by John Chase
Inside the hulking Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines, the quickly building crowd of hundreds cheered wildly beginning around 8:30 p.m. as national networks began predicting that Obama had won the Iowa Caucus.
A group of Spanish-speaking supporters began signing "Ole'" while watching large-screen televisions and then began chants of "O-ba-ma! O-ba-ma! O-ba-ma!"
The first people to enter the party were supporters from Illinois, Wisconsin and all around the nation who couldn't participate in the caucuses. But soon, they were joined by their brethren from Iowa who had participated.
Faces beamed as the once-empty hall suddenly became packed with exuberant supporters who stamped their feet and cheered.
As Obama took a 7 percent lead by 9 p.m., Obama chief political strategist David Axelrod was more confident than just minutes before when discussing the impending win.
"It's a great day," he said. "In every way, we've exceeded expectations and I think it's going to give us great momentum."
They said this day would never come, our sights were set too high.. but on this Jan night you have done what the cynics said we couldn't do. You have done what the stare of NH can do in five days. you have dfone what amereica can do in this new year 2008.; in lines that stretched around schoosl and churches you came to gether as dem repun to say we are one nation, one people and pur time for change has come.
As supporters continued to jam themsleves inside the Hy-Vee Hall, they were treated to the music of a raucus drump corps, which for 15 minutes energized the growing crowd to a near frenzy.
With word continuing to spread about Obama's victory, more and more people filled the hall the size of an airplane hangar.
The crowd was filled with mostly young people, especially college students and a mix of 20- and 30-somethings many of whom talked about how they ran over to the hall after caucusing for Obama.
But others like Tim and Ali Rausch said they came to Des Moines from their home in Bucktown to see history.
The married couple, both 26, said they arrived today, showed up at Obama's headquarters and grabbed a bunch of Obama signs before heading off to 2nd and Grand in Des Moines as part of an improptu rally downtown.
"We've been following Obama's career for years and volunteer for him in Chicago but Feb. 5 (Illinois' primary) is a while away and we wanted to be here for the first night," Tim Rausch said.
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Have questions about the results of tonight's Iowa caucuses, what's next in the race for the White House or anything related to Election 2008? E-mail them to us and we'll answer as many as possible during our video chat scheduled for 12:30 pm central time Friday.
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Comments
Obama Girl returns to Ba-rock the vote in New Hampshire with some help from Harry Truman Girl:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENCRu-2d35g
Paulotard - thanks for helping us turn Independent voters into Obama voters!
Posted by: John E | January 3, 2008 10:33 PM
I predicted ALL the winners!
http://osi-speaks.blogspot.com/2008/01/just-as-i-predicted-obama-wins-iowa.html#links
Posted by: KYJurisDoctor | January 3, 2008 11:01 PM
How about a little Martha & The Vandellas to celebrate Barack's first big victory!!!!!!!!!
Callin' out around the world, are you ready for a brand new beat?
Summer's here and the time is right for dancin' in the street.
Dancin' in Chicago (dancin' in the street)
Down in New Orleans (dancin' in the street)
In New York City
All we need is music, sweet music,
There'll be music everywhere
There'll be swingin' swayin', and records playin,
Dancin' in the street
Oh it doesn't matter what you wear, just as long as you are there.
So come on every guy, grab a girl,
Everywhere, around the world
There'll be dancin', they're dancin' in the street.
This is an invitation, across the nation,
A chance for folks to meet.
There'll be laughin' singin', and music swingin'
Dancin' in the street
Philadelphia P.A., Baltimore and D.C now,
Can't forget the motor city,
All we need is music, sweet music
There'll be music everywhere
There'll be swingin' swayin', and records playin,
Dancin' in the street
Oh it doesn't matter what you wear, just as long as you are there.
So come on every guy, grab a girl,
Everywhere, around the world
They're dancin', dancin' in the street
Way down in L.A., every day they're dancin' in the street
Lets form a big strong line, and get in time,
We're dancin' in the street.
Across the ocean blue, me and you
We're dancin n the street
Posted by: Raving Loon | January 3, 2008 11:39 PM
This went pretty much as I expected. No suprises.
Posted by: lylepink | January 4, 2008 12:01 AM
This is how Chicago organizes! The steamroller has left the garage. Also, Hillary shouldn’t have gone negative during Christmas.
Posted by: moe | January 4, 2008 12:04 AM
It's still too early to really celebrate.
But this is really the best news in years in American politics.
Posted by: RomanB | January 4, 2008 1:20 AM
Did anyone look at how many voters there were in the Democratic caucus? Partying over a few thousand votes? Sounds like there were more at Obama's party than at the voting precincts. And check out the numbers of Republicans -- 10's of thousands. That's pretty frightening.
Posted by: DD | January 4, 2008 1:32 AM
Sounds like there were more at Obama's party than at the voting precincts. And check out the numbers of Republicans -- 10's of thousands. That's pretty frightening.
Posted by: DD | January 4, 2008 1:32 AM
Actually the Democrats had about twice the turnout as the Republicans.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jsR4-0ltoj4-0HVDYQSpspC2cbfQD8TUQGFO0
The "vote" totals (actually the number of State delegates) you see on TV for the two primaries aren't directly comparable. The Republicans and Democrats don't appoint state delegates in the same ways or quantities.
http://www.theiowacaucus.com/
Posted by: AJF | January 4, 2008 7:25 AM
DD, actually the turnout in Iowa was larger than any in recent history, and the Democratic turnout was more than twice the republics. This is obviously a very good thing for the Democratic party, and a nightmare for republics. Now that Rove and the rest of the republic ilk has spent so much of their time and energy bashing Hillary, (because they think they have enough BS rhetoric to use against her in a general election) they’ll be looking for the Paulo BS. And that my friends will be the beginning of the end for the republic party for many years to come.
Posted by: Rory M | January 4, 2008 7:58 AM
Thanks for the info guys. Lost a night's sleep for nothing (just kidding). Was really fooled by that website tally.
Posted by: DD | January 4, 2008 11:26 AM