Biden's Closing Argument Converts Eleventh-Hour Caucusgoers

[gateley]

Joe Biden may be polling in single digits nationally, but somebody forgot to tell him this, and the 300 people who greeted him at a campaign stop in Coralville on the eve of the caucuses didn't seem to concerned about it, either. With his family members and wife Jill at his side, the Delaware senator was quick to remind the audience that his campaign was alive and picking up momentum across Iowa.

"I want to tell the press here that reports of our death are premature," Biden said. "I promise you that if you stand up for Joe Biden tomorrow night, there are going to be scores of people standing up with you."

snip

Biden's closing argument made instant converts out of Iowa City residents Jenifer Angerer and Meg Corbin, both of whom had been leaning toward Sen. Chris Dodd before the night had begun. "Coming into the night I was a Dodd supporter, namely because my husband is a firefighter," said Corbin, a junior high teacher in Coralville. "But after tonight, I'm leaning Biden. He has such an impressive foreign policy record, and we need somebody in the office like him to deal with all of the global crises."

"I was leaning towards Dodd and possibly Edwards before tonight, but I hadn't heard Joe Biden speak yet," Angerer said. "He definitely sold me, namely because of all the damage that's been done internationally over the past seven years. It needs to be mended immediately, and I think Joe Biden is the candidate that can do that starting tomorrow."

Then there is Shawn Noble, who told the Iowa Independent at an Obama event in Coralville earlier in the day that he was planning on caucusing for Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich and would go to Obama if he wasn't viable. Noble changed his mind after hearing Biden speak. "He was very impressive. I think I'm going to caucus for Biden now instead of Kucinich," Noble said. "But I'm still sticking to Obama as my back-up plan."

more... http://www.iowaindependent.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=356ECF4CD9FCA3DEE2C7A609F2621F9A?diaryId=1783

[CoffeeCat]

1. I love Joe Biden...

...and I believe that he has a chance to come in third in Iowa.

I think his ardent and loyal supporters may be the big surprise (and a big story) of the Iowa caucus.

[medicswife]

2. He's going to do well, I can feel it in my bones!!!! n/t

[Flabbergasted]

3. Go Biden.

[PatSeg]

4. This has been a relatively common story

the last few days. It appears that people just have to hear Biden, upfront and personal one time and they are affected.

[murbley40]

5. Kick