Huckabee, Obama Win Iowa Caucuses

Edwards Second, Clinton Third Among Dems; Romney Second For GOP

(CBS/AP)  Sen. Barack Obama, bidding to become the nation's first black president, swept his way to victory in the Iowa caucuses Thursday night over Sen. Hillary Clinton and a high-powered Democratic field. Mike Huckabee rode a wave of support from evangelical Christians to win the opening round among Republicans in the 2008 campaign for the White House.

Obama, a first-term, 46-year-old senator from Illinois, told a raucous victory rally his triumph showed that in "big cities and small towns, you came together to say, 'We are one nation, we are one people and our time for change has come.'" (Obama video)

Nearly complete returns showed the first-term lawmaker gaining 37 percent support. Former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina came in second, barely nudging Clinton, the former first lady, to a close third.

Click here for complete Iowa results.

Huckabee, a preacher-turned-politician, handily defeated Mitt Romney despite being outspent by tens of millions of dollars and deciding in the campaign's final days to scrap television commercials that would have assailed the former Massachusetts governor.

"A new day is needed in American politics, just like a new day is needed in American government," the former Arkansas governor told cheering supporters. "It starts here but it doesn't end here. It goes all the way through the other states and ends at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue." (Huckabee video)

Huckabee's triumph was more robust than Obama's. Nearly complete returns showed Huckabee with 34 percent support, compared with 25 percent for Romney. Former Sen. Fred Thompson and Sen. John McCain battled for third place, while Texas Rep. Ron Paul wound up fifth and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani sixth.

Huckabee's win was partly fueled by Republican caucus attendees' concern with values. Just under half of attendees chose "shares my values" as the candidate characteristic that mattered most to them in deciding their support - compared to a third who wanted a candidate who says what he believes, and 14 percent who sought a candidate with experience. Among those who wanted a candidate that shared their values, nearly half supported Huckabee. (Read more on why Huckabee won)

"Huckabee's victory rocks an already unpredictable GOP race," said CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs. "As the race heads to the New Hampshire primary just five days from now, it's not at all certain Huckabee has the time to capitalize on his momentum, but McCain has surged there in recent weeks, setting up a three-way battle that could be a must-win for Romney." (Read more analysis from Ververs)

With the New Hampshire primary only five days distant, Clinton and Edwards vowed to fight on in the race for the Democratic nomination.

Clinton called Obama to congratulate him, aides said. Her campaign manager, Patti Solis Doyle, vowed, "This race begins tonight and ends when Democrats throughout America have their say. Our campaign was built for a marathon and we have the resources to run a national race in the weeks ahead." (Clinton video)

"We have always planned to run a national campaign," the former first lady told supporters at a noisy rally attended by her husband and their daughter, Chelsea. "I am so ready for the rest of this campaign, and I am so ready to lead." (Read more on Clinton)

Edwards told The Associated Press he would fight on in New Hampshire. He said he would distinguish himself from Obama by arguing that he is the candidate who can deliver the change that voters have shown they want. "I'm going to fight for that change," he said by telephone from his hotel room in Iowa. "I've fought for it my entire life. I have a long history of fighting powerful interests and winning." (Edwards video)

Not everyone was keeping the fight alive. Democratic Sens. Chris Dodd and Joe Biden abandoned their presidential bids Thursday night. (Read more on Dodd, Biden)

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said he would campaign in New Hampshire despite finishing in fourth place with a minuscule 2 percent support.

According to a CBS News entrance poll of Democratic caucus-goers, Obama's victory in the Iowa caucuses was driven by his support from a new political generation.

Well over half of those attending the Democratic presidential caucuses - 57 percent - were attending their first caucus ever, and their choice for the nomination was Obama, with 41 percent support. Clinton received only 29 percent of first-time votes, and Edwards trailed with 18 percent. (Among those who attended a caucus previously, Edwards - an Iowa caucus veteran from 2004 - won with 30 percent of the vote.) (Read more on why Obama won)

[candide777]

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! GET RID OF THESE ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS, NOW!
Posted by bhappy2-2 at 03:57 PM : Jan 06, 2008

Don''t worry, be happy. :-)

Seriously, you are what''s wrong with this country -- the republicans tell you who to scapegoat and you drink it up like ice tea on a hot summer day. It''s the republican politicians who have and continue to ruin this country with their insatiable greed and their treasonous lies. Wake up and smell the coffee, *******.

[bhappy2-2]

What we need is a candidate that supports AMERICA. We have had plenty of politicians who support ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS. We need to start DEPORTING ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS and HEAVILY FINE those who support ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS. We MUST SECURE OUR BORDERS and rid OUR COUNTRY of these parasitic ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS. If our politicians refuse to do so WE, THE CITIZENS OF AMERICA, need to REPLACE the treasonous politicians with ones who SUPPORT AMERICA. Failure to act now could result in The United States of America becoming North Mexico. They have an army here already, they only need to arm them. Those who claim "they don''''t want to take over" need to look around, see the way they have ALREADY TAKEN OVER our jobs.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! GET RID OF THESE ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS, NOW!

[candide777]

And jon, you''''d better be right that God doesn''''t exist.
Because when you die, it''''s too late to change your mind.
Posted by singinrick at 06:10 PM : Jan 04, 2008

Ah, there in lies the reason behind Rick''s ridiculous superstitions: fear. Fear that there just might really be a god who is so cruel as to punish him for an eternity simply for demanding a scintilla of evidence that he exists before believing. The truth is, Rick, you can''t be scared into believing something that you don''t believe. Even if your god really existed, he would see right through your false "belief" in him. You, Rick, like everyone else, demand evidence of what you believe in. But like the townspeople who all claimed to see the beautiful clothes on the Emperor who had none, you are too afraid to admit to us, to yourself and to your god, that you really don''t believe in him. You have fallen for a huge lie simply because you are a coward. Now, why don''t you do something useful like go pray that god strikes me dead for calling you what you really are.

[kevkevsuperrev]

Is it fair that the Jewish controlled media can refuse Ron Paul the free attention that the war mongering candidates get? The only problem with Obama is that he is young and will be easily controlled by the lobbyists. We need someone in the White house that will stand up to AIPAC. We witness every day what happens when the Zionists sink their jaws into a weak presidents neck. Remember, bush ran on the "no nation building" policy. Now look at the countries we are in, trying to influence their politics with the blood of our soldiers.

Won''t it be a site for sore eyes to see the "Muslim" Obama standing at the podium at AIPAC wearing a little beanie cap?

I can see it now:

Pakistan: we are in shambles!
Obama: How many troop you beez needin?

Israel: $3 billion a year isn''t enough!
Obama: Well, Let''s tax my Americans out of existence then!

China: How about some more of that American technology?
Obama: Night vision, stealth, turret stabilization?

Russia: Thanks for the petroleum processing technology!
Obama: No problem, our oil companies have unemployment insurance!

[sgtrds]

You know you can''''t win an argument with an idiot like swingingdick don''''t you? I mean the guy starts out from a belief in creationism, which proves he has no capability of critical thought. He thinks the world is slightly more then 6000 years old (which would be a surprise to the civilizations like the Chinese and Egyptians who have much longer histories then that) and when you point out how ridiciulous that is he stamps his foot like a little child and insists it''''''''s true because his book of fairy tales tell him so. When you point out that his book of fairy tales can not possibly be right he again stamps his foot like a child and leaps right into circular logic by repeating quotes to you from that same book of fairy tales that claim what''''s in it is true because it says it is.

He''''s a nut.

Posted by singinrick at 06:17 PM : Jan 04, 2008

Thanks for re-posting it ricky! I thought it was one of my better ones too. Thanks again!

[sgtrds]

LOL. Doesn''''t Singinrick have anything better to do with his time? Dude relax.

Posted by bud28dy at 06:35 PM : Jan 04, 2008

His hysteria is nearly as bad as his persecution complex.........sounds like he''s just about to go off the deep end, grab a rifle and head to the tallest steeple to start shooting.

[sgtrds]

singinrick wrote: "You act like we have some agenda of "gaining recruits" or something."

Yeah, it''''s called proselytizing, and while some religions don''''t do it, Christians do.

Posted by pakaal at 06:55 PM : Jan 04, 2008

RAmen.

[starleo146]

Huckabee is a good man but a president he will not be Sorry. No money to keep up in a national presidential race. He just will not make it. You can only pick a bass so long and entertain the voters sometime you have to speak about the issues. Evangelical Baptist in the south will rally for him but I do not think he will make it

[pakaal]

singinrick wrote: "You act like we have some agenda of "gaining recruits" or something."

Yeah, it''s called proselytizing, and while some religions don''t do it, Christians do.

[pakaal]

singinrick wrote: "Funny how you slide out of the fact that I did comment on this story and it was the usual atheists who come on here and play their "let''''s assault a Christian" games which is part of their daily childish routine. Please read."

You did, but more than 20 pages ago, as I wrote. Please read.

Huck has made religion the centerpiece of his campaign, and it served him well in Iowa. I doubt if it''s going to do him nearly as much good nationwide, and even if it does, it will most likely be eclipsed by much larger turnout on the Democrat side, as (again) we saw in Iowa.

If Huckabee wants to make religion the center of his campaign, then he should expect people to question it, and comment on it. And comments boards here are going to reflect that.

As for your own problems on the CBS boards, well that''s a combination of your high-profile commentary, the fact that it''s a PUBLIC forum, and also to a great extent IMO it''s because many people are tired of being told what''s right and wrong from people of a religious faith that''s really no better or worse than any other, except in their own minds.

[bud28dy]

LOL. Doesn''t Singinrick have anything better to do with his time? Dude relax.

[sgtrds]

jon2012

Bravo! Well said!

[jon2012-2009]

It''''''''s used to accuse us Christians of "pushing" our beliefs onto people but this is the furthest thing from the truth because we will never, I repeat NEVER force anyone to become a Christian.

We just love sharing the Good News. And by the way, being able to have eternal life just by trusting in Jesus Christ is good news.
--singinrick
Posted by ilikecats1 at 02:13 PM : Jan 04, 2008

Let me address this construction of targeting would-be converts as simply "spreading the good news." First of all, it isn''t news in the sense of an objective event that actually happened with eyewitness accounts. The eyewitness accounts in this case turn out to be from the same reporters, long since dead, who are making the case that the events did actually happen. There is no separation between eyewitness accounts and a disengaged third party to deliver the reports.

The other thing is that "spreading the news" is just an attempt to gain converts into a belief system. Under the cover of free exercise of religion, anybody is fair game for recruitment, regardless of their level of intelligence and maturity. Fairy tale or not, the prospect of punishment in hell by a God that only exists in the shadows of incomplete knowledge is still quite compelling, especially among the ignorant and superstitious.

[quetzal666]

woop shouldnt have wrote that, wheres the delete function.....sorry

[quetzal666]

his gut is even bigger.....
too many pork chops in dem hills over texas!!!

[sgtrds]

Have to note the hypocrisy in posting that, considering you''''ve been talkiing about verbal attacks on yourself for like, 20 pages as far as I can tell reading back, with nothing about, you know, the CBS story you''''re posting comments in.

Posted by pakaal at 05:00 PM : Jan 04, 2008

He has one of the worst victim complexes I''ve ever seen. the whole world is supposed to revolve around him and his view of religion. Anyone outside of that image he has of himself is thought of as somehow attacking him personally and he whines. His ego is HUGE!

[pakaal]

singinrick wrote: "And if you are that immature that you boost your ego from a silly internet message forum on the internet to make you feel better about yourself, than that''''s your problem."

Have to note the hypocrisy in posting that, considering you''ve been talkiing about verbal attacks on yourself for like, 20 pages as far as I can tell reading back, with nothing about, you know, the CBS story you''re posting comments in.

[quetzal666]

told ya hes a martyr with a loaded cross!!!

[sgtrds]

hey this has turened into a Rcky boo hoo haaa,,
isnt the thread about politics?

Posted by Quetzal666 at 04:53 PM : Jan 04, 2008

Ricky excels at turning any thread into a forum for him to preach his bizarre form of right wing religion.

[quetzal666]

hey this has turened into a Rcky boo hoo haaa,,
isnt the thread about politics?