Posted on 01/03/2008 7:45:15 PM PST by jdm
Hillary Clinton has run into a serious buzz saw on her way to the coronation. Not only did she not win the state, but she lost to the wrong candidate. Barack Obama now threatens to steal away a nomination that the Clintons thought they had in the bank less than three months ago.
Clinton would have had a tough time winning Iowa in any case. The populist appeal of John Edwards always figured to take some significant support away from Hillary. However, a second-place finish to Edwards would not have had much impact on her campaign, because Edwards has little appeal outside of the populist Midwest. She could easily have survived that kind of loss, without even considering it a bump in the road.
Instead, Barack Obama beat both of them, and that's an ill portent for Hillary's march to the nomination. Obama beat Hillary in a state that has a very small African-American demographic; he won not by playing the race card, but by simply offering a departure from Clintonian politics. That victory will resonate in New Hampshire, where Obama already has her in a dead heat, but also in the following states.
Even worse, Hillary finished in third place, behind Edwards, after working the state hard for the past three weeks. Edwards, meanwhile, didn't improve over his performance in 2004. He wound up actually two points lower, 30% as opposed to 32%. Hillary couldn't take advantage of the decline, and trailing a stagnating Edwards won't give Democratic primary voters any confidence in her ability to beat Obama, let alone a Republican in November.
Hillary has reaped the harvest of two months of self-inflicted wounds, starting with her collapse on drivers licenses for illegal aliens, and through some bizarre attacks on Barack Obama in the aftermath. The question will be whether she can recover from the rapid decline. The answer: she's no Bill Clinton.
That line speaks volumes, IMO.
Third place?? WOW! I wouldn’t be surprised if she lost to Obama, but I never would’ve expected Edwards.
EVERYBODY DANCE!!!
I thought she was the “inevitable” candidate.
Heh, but I do agree the Breck Girl is finished because of Iowa, and Romney is a’hurtin’.
Watch her attack Obama full-force in NH - there’s always the “Muslim” card she can play.
For sure, the air is blue = and people are probably busy ducking objects...
gotta love it
The anti-Hillary vote in the Dem party has now effectively coalesced around Obama..
The Hildabeast is wounded.....watch out.
.....let's hope not!
I’d hate to be Huma tonight.
Hillary won’t be listening for the ‘safeword’
She will still win. It is just time to take out the long knives and ask her friends in the enemedia to start asking Obama and Edwards real questions. Maybe even foreign policy questions.
This is not a good time for the country to be run by a buffoon.
Hook = The Bent One
Crook = The Vast Clinton RICO Machine
“Watch her attack Obama full-force in NH -.”
Team Hillary already had the noose hanging from the tree.
They’re fixin’ to put Bararck’s neck in it.
“Hillary will win the nomination. guaranteed. By hook or by crook.”
By crook
roflmao
Hill’s strapin’ it on
This NOT good for us.
Write it down.
Hillary is our BEST chance in the general.
Not our only bur BEST,
Edwards is our worst nightmare in the general.
That was the funniest thing I have read all day!
Obama didn’t just squeak by....he really trounced her.
I think she really expected a free pass. I am glad the Iowa democrats tossed her out. I can sleep better now
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.