Iowa Caucuses Take-aways: Change and Sincerity

- A white Iowa electorate and increased youth participation has Obama looking like a winner. (Results at right from The Politico)

- A highly energised Democratic party allies with independents looking for change. Democratic turnout doubles Republican turnout, 240,000 to some 115,000 people participating in the caucuses.

- A still-critical religious right segment of the electorate for the Republican nominee catapulted Mike Huckabee to a solid victory.

- Rudy G. underperforms even the dismal expectations for Iowa.

- Mitt Romney's insincere pandering combined with lots of money still will not play in the heartland with large segments of the Republican electorate.

- Hillary is alive and fighting, Edwards less so.

- John McCain and Fred Thompson holding on, so far.

- Republicans operatives are scared as no one is able to unite the fragmented GOP coalition.

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Reminder on Romney's Support for Gays

Update: Jim Talent: Romney will stop ‘the militant gays’ [Good, we certainly have to watch for those guys!]

I wonder if GOP presidential aspirant and aspiring bigot Mitt Romney's campaign will be handing out a flier like this in Iowa declaring Romney's support for equal rights for gays when he was governor of Massachusetts.

From Huffington Post (via The Note in 2007):
"As that shakes out, ABC has obtained one flier Romney doesn't want you to see. It's from 2002, with Romney was running for governor with Kerry Healey as his running mate. 'Mitt and Kerry Wish You a Great Pride Weekend! All citizens deserve equal rights, regardless of their sexual preference.' (It's even pink.)"

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Novak's Iowa Predictions: Romney and Obama

Update: Iowa's not over, but gearing up for South Carolina, the GOP is sliming its own. Crooks and Liars reports: A holiday card that falsely claims to be from “the Romney family” and highlights Mitt Romney’s Mormon faith was anonymously sent to Republican mailboxes across South Carolina earlier this week.

On to Iowa predictions:

From the Evans-Novak Political Report:

Republicans

1st Place: Mitt Romney
2nd Place: Mike Huckabee
3rd Place: Fred Thompson
4th Place: John McCain

Democrats

1st Place: Barack Obama
2nd Place: John Edwards
3rd Place: Hillary Clinton
4th Place: Bill Richardson

MAL's Prediction

Republicans

1st Place: Mike Huckabee
2nd Place: Mitt Romney
3rd Place: John McCain
4th Place: Fred Thompson

Democrats

1st Place: Hillary Clinton
2nd Place: John Edwards (tie)
2nd Place: Barack Obama (tie)
4th Place: Bill Richardson

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