Hillery, Obama, Edwards and the Democrates

We all know that Iowa's event is not a primary but a caucus. There is a big difference.

As I understand it, the Dems and Repubs will have their respective gatherings and at some point hands will be raised in support of the various candidates.

If I lived in Iowa, my hand would go up for Bill Richardson. [..] But my say doesn't end there. The supporters of the various third tier candidates in both parties would be courted to switch our votes and go for someone else the next time hands are raised.

So when the media reports that Hillary-Obama are virtually tied, as are Romney-Huckabee, they are only looking at the first round.

Is my understanding of the process in Iowa correct?

Right. People who in the first round at their district's caucusing support a candidate that gets less than 15% are then asked to switch to another candidate in the next round.

In 2004 this helped Edwards, who got a lot of switch-overs from Kucinich (after having diligently established links with that constituency beforehand). Now, too, Edwards could stand to benefit especially: the Edwards camp was touting a poll this week (or might have been last week) that showed that while Hillary and Obama only had about 20% of second-choice preferences (Obama doing only marginally better than Hillary), Edwards had about 40% [correction: about 30%].

An earlier poll I remember that asked about second choices, a month or two ago, also had Edwards at the top of second choices, but with Obama narrowly trailing - and again, Hillary in last place, at a sizable distance. [..]

The Edwards campaign, which has been in policy overdrive in the past few weeks, released a plan on Tuesday on helping students pay for college and reducing student debt. The plan includes initiatives like creating a "College for Everyone" program that would pay for one year of tuition, fees, and books for 2 million students each year; allowing all students to borrow directly from the Department of Education; eliminating bank subsidies on student loans; stream-lining the application for federal student aid; and helping low-income school districts provide college counseling and prep courses.

Barack Obama came out with his plan for "universal, voluntary citizen service." The plan would fund an additional 250,000 AmeriCorps posts and double the size of the Peace Corps, create service-learning programs at more schools and universities, and create a Craigslist-like online network for volunteer opportunities. The plan, he says, offers an expanded vision of patriotism, service and common purpose.

John Edwards, still in policy overdrive, released his "Plan for Opportunity for all Americans" on Friday, to address racial disparities in the United States. The plan integrates some of his previous policy statements on universal health care, ending poverty, making housing more affordable, and improving schools with additional measures to address disparities in the criminal justice system, protect voting rights, and enforce existing civil rights laws.

Barack Obama releases a plan for "universal, voluntary citizen service":

Quote:

Barack Obama came out with his plan for "universal, voluntary citizen service." The plan would fund an additional 250,000 AmeriCorps posts and double the size of the Peace Corps, create service-learning programs at more schools and universities, and create a Craigslist-like online network for volunteer opportunities. The plan, he says, offers an expanded vision of patriotism, service and common purpose.

(Same source as above)

From the horse's mouth:

Barack Obama '08: Helping All Americans Serve Their Country; Barack Obama's Plan For Universal Voluntary Citizen Service

More like hitting the ceiling in happiness.

:-)

Not because of you, specifically, mysteryman, but I think it's great that a person LIKE you would consider supporting Obama, because that probably means many other people like you probably are doing the same.

All in "who knows" territory for another month or so though... we'll start to find out some things in Iowa...

And thanks for saying so by the way, I'm always curious about what the swingier voters are thinking.

That does not mean I have given up on the repub candidates, nor does it mean that I am giving up my conservative values.

It does however mean that I would consider Obama the only dem candidate that I would support.

Having read that, I can hear some of you hitting the floor in shock.

Yeah.
If I vote for a republican, it will be Mike Huckabee.

If I vote for a moose, it will be Bullwinkle.

mysteryman wrote:

That does not mean I have given up on the repub candidates, nor does it mean that I am giving up my conservative values.

It does however mean that I would consider Obama the only dem candidate that I would support.

mysteryman wrote:

Having read that, I can hear some of you hitting the floor in shock.

I'm not surprised at all. Obama appears to be every conservative's favourite Democrat nowadays. :wink:

Since neither of you guys can vote here why are you so concerned?

The Democrat slate will likely be Clinton and Richardson. If they instead choose either Obama or Edwards they will run the risk of losing the election - something I doubt they will do.