Latest Iowa Poll: Obama and Huckabee lead in Iowa

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) - Democrat Barack Obama surged to a four-point lead over John Edwards in Iowa, with Hillary Clinton fading to third just hours before the first presidential nominating contest, according to a Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll released on Thursday.

Obama and Edwards gained ground overnight in the tracking poll, and Clinton fell four points to third place -- a finish that, if it held, would deal a dramatic setback to the one-time Democratic front-runner.

Obama was at 31 percent among likely Democratic caucus-goers, Edwards at 27 percent and Clinton 24 percent. No other Democrat was in double digits.

In the Republican race, Mike Huckabee expanded his lead to six points, 31 to 25 percent, over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the one-time leader in Iowa who has attacked Huckabee for his record as Arkansas governor.

Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson is in third place in the Republican race at 11 percent and Arizona Sen. John McCain slipped two points to 10 percent. Texas Rep. Ron Paul also registered 10 percent.

"There is a clear Clinton fade," pollster John Zogby said. "None of it has been dramatic, but it has been steady."

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idU...0080103?sp=true

[Ban Hammer 13,360]

[no name 1]

DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) - Democrat Barack Obama surged to a four-point lead over John Edwards in Iowa, with Hillary Clinton fading to third just hours before the first presidential nominating contest, according to a Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll released on Thursday.

A poll a day before the caucus? How novel.

The telephone tracking survey of Democrats included 905 likely caucus–goers surveyed over four days. The margin of error for the Democratic survey was +/– 3.3 percentage points. For the telephone survey of likely Republican caucus–goers, the sample included 914 people and carries a margin of error of +/- 3.3 percentage points. Both the Democratic sample and the Republican sample include interviews from Dec.30, 2007, to Jan. 2, 2008.

[Peikko 1,575]

Huckabee crossed a picket line and claimed he 'didn't know it was one'. That's smart.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I am SHOCKED, I tell you SHOCKED that a former Baptist preacher does not support a strike by Hollywood writers

[no name 1]

I am SHOCKED, I tell you SHOCKED that a former Baptist preacher does not support a strike by Hollywood writers

Happy New Year, R!

[Peikko 1,575]

He didn't say that though. If he'd said "I don't care, I don't support the strike and I will cross the picket line" that's one thing, but he didn't say that, he said he didn't know it was one, that's just stupid.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

I know it doesn't seem possible in Southern California, but I bet most people in America won't know there's a strike until CSI goes into repeats. These people are Huckabee's base.

[no name 1]

Huckabee appears on Leno, crosses picket line

Posted: 07:58 AM ET

Huckabee appeared on The Tonight Show Wednesday, despite the ongoing strike.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — Republican Mike Huckabee, a presidential candidate sounding a populist theme, appeared on the "Tonight Show" with Jay Leno on Wednesday despite the strike and picketing by the show's writers.

Earlier Wednesday, Huckabee said he supports the writers and did not think he would be crossing a picket line, because he believed the writers had made an agreement to allow late night shows back on the air.

"My understanding is that there was a special arrangement made for the late-night shows, and the writers have made this agreement to let the late night shows to come back on, so I don't anticipate that it's crossing a picket line," Huckabee told reporters traveling with him Wednesday from Fort Dodge to Mason City.

In fact, that is true only of David Letterman, who has a separate agreement with writers for his "Late Show."

Told he was mistaken and that writers had cleared only Letterman's show, Huckabee protested:

"But my understanding is there's a sort of dispensation given to the late-night shows, is that right?"

Told again that he was wrong, Huckabee murmured, "Hmmm," and, "Oh," before answering another question.

The former Arkansas governor faced an unfriendly reception.

A picketer outside the Burbank, Calif., studio where Leno tapes his show held a sign saying, "Huckabee is a scab." Another picketer carried a sign saying, "Huckabee, what would Jesus do?"

"I think it's just another reason not to vote for him," said Allan Katz, a veteran TV writer who was picketing.

Huckabee said he stood with the writers.

"I support the writers, by the way. Unequivocally, absolutely," he said. "They're dead right on this one. And they ought to get royalties off the residuals and the long-term contracts."

"I don't think anybody supports the producers on this one," he added. "Maybe the producers support the producers, but I think everybody in the business and even the general public supports the writers."

----

If anyone thinks he was actually unaware of what he was doing, I got a bridge in Brooklyn for sale....

Edited January 3, 2008 by devilette

[Peikko 1,575]

So, when told he is doing something wrong, he goes ahead and does it anyway if he gets some personal gain? Excellent credentials for a presidential candidate...although, I doubt he's the only one.

[no name 1]

Huckabee to make second late night showing

Posted: 09:30 AM ET

(CNN) – Mike Huckabee will be spending the night in Iowa, hoping to capture the win in the Republican presidential caucuses — but he'll also grace the screens of late night talk show viewers for the second time in two days.

The former Arkansas governor taped an appearance for CBS's Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson yesterday, when he flew to California to appear on NBC's Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Last night's appearance drew criticism from striking TV writers, followed by a statement from Huckabee that said he hoped the dispute would be resolved soon.

No such worries tonight: the Late Late Show is produced by David Letterman's Worldwide Pants production clompany, which has reached a separate deal with their writers.

Craig Ferguson, who is awaiting U.S. citizenship, has asked governors and mayors to give him honorary citizenship in their states and towns in the meantime. During his visit, Huckabee told him that if he becomes president, he would see what he could do to move the process along.

[AnewKINDofFEELIN 0]

Who gives a ###### if he crosses a picket line for Hollywood writers? Is he acting out his answers as provided by the writers of CSI? That's just stupid.

[no name 1]

So, when told he is doing something wrong, he goes ahead and does it anyway if he gets some personal gain? Excellent credentials for a presidential candidate...although, I doubt he's the only one.

No one else is appearing on late night shows, so he is the only one.

Who gives a ###### if he crosses a picket line for Hollywood writers? Is he acting out his answers as provided by the writers of CSI? That's just stupid.

Well, if he crosses a picket line, it pretty much shows how he feels about unions, no?

[AnewKINDofFEELIN 0]

Well, if he crosses a picket line, it pretty much shows how he feels about unions, no?

Given the context of it, I don't think that's very clear. He thought there was an agreement...then someone corrected him. This is just a stupid, stupid thing to be worrying about in the light of this country's problems. Either way, I'm not voting for that overzealous fool.

[Peikko 1,575]

That's what OT on VJ is for, to worry about stupid things.

I still maintain that knowingly going ahead with a plan when you find out that your plan is based on falsehoods does say something about the stupidity of the man though.