A M E R I C A C H O O S E S 2 0 0 8 - I O W A

OBAMA, HUCKABEE WINNERS IN IOWA; BIDEN, DODD SUSPEND CAMPAIGNS

The 2008 Iowa caucuses have come and gone with Illinois Senator Barack Obama winning the Democratic contest and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee winning for Republicans.

Let's sum up the most important stories of the night:
-On the GOP side, Huckabee gets 34% of vote, on a momentum wave coming into the New Hampshire, Michigan, and South Carolina primaries. However, major questions are still raised whether he can win in all the states he needs to.
-Romney takes second place with 25%. He still is alive and kicking, and ready to carry the fight to Tuesday's vote in New Hampshire, where he is locked in a thick battle with Arizona Senator John McCain.
-Former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson takes an important third-plac showing. He narrowly ecks out McCain for the slot, which is an historically important one. It is believed that the one who ends in third is still in a good position to keep up the fight. From fourth on down, it is harder to convince people to vote for you, usually.
-Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani suffers a dismal 3% showing, putting him in sixth behind Texas Congressman Ron Paul, who was awarded 10% of the vote. This lackluster performance, combined with trailing in many of the upcoming January primaries, could put a serious strain on his Presidential hopes.
-The Republican race is more muddled than ever, with Huckabee, Romney, Thompson, and McCain all legitimate, or fairly legitimate, chances of doing well down the road.
-For the Dems, Obama gains momentum going into New Hampshire with a 38% grab of the vote.
-The big story for the Dems is the vulnerability of New York Senator Hillary Clinton, who appears to have had a third-place showing with 29% of the vote, just behind 2004 Vice Presidential nominee John Edwards, who got 30%.
-Delaware Senator Joe Biden and Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd after dismal showings. Neither got more than 1% of the vote. Neither candidate immediatel endorsed another candidate.

Now it's on to New Hampshire, where the primary will be held on Tuesday. Before that, the Republicans will hold a caucus in Wyoming on Saturday. This contest appears to be low-key, as few of the press are covering it. The two biggest stories to come out of tonight is that the GOP race is more clouded than ever, while the once-seemingly invincible Clinton campaign is now appearing very vulnerable. Hopefully I will get the results I need to post about Wyoming on Saturday. If not, keep watch for the results from New Hampshire here four days from now.