Iowa caucus-goers prepared to strike the opening bell of the 2008 presidential election cycle Thursday, as months of predictions, strategy and frenzied expectations were soon to be answered by real people making real choices.
In 1,781 precincts across the frigid face of Iowa, Republicans and Democrats start meeting in early evening — most caucuses start at 7 p.m. (8 p.m. Eastern) — to begin winnowing tightly bunched fields in both parties and start setting the contours of what is likely to be an unparalleled nomination sprint.
The candidates were up late — New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee showed up on late-night television — and rose early for one last day of stump speeches and rallies designed to bolster the faithful and woo the undecided.
“I feel good, but it depends on who comes out, who decides to actually put on their coats, warm up their cars and go to the caucuses,” Clinton said in a taped appearance on CBS’s “The Early Show.”
About 120,000 to 150,000 people were expected to come to the Democratic caucuses and 80,000 to 90,000 to the GOP meetings.