Clinton Surges In Iowa

New Poll Shows Senator With Lead Over Obama, Edwards

(CBS/AP)  Hillary Rodham Clinton has taken the lead among Democratic presidential candidates in an Iowa poll, an encouraging sign of progress toward overcoming a big hurdle in the race.

Although the New York senator is the clear front-runner in national surveys, Iowa has remained an elusive prize. She has been in a tight race with John Edwards and Barack Obama in the state that begins the primary campaign voting in three months.

But her campaign has focused on boosting her appeal in Iowa, including two visits with her husband, former President Clinton, by her side over the summer. The effort appears to have paid off, according to the poll of likely Iowa caucus-goers that was published in Sunday's Des Moines Register.

Clinton was supported by 29 percent of the 399 respondents to the poll conducted Oct. 1-3, compared with 21 percent in May.

Edwards and Obama are not far behind, ensuring that all three campaigns will continue their intense efforts in Iowa, which leads off voting in the 2008 primary contests.

"I'm doing everything I can to earn the support of Iowans," Clinton said during a stop in New Hampton. A standing room only crowd at a community center was warmed up by listening to disco hit "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now."

"I pay absolutely no attention to what any poll says or what any pundit on TV says," the former first lady said. "I have absolutely no interest in that. Nobody has come to a caucus yet. Nobody has cast a vote yet."

CBS News correspondent Joie Chen reports that Clinton's lead has led her rivals to sharpen their attacks. A new Obama television ad has a retired general criticizing Clinton's vote for the Iraq war.

While Clinton visited small towns in eastern Iowa, Edwards was in the midst of a four-day tour of the state that included stops in 17 counties. The new poll showed his support falling from 29 percent, good enough for first place in May, to 23 percent. That is a statistical tie with Obama's 22 percent.

The poll has a margin of error of 4.9 percentage points.

Edwards told reporters in Davenport that he sees it as a close three-way race, with his two chief rivals rising recently because "they spend millions of dollars on television advertising."

"But, I think it's much more important to Iowa caucus-goers to see you in the flesh - see you stand before them, look them in the eye and answer their hard questions," the former North Carolina senator said.

Clinton got one of those hard questions in New Hampton, and it led to a heated exchanged.

Randall Rolph of Nashua challenged her for voting last month to designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization. Some Democrats said they feared that such a designation could be interpreted as a congressional authorization of military force in Iran.

Rolph compared Clinton's vote on the Iran measure with her vote to authorize war in Iraq. "It appears you haven't learned from your past mistakes," he said.

Clinton responded that his interpretation was wrong and suggested that someone put him up to asking the question. The man said he did his own research and was offended that she would accuse him of getting it elsewhere. She apologized but insisted he must be looking at the wrong version of the bill.

Their exchanged grew heated as he insisted the bill would authorize combat. Clinton snapped back, her voice rising, "I'm sorry, sir, it does not."

"I know what we voted for, and I know what we intended to do with it," she said. She said it gives the authority to impose penalties.

Many in the crowd applauded her in an effort to cut off the exchange, although afterward at least a couple others in the room came up to thank Rolph. He said he is still undecided about which Democrat he will support, but it will not be Clinton.

[prinzowhales]

Where did Sir Evelyn de Rothschild and his third wife spend their honeymoon in 2000?

What was found stuffed in Sandy Burglar''s underwear after visiting the National Archives? (Hint: It wasn''t a pair of rolled up socks.)

Whose blond hair was found inside the dead Vince Foster''s underwear whose body was found at Fort Marcy Park?

Only people dumb enough to vote for Hillary don''t give a rat''s behind.

[sftodd]

RE: SFTODD -- You NERD
Posted by emsaund1 at 12:05 AM : Oct 09, 2007

Ouch! You are SO clever!! Well, guess what, emsaukabig1, this NERD will kick your ugly girly butt!

[softspoken99]

Happy Columbus Day..

[softspoken99]

There''s a guy who eats a thing called "spagetti" with garlic.. and he thinks he''s ******** god''s gift. He ain''t nobody''s gift but hisself. He''s a piece''a ******** snot. Him? And his ******** family.

The worst ******** thing to ever walk this ******** planet is a ******** woppp. K? And thats the god aweful truth. If ya see one, you shoot it like a ******** animal.

[robertr121]

Let''''s not be swayed by what Hillary and her backers would have us believe about her experience.
Posted by tibu987 at 09:52 PM : Oct 08, 2007


Why is it now so important for our president to have experience? Did you vote for the moron presently in the white house based on his experience?

[softspoken99]

I saved a little chinese lady from a brain hemorage. Ya know why she was having a brain hemorage? Huh? Cuz a buncha ******** eyetalians rented a ******** hotel room and ******* all over de ******** walls. All over de ******** mirrors.. And pasted wit der ******** peckkkersnot, playboy pictures. And this little chinese lady had to clean it up..

When I see a ******** woppp.. I punch him. Its a reflex, and I can''t help myself. Its a *BAP!* Like dat.. *BAP* I can''t ******** help myself.

They''re shyyt.. k? They''re pieces''a ******** shyyt.

[softspoken99]

They''re shyyt incarnate.. k? Shyyt.

[softspoken99]

As long as there ain''t any ******** woppps around? I''m all for Hillary. Have at him. But the minute I see a ******** no good god damned degggo ******** woppp? I''m outa there. Ya hear? I can''t stand ******** woppps. I git hives..

[softspoken99]

I see. So yer against schizophrenics.

[emsaund1]

RE: SFTODD -- You NERD

[sftodd]

To all the idiots crying about Hillary talking to Berger (she did not hire him as many repukes are falsely reporting), I expect my president to make use of every single resource she or he has to obtain the full benefit of others'' knowledge and experience. If Berger has knowledge that is helpful to her in running her campaign, or in running the country, I applaud her for drawing on that knowledge as any great leader would. (That''s one of many things distinguishes the current idiot-in-chief from a truly great leader -- George only speaks to people who think they hear God''s voice).

[softspoken99]

*twitch*

[softspoken99]

"To all you Phony Republicans out there that are acting like Democrats.. It''''s not working..you still smell bad. the Clinton/berger issue is very small compared to Bush, Cheney, Rove, and Libby committing Treason by releasing the name of a CIA agent.. Where were you then, in a stall with Larry Craig, or on a date with Foley. What a bunch of losers."

National Security is National Security, k? Its badazzed.

[softspoken99]

Well I only vote based on what pisses people off the most.

[moxford0]

Hillary Clinton simply rocks!

[tibu987]

I am an independent voter, male, old timer, veteran, who follows the candidates records.
Many women will be voting for Hillary simply because she is a woman.
Liberal and Blacks will vote for Obama simply because he is black and eloquent.
Southerners and some women will vote for Edwards
simply because he is a good ''ol boy from the south and nice looking.
Celebrity mongers will vote for Thompson simply because they recognize him from the Law and Order TV show.

The average American voter does not read much, is uninterested in following politics, watches too much TV and movies and/or, if they vote, may vote a straight ticket. This bodes ill for the minority of literate, intelligent voters.
Cynic that I am, I do not look forward to what the 2008 election will bring.

Does Hillary have enough experience to be president?
I fail to see how her position as the First Lady in the White House translates into the great amount of political experience she would like to have people believe.
Did she sit in on Cabinet meetings, meetings with the military leaders, international leaders, debriefings by the FBI, the CIA, the SEC, NSA, and many other important meetings and issues.

Let''s not be swayed by what Hillary and her backers would have us believe about her experience.
What it amounted to was a social experience and a brief term as a New York Senator.
Hillary is not qualified to bash any of the other candidates for their lack of experience.

[jamurphy4]

To all you Phony Republicans out there that are acting like Democrats.. It''s not working..you still smell bad. the Clinton/berger issue is very small compared to Bush, Cheney, Rove, and Libby committing Treason by releasing the name of a CIA agent.. Where were you then, in a stall with Larry Craig, or on a date with Foley. What a bunch of losers.

[fibonacci_]

I think no one in this chat is "soft-spoken", he he ;)

[softspoken99]

I think he wants to be a pimp.

[softspoken99]

And then ya got mister peckkkertrack go''in: "Duh.. I''m gonna give us back our reputation.. duh."