Enjoy a comprehensive collection of footage and video from
Tigers on the Trail.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Saturday, January 5, 2008
And the Winner is...
“If they leave you can count them goodbye” said an Edwards precinct captain to an Obama precinct captain. Tensions were high as caucus-goers stood in groups for their respective candidates.
We were stationed at precinct 311 at Valley High School in Des Moines, Iowa. Unprecedented turnout and severe overcrowding relocated the caucus from a tight classroom to the high school’s hallway. With a more spacious venue, we watched as democracy took shape.
311’s precinct chair established 48 as the number of supporters each Democratic hopeful needed to be considered a viable candidate. This was based on the 320 registered voters in the precinct. After the first count, Biden had 34 votes, Clinton had 79 votes, Edwards had 36 votes, Obama had 137 votes, and Richardson had 35 votes.
Once the first count was recorded, unviable candidate supporters were up for the taking. Supporters of viable candidates, in this case, Clinton and Obama, began recruiting supporters of Edwards, Biden, and Richardson, the unviable. Determined to reach the 48 person mark, the Edwards precinct captain convinced most of the Richardson and Biden crowd to align with his group. In fact, we spotted a man dressed in Biden gear munching on an Edwards decorated cookie.
Standing in one corner of the hallway was Margaret Ann Baron, a resident of Des Moines. Baron, originally caucusing for Joe Biden was prepared to go home when her candidate fell short of the viability threshold. We asked her why she was not joining another candidate’s group. She replied that she “didn’t care for Hillary and Obama doesn’t have enough experience.” We then inquired as to why she wasn’t caucusing for Edwards, and she said, “I thought he wasn’t viable.” We told her he was and immediately Edwards gained another supporter. I guess we are guilty of assisting the senator’s camp.
After 15 minutes of realignment, Clinton had 88 votes, Edwards had 58 votes, and Obama had 169 votes. With these votes and a series of mathematical calculations, delegates were determined; Clinton gained two delegates, Edwards gained one delegate, and Obama gained four delegates.
After the caucuses ended, precincts reported their results. With candidate parties well underway, supporters waited for the numbers to come in. At 9 pm, 94 percent of precincts declared Obama the winner, Edwards in second place, and Clinton in third place.
We attended Clinton’s celebration. It was hosted by the Des Moines Hotel and had approximately 200 guests in attendance. Food and drinks were served as precinct captains took their honorary positions on stage. Anxiously awaiting Clinton’s appearance, the crowd began chanting, “Hillary, Hillary, Hillary…”. Promptly at 9:30 pm, Clinton took center stage. She announced, “I am ready for the rest of this campaign, and I am so ready to lead…This is good news for Democrats.” She concluded by congratulating her opponents, Edwards and Obama.
The Iowa caucuses are the first in the nation and, as a result, may very well be the most influential. Time will only tell what is in store for these three presidential hopefuls, but one thing is for certain- Obama departed Iowa with a win, Edwards with a place, and Clinton with a show.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Inside the republican caucus.
their republican neighbors caucus by listening to a 2 1/2 min
representatives from each campaign (normally a citizen who is involved
in the campaign). Then they cast their vote by secret ballot unlike
the open vote in the democratic process The republican process is
simple and orderly-- the exact opposite of the democrats.
The turnout of both parties is higher than in 2004. It appears that
this year's turnout is higher than predicted.
Results of Iowa Caucuses
So here's the rundown, for the many readers who are relying on us for their caucus scoop:
Democrats:
1. Obama 38%
2. Edwards 30%
3. Clinton 29%
Republicans:
1. Huckabee 34%
2. Romney 25%
3. Thompson 13%
Some thoughts on the results:
*Will Clinton be able to survive? As Charlie Cook told us, the media is going to have a field day with Obama's win. Hillary's third place finish was a huge dissapointment and they are going to crucify her for it. She will be seen as a loser. Can she overcome this image and make a comeback? I have doubts.
*Is Huckabee's blowout win a sign of things to come? Obviously New Hampshire's landscape is much different than Iowa's, and Huckabee will not have near the evangelical support there. However, you'd have to think he'll have some momentum even there, based on the huge margin of his victory.
*Will McCain continue to live on? It's looking like he is going to barely miss out on a third place finish, not exactly providing him with momentum going into New Hampshire. Can he still win there? Looks like it will be a challenge.
Caucuses Exciting; Big Win for Obama
By Elizabeth Weiner
Pictures show Edwards precinct captain counting votes in the Democratic caucus of precinct 212 at Valley High School in West Des Moines. The event was exciting to say the least. Caucus-goers chanted as they encouraged supporters of non-viable candidates to join their group. Obama's group took 3 delegates, Clinton's took 2, Edwards' took 2, and Richardson took 1. Edwards started out with 1 and gained enough people in the 2nd alignment to pick up their 2nd delegate.
Next door, Mitt Romney spoke at the Republican caucus for that district.
The rest of the pictures are from the Obama victory party.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Caucus-Goers Should Be Proud
The caucus process is an unprecedented event that I am thrilled to have witnessed. Throughout the last few days, I have been inspired by Iowa's large civic engagement in the democratic process and I hope, in turn, that those Iowans who have lost sight of their awesome privilege have been equally inspired by our passion that has brought us over a thousand miles to Iowa.
While watching the process unfold, I realized that the presidential candidates must invest a lot of confidence in their voters. Not only do they rely on their supporters to turn out and vote at the caucus, but they must also hope that they have voters who are willing to stand up in front of their peers and persuade them to follow their candidate.
However, it is frightening to realize that one determined demographic can define the nominee for the presidential race. I don't believe that Huckabee's victory in Iowa is likely to follow him through the other states. And if McCain wins New Hampshire this places Romney out of consideration for the GOP nomination. So, in reality, the strong rural evangelicals of Iowa have possibly ruined Romney's chance at a race for United States presidency.
Nonetheless, Iowa's voter turn out tonight, although predicted, was still extremely surprising and something to be proud of. Over 200,000 Democrats turned out to vote and about 110,000 Republicans caucused tonight. These jaw-dropping numbers are exactly why Obama and Huckabee are the caucus winners. It will be interesting to see how much effect this built up momentum will carry them through the remaining primaries.
Statistics on Iowa Winner
Will one of you, tell me know what the statistics are concerning the probability the Iowa winner will be our next president. Also, on a side note, I recently registered to vote Independent in Louisiana, since I have learned as an Independent, I will not be allowed to vote in the primary elections. Is this correct?
Thanks!
Kudos to all of you - on your great trip to Iowa.
Aunt Tee
Voter turnout.
I am blogging live from the cafeteria of Valley High School in Des Moines, IA. 419 total caucus goers have arrived at precinct 212 which is more than double the turn out in 2004. In this precinct, 181 new democrats have registered tonight.
Candidates must receive 15% of 419 (which is 63 in this precinct) in order to be "viable" (go onto the next round) where they can lobby the supporters of non-viable candidates to join them during the realignment period. The democratic process is wild ; energetic chatter fills the room. It is largely operated by those who are caucusing.
So far in round 1: (Candidate- # of Votes)Clinton-85; Obama-154; Edwards-64, Richardson-60; Dodd and Biden are still organizing.
The republicans are next door in the auditorium where Gov. Romney along with two of his sons and other prominent supporters of other candidates are greeting and answering questions as caucus goers enter. The republican process is more orderly and simpler than that of the democrats.
Witnessing these caucuses unfold is something I wish everyone had the opportunity to experience. I was lucky enough to stand beside Gov. Romney as the republicans in the auditorium recited the pledge before the caucus began. The process leading up to the caucus when Iowans "date" the candidates is uniquely personal-- it is my opinion that the purest form of democracy happens in Iowa's caucuses.
-Adam Parker
Confused about what’s happening in the Caucus? So is Iowa
Des Moines, IA – A flip through any of the major news station today shows headlines reporting that the races are “too close to call.” With the first-in-the-nation Iowa Caucus less than hours away, there are a multitude of polls being released – none of which support the other. Being in Iowa does not help to make the races seem any clearer. Charlie Cook, founder and editor of The Cook Political Report, gave some reasons why several of the candidates appear to be on top.
“The Democrats, to me, are like kids in a Baskin-Robbins. They’re looking at 31 flavors, many which sound so good,” Cook said. Indeed, during my Iowa travels, I have heard many Iowa Democrats say things such as, “I like __________, but I would be just as happy with __________,” (Fill in the blanks with any of the top three candidates – Clinton, Obama or Edwards – and you would have many Iowa Democrats spot on).
In reality, the latest Iowa rallies for Clinton, Obama and Edwards support the theory that the three do agree on many of the issues. They each agree that the U.S. should begin to withdraw troops in Iraq; that healthcare is an issue that needs to be changed to cover more Americans; that education needs to be reformed; and that global warming is a very real issue that the U.S. needs to help resolve by cutting emissions. As Cook said, many Iowa Democrats may have aligned themselves with a candidate, but “at least two or three others would be acceptable.”
Republicans in Iowa may be having a harder time deciding which candidate they should caucus for. Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney had a successful career as a businessman before he became Governor of Massachusetts in 2003, and Republican voters who value fiscal responsibility seem to like him. A Tuesday night rally for candidate Mike Huckabee, however, showed that Republican voters who are socially conservative and have strong religious values are attracted to Huck.
There is no Republican candidate who seems to unite the two, and besides dark-horse candidate Ron Paul, Romney and Huckabee are the two main choices for Iowa Republicans. Fred Thompson, John McCain and Rudy Giuliani have all but dismissed the Caucus and passed on devoting any legitimate time to campaigning in the state. Republicans may feel as if they are looking at a menu, and cannot find anything that is exactly what they want to order, as Cook put it.
Although, the exact turnout and results of the Caucus are unknown, one thing seems certain. Any Democratic candidate would have a slight advantage over any Republican candidate, simply because of the nature of voters. “We just don’t elect a party three times in a row,” Cook said. The nation has had eight years of a Republican president, and eight seems to be enough. Never mind President Bush’s historically low approval ratings, which only magnify the advantage Democrats have for 2008. If we had had eight years of a Democratic president, the reverse would be true.
Add to that the fact that Democrats are hungry for a victory after losing with two different candidates in the past eight years. Iowa voters will be the first to know tonight which candidate may likely become the next nominee for either party. The rest of the nation will have to watch the Caucus unfold tonight, because the races are likely to remain too close to call.
Persuasion Power: The Supporters' Turn
From what I have observed, there are distinct features that have emerged from the supporters of the leading candidates. And that leads me to wonder who will have a stronger ability to persuade the undecided or supporters of non-viable candidates after the first round.
For example (and this is just a generalization) will the opinionated and obstinate older women that I observed at the Clinton rally be able to make compromises needed to appeal to the undecided caucus-goers? Obama made a big push to recruit youth to his campaign, but will these 17- and 18-year-old, first-time caucus-goers have the experience and sincerity to persuade undecided voters? Will the impassioned, working-class Edwards supporters be able to make the concessions needed to persuade undecided voters?
And on the Republican side, will the evangelical, far-right Huckabee supporters use more than rhetoric to appeal to the undecided? Can stuffy Romney supporters make acknowledgments of the far-right needed to appeal to the undecided?
These were clearly generalizations, but I would not have included them if I did not witness the rallies first hand. I clearly feel that the presence of the die-hards in attendance at all of the campaigns may prove to be detrimental to support, but considering that all of the candidates have their fair share of die-hard supporters, it may all even out in the end.
But tonight is the night. As the nation has its eyes on Iowa, it comes down to the individual Iowa residents. Don’t let my little criticisms fool you, for the supporters of all candidates are, if anything, impassioned. No matter what the polls say now, tonight we will find out which supporters were able to persuaders.
Caucus Night is upon us. And the winner is....
By Robert McAlister
With just under 4 hours until the Iowa Caucuses get under way, there is still no way to accurately determine which Democratic candidate will come away with the most support at the end of the night. Even though a Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll shows Barack Obama pulling away finishing ahead of John Edwards and placing Hillary Clinton in third, there are too many other factors that make this race’s outcome unknowable.
For instance, John Edwards has retained much of the same organization that he had in 2004 when he ran for president, an advantage neither Obama nor Clinton has. Edwards has a loyal group of fervent supporters and there is no reason to suspect that they will stay home. Clinton on the other hand does extremely well with women over 50 who have been known to show up in great numbers, according to Clinton Strategist and well-respected Democratic operative Jerry Crawford. There is also no reason to suspect that the over 50 female demographic will stay home tonight, especially with a warming of temperatures (comparatively in Iowa, it’s still below freezing).
Barack Obama has the obvious advantage in the polls today and has had that advantage for the later part of the Iowa campaign. It appears that Obama is doing extremely well with independents, who can show up tonight to democratic caucuses and support him if they change their registration on the spot. There is a projection that a large number of independents will show up tonight, according to a recent Des Moines Register poll. That projection would also require unprecedented turn out, which could still happen given the excitement around this year’s caucus.
Despite the millions spent on campaign commercials, the incredible organization by all three campaigns over the last year and the incredible amount of time that the candidates have committed to the Hawkeye State, there is no way to tell whether Clinton, Edwards or Obama will decisively win or just barely get by. While Iowa is by no means the final Armageddon type battle of this campaign season, a loss here can represent a significant setback to a major front-runner like Clinton, while a win for an underdog like Edwards could catapult him into at least having a shot at winning the nomination.
Journalists, pundits and fans of the political process will be glued to their television screens tonight to find out the ultimate outcome of the caucus is but one thing is guaranteed: A concession speech tonight could be as important as a victory speech. (See Howard Dean circa 2004…)
Observations on Ron Paul
So we got a chance to hear Ron Paul speak today, and there were a few things that struck me about him. I'm not sure that I would vote for the guy, but I was impressed by a few things. No matter what you think about his policies, there seem to be a few undeniable elements that set him apart from other candidates.
When he speaks, he does not try and use fancy rhetoric or fireworks or emotional theatrics like most candidates we have seen. He just talks. Today he simply stood in front of the people and told them what he thought. No screaming, no impressive oratory. He just talked. And the crowd loved it, screaming and clapping throughout the speech.
What ifObama threw away all the fancy rhetoric and stunning theatrics? If he just stood there and outlined his plans for change, would he really be capturing many audiences?
Paul's ideas alone -- no matter how crazy you think they are -- are enough to bring crowds to their feet. That was impressive to me.
I also got a very strong sense that with Ron Paul, what you see is what you get. Many of the other major candidates left me questioning their sincerity. Is Mitt Romney really dedicated to the pro-life cause? Is Hillary Clinton really set on bringing the troops home from Iraq? Does Huckabee really plan on cracking down on our immigration problems? But with Ron Paul, I definitely got the sense that he believed in every plan he presented.
The most impressive thing to me about Ron Paul is how far he has gotten. Whether you support him or not, it should be encouraging to everyone that even in today's money-driven world, a relatively insignificant political player like Paul has a chance to be heard. I think much of this can be credited to the rise of the Internet. Hopefully this is a sign that the future will be filled with candidates who the people most support, not the candidates who spend the most money.
Ron Paul Holds Health Forum at DMU
Ron Paul addressed a crowd in a full auditorium at Des Moines University this afternoon exactly 7 hours before the start of caucuses in Iowa. He focused on healthcare and spoke on Iraq, foreign affairs, and taxes.
"Healthcare is not a right. Owning a home is not a right. You have a right to life and hopefully, one day, a right to keep what you earn." Paul got applause from the audience.
On foreign affairs, Paul stated, "It's time to bring our troops home from around the world." He supports immediate withdrawal from Iraq and all other locations globally. He believes that we can solve many of America's problems by changing our foreign policy and cutting overseas spending drastically.
Paul answered specific questions from the crowd. One question challenged Paul on whether or not there is a contradiction between his role as a doctor bringing babies into the world and his views about gun control. Paul laughed, and answered, "I would say you need that gun to protect that baby!" The attendees seemed to enjoy Paul's laid back sense of humor.
Paul plans to continue on through Super Tuesday, and he has surprisingly raised a good bit of funds to do so.
By Elizabeth Weiner
Edwards Speaks to SteelWorkers in Final Hours
By Elizabeth Weiner
The SteelWorkers Union Hall was packed this morning as Edwards supporters gathered to hear their candidate one more time before spending the day calling potential caucus-goers.
The crowd was very energized with chants such as, "We love Elizabeth. We love John. We want to see them on the White House lawn." Then there was, "John loves labor, and labor loves John!"
The crowd was very energized with chants such as, "We love Elizabeth. We love John. We want to see them on the White House lawn." Then there was, "John loves labor, and labor loves John!"
Edwards' message was brief and enthusiastic. Despite the latest poll numbers, Edwards assured supporters that he would win Iowa and then move on to New Hampshire. He encouraged volunteers to follow the campaign trail to New Hampshire in the coming days.
The press followed Edwards through the room as he quickly shook hands with volunteers and headed back to the campaign bus. His appearance lasted only about 10 minutes, but it seemed to be enough to energize this group.
Edwards Energizes Union Supporters on Morning of Caucus
Edwards supporters have been using the Des Moines United Steel Workers Union Hall as a campaign call center, and Edwards stopped there this morning for a quick “thank you.” A standard mix of Springsteen, CCR, Tom Petty, and The Rolling Stones played while campaign volunteers waited for the candidate. When he got there, you could tell he finally slept—his 36 hour tour ended last night at his John Mellencamp rally.
Iowa First Lady Mari Culver quickly introduced the candidate, and he gave a short speech outlining basic differences between himself and his Democratic competitors. “Two other campaigns believe that their money will make them inevitable,” he said before explaining that his relationship with overlooked citizens is more powerful than Clinton and Obama’s campaign finances. “We see you, we hear you, we embrace you, and we’re going to lift you up.”
He used familiar language, paused for raucous campaign chants, and even asked his supporters to go with him to New Hampshire after he wins here in Iowa. The rowdy gathering that packed the small room seemed ready to get back to work immediately after Edwards left. Labor’s support for Edwards—the crowd chanted “John loves labor, labor loves John” before he got off the bus—coupled with faithful supporters from 2004 and disenchanted Obama/Clinton Democrats are what keeps him competitive in this race. The latest polls are so close that when results come in tonight, Iowans may deliver him a surprise first or second place that will build momentum for his New Hampshire campaign. Some may even follow him there.
Iowa Historical Museum Packed for Hillary in Final Push
Up Close with Romney: "One America"
We had a great experience at Romney's final rally before the caucuses tonight. It was a smaller crowd, but it was filled with many avid Romney supporters. Not only were they committed to him, but they knew why, which was impressive. The focus of Romney's address was "one America," and it focused on cohesiveness and patriotism and how we should use these positive sentiments to create change in Washington.
Posted by Elizabeth Weiner
Caucus Results Are "Uniquely Iowan"
The variety of presidential demographic support is worth noting. Senior political adviser for Hilary Clinton, Jerry Crawford, noted their biggest supporters as women over the age of sixty. There is huge support for Obama among many students, which was quite prevalent at his rally Tuesday afternoon. His campaign staff and volunteers were young and fearlessly out front to coral supporters. Huckabee's "Huck and Chuck" rally Tuesday night consisted of many rural citizens and Romeny saw a big presence of socio-economic conservatives.
Of course, for those tracking this election, these supporters come as no surprise. These demographics have been fairly consistent throughout the campaign trails. However, it is interesting to consider because the winners of the Iowa caucuses will illustrate a model for the outcomes of the country's remaining primaries and caucuses. And the Iowa winners are determined by a group of people who may in fact not truly represent the American people. As Des Moines's KCCI anchorman Kevin Cooney said, the caucus results are "uniquely Iowan."
The general consensus will eventually reveal itself after all the primaries come to a close. However, the importance placed on the Iowa caucuses seem to put a heavy burden on the state to set an accurate precedent for what is to come- not necessarily who will be elected the next United States commander-in-chief but who the rest of the country will consider to fill the position.
David Frost from the Iowa Democratic Party said that some Iowans tend to "lose sight" of their privilege to intimately participate in the democratic process, but is confident that the caucuses will go smoothly because Iowa has "thirty years of built up institutional knowledge."
An important reminder that Doug Gross, senior political adviser for the Romney campaign, pointed out is that the polls cannot accurately predict the caucus winners because according to him, "it's all about turn out." Candidates that are in second place in the polls are hopeful that the turn out of caucus-goers this Thursday night will prove to be favorable on their behalf and challenge the polls.
The demographics, especially those between Clinton and Obama, are particularly noteworthy because of the importance of voter turn out. Clinton's older female supporters have proven to be the most loyal caucus-goers in the past. Obama's large student support is encouraging and impressive. However, it remains to be seen if his support base will materialize Thursday night. As political analyst Charlie Cook said Wednesday night, "this whole things has been up and down...I don't know why it would all of a sudden become predictable."
Iowa Democratic Veterans' Caucus Endorses Obama on Eve of Caucus
Supporters braved the now famous early January Iowa cold to fill the gymnasium at Hoover High School in Des Moines, Iowa tonight. The event began at 10 p.m. with a caucus trivia session which quizzed rally goers on caucus terms and rules. They also provided them with the information that they needed to get to their precinct caucus tomorrow evening. Since Obama is relying so heavily on first time caucus goers, his staff is doing all that it can to educate as many uninformed potentials as possible.
After the informational session, an Obama staffer introduced Kent Sovern, the Iowa Democratic Veterans' Caucus organizer. He announced that his organization has switched its endorsement from Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama, because they believe he has a better chance to win the national election in November. Michelle Obama then took the stage to introduce her husband.
A visibly fatigued Barack Obama walked onto the stage and encouraged his caucus virgin supporters to prove the pundits wrong and brave the cold tomorrow to caucus in support of their candidate. He said nothing new and stuck to safely repeating his message of hope about the future. He hoarsely led his campaign chant, "Fired up, ready to go!"
Obama understands the key to winning is making sure these first timers get to the caucus, and he's doing all that he can to make that happen.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
A View from Behind
Tonight was the opportunity of a lifetime.
Three other fellow bloggers and I decided we wanted to get to the Hillary Clinton Rally early to get a great spot. Well, great spot is quite an understatement - seeing that we were able to sit right behind the stage and meet with the Clinton family after the rally.
In addition to the extreme coolness of being able to be right in the thick of things, it was quite exciting to view a political rally from a candidate's eyes.
The early bird really does get the worm or, in our case, the best seat in the house!
Among the attendees, some notables were Ted Danson and wife Mary Steenburgen, General Will Clark, and Madeleine Albright.
In the closing hours on the campaign trail in Iowa, candidates are most certainly reaffirming their messages and Clinton was no different. She insisted that as President, she will work for universal healthcare, veteran's benefits, improving education, investing in alternative fuels in addition to others.
As I tuck away my autographed material and enjoy the few drops of excitement, I anticipate the change of events with tomorrow's caucus.
Insurgent Huckabee Summons Ghost of George Wallace from '68
Caution, Iowa: Republican Earthquake Approaching
As the hours wind down until the decisive Iowa caucus, the Republican Party finds itself in the quandary it has long sought to avoid -- the inevitable rift between social/religious conservatives and corporate conservatives. No two candidates in recent memory have more epitomized each than the former Baptist minister, Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, and the former venture capitalist, Mitt Romney of Massachusetts.
The fault lines were quite stark in the past two nights, as Huckabee's "Chuck and Huck" event Tuesday night bore absolutely no resemblance to Romney's rally in West Des Moines this evening. The Huckabee crowd, whooping shouts of "Hallelujah" and "Amen, Mike," was decidedly blue-collar, working class supporters out to cheer on their anointed champion. On the other hand, Romney's crowd was staid, plaid, and polite, but their candidate elicited about as many raucous cheers as Don Imus would at a Rutgers home game.
Of course, a Huckabee victory would set off tremors in the Republican Party that might lead to a wholesale tectonic shift should be continue to gain support. While Romney might patch up the bruised Reagan coalition, Huckabee would simply tear it apart.
All of this division within the conservative electorate hasn't been seen since the 1968 election, when George Wallace was barnstorming the country preaching the gospel of white populism to all who would hear him. Huckabee -- sans the segregation issue Wallace is most identified with -- seems to be conjuring up crowds of a similar demographic makeup. These supporters, long suspect of political candidates promising them action on red-meat social issues, seem drawn to Huckabee's message of social conservatism and economic, well, liberalism, in a way reminiscent of Wallace in '68. While Wallace wasn't railing against integration, he was attracting blue-collar whites from out of the woodwork to hear his unusual mix of policies.
And while George Wallace certainly wasn't a Republican and wasn't running neck-and-neck with any major presidential contender, he received enough support to further separate culturally conservative voters from their previous party.
In the '68 election, it was Richard Nixon who represented the establishment conservatives, the Wall-Street types who didn't care for Wallace's demagoguery or, for that matter, his populist economic policies for the working class. These days, it's Romney attempting to hold on to "the Reagan coalition of economic, social, and military conservatives" that he mentioned as the three core foundations of his support, but it's obvious, both in his personal background and in the appearances of his rally attendees, that he has succeeded most at attracting the first part of those three pillars.
Huckabee, meanwhile, can channel the Biblical language to entice religious conservatives to his cause by campaigning against homosexual rights and against abortion rights. But his economic message is altogether different. Chuck Norris even praised Huckabee's proposal for a "Fair Tax" because he mentioned how rich he was and how he was willing to pay a bigger tax share so working-class families could be eased of their tax burden.
To borrow Romney's favorite phrase, Huckabee is certainly failing Reagan 101.
But as for Wallace 101, Huckabee might stand to receive better marks.
Media Fuels Mudslinging Fire and Impacts Outcome of Nomination Process
At all of the rallies I have attended, there has been at least one negative mention (either directly or through a joke) of an opposing candidate. Understandably, candidates have to address other candidates in debates and to a certain extent. Some candidates decide to run paid negative advertisements, and others try as hard as possible to stay away from it.
Interestingly enough, mudslinging has proven to be fairly effective in local and national races across the country. There have been times when two front-runners have been so nasty that a candidate formerly in third took the race.
However, it seems to me that the media fuels the mudslinging fire far more than the candidates alone. I was glued to CNN before my trip to Iowa and in any free time, we have tuned into to local and national coverage. Everytime a candidate does a live interview with a show host or reporter, they almost always ask at least one instigating question about another candidate.
In Iowa, caucus-goers get the chance to meet as many candidates as they would like, so to an extent, they may not rely on the media for this coverage. To much of the rest of the country, they have to rely on these interviews and the media to develop their feelings about candidates.
The media seems to have an even more drastic impact on the selection of the presidential nominees as well. Many people have questions about why Iowa is so influential when it only represents the votes of one states' voters.
My simple answer is the media. When a candidate wins in Iowa, they seem to get the greatest amount of positive press coverage. This springboards them into the lead in other states where voters rely on that media coverage and have had little or no chance to interact with candidates themselves.
In 2007, Herb Strentz via NeimanWatchdog.org stated, "The most pressing question about the Iowa caucuses is not how can the news media do a better job of campaign coverage, but rathers how can Iowans rescue the caucuses from what the news media have become."
I find the issue to be a combination of both of these aspects. There should be continuous efforts to improve coverage because of the fact that the rest of the American voters don't have the same opportunities as Iowas. And the campaign events and rallies are not quite like appearances that will be made later in 2008. However, Strentz made a strong, very relevant statement referring to our somewhat slanted media.
The relationship between media coverage and election outcomes is an interesting one to watch, especially in our country where reporters are supposed to be neutral. Is it really possible - no matter how great a reporter?
Six-year-old defies the theory that young people aren’t engaged in politics
Des Moines, IA – Mainstream media has referred to college students as apathetic, elusive and disengaged when it comes to politics. As a member of the so-called “millennials” and a political nerd, I have consistently disagreed with this assessment as disproportionate of the truth. Yet after telling many of my friends that I would be spending my New Year’s at the Iowa Caucus and getting blank stares in return, I wondered if the media were correct. The past few days in Iowa, however, confirmed that there are a large number of students who engage themselves politically, and I was impressed to meet other students – some as young as six – participating in the festivities afforded by the approaching Iowa Caucus.
The “Huck and Chuck” rally – a play on Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee and supporter Chuck Norris’ names – on Tuesday night in a local Des Moines ballroom (site of the famous "Dean Scream" of 2004) drew an impressive crowd of Iowa voters and out-of-state observers. 
Students from Manchester College in Indiana arrived in the “first-in-the-nation” state this past Sunday to observe, blog and even volunteer for different candidates as part of a January course in political science.
Leonard Williams, professor of political science at Manchester, said he typically takes his students in this course to Washington D.C., but this year, given the relative unpredictability of the presidential race, chose the Caucus instead. The students, much like our Louisiana State crew, are attending different rallies for as many candidates as possible, but most admitted they were not there last night for Huckabee. “It’s all about Chuck,” said Jason Ray, Manchester freshman. Huckabee himself said to the crowd, “As much as I’d like to believe you all are here for me, I know better.” He introduced the man best known for his role on the 90s television series Walker, Texas Ranger and the Total Gym advertisements to the applauding crowd.
There were, however, many supporters there for Huckabee, including 6-year-old Ashley from Flagstaff, Arizona. Ashley is a Flagstaff home school student and is the youngest member of John Echols’ political science home schooling program. Echols had his students, ages 6 to 17, conduct research on every presidential candidate, Democrats and Republicans alike, and then hold an election to see which candidate they would support. “We chose [Huckabee] when he was still a second-tier candidate,” Echols said, citing the grass-roots support Huckabee has received since that time as a main reason for his recent surge in the polls.
Rachel Blanchard, age 12, said she liked Huckabee because, “He’s pro-life; he’s for home schooling; and he’s for one man, one woman,” factors that the Flagstaff students and chaperones all looked for. The students then raised money for the candidate, and over the past two days, made more than 3500 phone calls for Huckabee to Iowa voters. They relaxed at the Tuesday night rally and danced to The Boogie Woogers band and Huckabee on the guitar. 
Although many of the Manchester students volunteered for the Democratic campaigns of Obama, Clinton, Edwards and Richardson, they were just as excited to be involved with the rally and the entire Caucus this year. “I don’t think a lot of people our age have an idea of the impact Iowa has on the race,” said Kristi Sattison, sophomore. She was excited to be in a setting so different from Indiana, which hosts a primary rather than a caucus system, and to learn so much about the candidates. After all, “You can’t learn everything from a textbook.”
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