It was the moment America had been waiting for. After Senator Hillary Clinton’s late entrance shook up the Democratic primary, Democrats anxiously awaited the first verdict in their sea of upcoming primary and caucus contests. Clinton’s entrance was certainly the most stunning in the race. After months of lackluster debate performances and flavor-of-the-month leads with John Kerry, Howard Dean, Dick Gephardt, and John Edwards trading the front runner spot, Hillary had finally become the perpetual front runner. Her lead waned and grew at different points. She sustained hits from Howard Dean about her Iraq War vote, and she sustained hits from John Kerry about not being prepared enough to manage the country during the war.
In the weeks leading up to the Iowa Caucuses, Clinton had received the endorsement of former river Wes Clark who dropped out of the race, bolstering her bona fides on national security. Still, most Democrats and indeed a plurality of Americans, appeared just as anxious about economic unease.
Let’s see the results.
CNN PROJECTION - Clinton WINS, Makes History in IowaWith about 98% of all local caucus sites reporting, the state delegate vote equivalents + national delegate count was as follows
Hillary Clinton 32% 22 delegates
John Kerry 24% 14 delegates
Howard Dean 20% 12 delegates
John Edwards 12%
Dick Gephardt 10%
Dennis Kucinich 2%
Hillary had done it. Months of scaling up a national campaign effort had paid off. Top Clinton advisers pulled off a solid 8-point win in an activist-rich Democratic electorate.
Meanwhile that night in Massachusetts, Sen. Ted Kennedy called Terry McAuliffe, DNC Chair. “Look Terry,” said Kennedy. “I know she’s your friend. I get it. She’s good, she’s a colleague. I get it. She means a lot to women too. Yes. Don’t give up on John that’s all I’m asking. We gotta figure this. We can lose with Hillary or win with John. And Dean’s a nut altogether but nuts sometimes win. She can’t win.”
“Take it easy Teddy!,” said McAuliffe, before he hung up.
NEXT TIME: New Hampshire primary madness.
