Iowa Caucus news - Huck not worth a "Breaking News Alert"

Welcome to 2008. What a year it will be with Presidential Politics, release of movies such as the new Batman movie and my personal favorite the return of Indiana Jones as well as continued polarization of the country on national security issues and the war in Iraq. It is going to be a wild ride.

So after taking a week or so off to visit the family, I am looking at the Iowa results and it is Obama for the Dems and Huckabee for the Repubs. What I thought was shocking was Clinton's 3rd place finish as she had everything apparently going for her and all the clout and all the money and still could only muster a third place finish. I am sure as others have said that the spin will be that Iowa didn't really mean a lot (I will note that her husband Bill did not win in Iowa as well, losing to Tom Harkin). I still believe her loss is significant due to the established credentials she had already due to her husband and of course her time on the national stage as First Lady and as one of New York's senators. I have predicted in another space that Obama will be the nominee and I stand by that. Peggy Noonan writing online in the Wall Street Journal notes:

As for Sen. Obama, his victory is similarly huge. He won the five biggest counties in Iowa, from the center of the state to the South Dakota border. He carried the young in a tidal wave. He outpolled Mrs. Clinton among women.

He did it with a classy campaign, an unruffled manner, and an appeal on the stump that said every day, through the lines: Look at who I am and see me, the change that you desire is right here, move on with me and we will bring it forward together.

What as interesting was that everyone who subscribes to the Boston Globe's Breaking News Alerts got an alert around 9:42 PM last night stating "Barack Obama has won the Democratic caucuses in Iowa, according to the Associated Press and CNN." Huckabee's win didn't warrant a similar Breaking News Alert. I guess we know what the Globe feels is news and worthy of email alerts. But there is no bias there.

What to say about Huckabee? I don't know that much about him but he seems to come off as the every day guy who has a sensibility about him and a "down to earth" charm that Romney seems to lack. Where Romney comes off (rightfully so) as the CEO of a company, smooth and polished, Huckabee exudes charm that is not unlike Bill Clinton, folksy and humble. Again, to go back to Peggy Noonan's piece:

What we have learned about Mr. Huckabee the past few months is that he's an ace entertainer with a warm, witty and compelling persona. He won with no money and little formal organization, with an evangelical network, with a folksy manner, and with the best guileless pose in modern politics.

I have also noted that I believe Giuliani will take the nomination for the Repubs. Huckabee I believe will fade as will Thompson. I think McCain while taking a lot of maverick positions that the media as loved, has alienated the true base of the Republican party and will also withdraw from the race, although not as soon as I would like.

I look forward to my continued Boston Globe "Breaking News Alerts", especially the one that says "Hillary Clinton defeated". That will be a keeper.

Outspoken.Roman