YIPPEE!

Dear, dear Sunny -

I just returned from my week in the jungle to the best news I could have hoped for - Obama ROCKS in Iowa! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

fyi - you may find this from one Iowan caucus-er an interesting perspective

As you all know by now, Obama won the largest number of delegates in the Iowa Democratic caucus. The Democratic caucus turn out was huge and the Republican only slightly larger than normal. Our caucus precinct, in the heart of the University area, was fascinating. I'll give you my thoughts after thinking about what I heard and saw last night.

We Hillary supporters arrived first (5:00 pm) and spent the evening until the doors closed at 7:00 pm registering Obama supporters (you indicate your preference or uncommitted status while registering), mostly students. We had 161 attendees and 93 supported Obama by the end of the caucus. Hillary was not even viable, meaning initially she did not have support of 15 percent of the attendees. We needed 24 supporters; we started with 17 and could not get a single additional supporter. Some of the Hillary supporters joined Richardson so that he was viable, but the agreement was that the delegate from Richardson would support Hillary. By the end of the evening Richardson had 1 delegate (who will support Hillary at the next stage), Edwards 2 and Obama 5.

After listening to the speeches on television at the end of the evening, the differences in the messages were significant. Edward's message was anger: we're mad as hell and we're going to change Washington. Hillary's was competence: we can change Washington if we know how and work hard. Obama's was hope: we can change Washington if you support me and put a young, outsider in. His speech was really rousing and exceptional.

When I heard Obama speak in Ames months ago, he attracted a huge audience, no one since has had such a turnout. There were thousands in our basketball arena. His message was we can change things, but ONLY if you do your part, you must get engaged. From what I saw last night, there was engagement. Last night at our caucus we were registering students who had never voted before, some were still 17 but will be 18 by November. The University was not in session; they had come back a week early to vote. If school had been in session, the Obama turnout would have been even larger.

I think people have reached a level of disgust with Washington and politics that hope is all that remains, hope that things can change and a willingness to give youth and change a chance.

I worked at Hillary HQs almost everyday for the last two weeks. While the Hillary machine is touted as being so great, I saw great disorganization (but then I am a librarian). I saw young enthusiastic students, particularly from New York, but also from across the country. I saw also Union workers who were there for Hillary. I went door-to-door on one bitterly cold day (chill factor 12 below zero F) with a black nurse from LA. She was active in her Union. I was not clear who was paying her expenses (hotel, car, gas, food) or if she received a wage (but I suspect she did). She was very hard working, but I didn't detect any real enthusiasm for the candidate. She had done this before for other candidates and was going next to Las Vegas to work for Hillary. I went first to the Hillary Ames HQs in early November to get a yard sign since I had asked for one and not received it. There were, I believe, about 4 people working in the Ames office for Hillary, which is a district office; whereas the Obama people were out in full force. By the end, there were lots of people at Hillary HQs, all tripping over each other.

The success of Huckabee in Iowa was expected by caucus night. There is not much enthusiasm for any of the Republican candidates. (Whereas with Democrats, there is great enthusiasm for the quality of all the candidates - I was on the phone calling and talking to voters for hours). Huckabee like Obama is offering something new to voters and is highly critical of Wall Street and K Street. It's hard to imagine Huckabee succeeding in New Hampshire and elsewhere, but we will see (p.s. my own personal theory is that no one can be elected President without a full head of hair).

As a great Hillary supporter, I now doubt that she can win because she is a Clinton and a woman, but according to Mrs. Vilsak (head of Iowans for Hillary and previous governor's wife) Iowa is one of only two states in the nation never to have elected a woman to Congress or the governorship. We will see what New Hampshire and Super Tuesday brings, but I think Obama's message of hope, youth and change is compelling. I, of course, will vote for any Democratic candidate, but still would love to vote for Hillary.

Keep the heat on up in NH ;)
Linda