll-American Badass Supports Huckabee (Protester Dangerously Unaware)
Perhaps the protester at the Huck and Chuck rally was unaware that All-American badass Chuck Norris was just a few feet away singing the praises of Mike Huckabee. Norris felt no qualms about Huckabee’s record, telling the crowd of well over 400 people that “Mike Huckabee is the conservative that can take us in the right direction for the future. “
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