Want an early hint on how the caucuses are going?

[cboy4]

WHAT TO LOOK FOR TONIGHT IN IOWA:

DES MOINES, Iowa - Want an early hint how the Republican caucuses are going? Check Plymouth County Thursday evening in remote northwest Iowa — chilly home of Blue Bunny ice cream and a hotbed of evangelical activists who could sway the first voting of the 2008 presidential campaign.

Democrats might get an early take on their caucuses from Newton, a company town battered by the closing of Maytag Corporation's big plant.

Plymouth's county seat of Le Mars bills itself as "the ice cream capital of the world" because of the local dairy, but this year in politics "that's Huckabee territory," says David Roederer, a veteran activist who's been advising John McCain's Iowa campaign this year. A big turnout could be a sign that evangelicals — accounting in past cycles for up to 40 percent of the Republican caucus vote — are delivering for the one-time Baptist minister.

<snip>

Democrats will be looking toward Newton in the central part of the state to get a feel for how the messages of their leading candidates have gone over. It's a Democratic town of about 15,000 and used to be the home for Maytag, an iconic Iowa manufacturer that has shut down and tossed thousands out of work.

more----------->http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080102/ap_on_el_pr/caucus_what_to_look_for_2

Shocking how the fundies could "sway" the voting! :eyes:

[saltpoint]

1. I'm extremely enthusiastic about Blue Bunny ice cream. Evangelicals, not so much.

My hope is that Huckabee's supporters set out to their caucus venue this evening and freeze to death in a ditch.

Not to put too fine a point on it.

[TwilightGardener]

2. LOL! If that happens, we know there IS a God.

[saltpoint]

3. Yes. Hi, wienerdoggie. It's been a long year and tonight we'll have some

idea of what's to come.

It's a big day for a lot of people, and not just Iowans.

Good luck to your guy in the caucuses tonight.

[TwilightGardener]

5. Thanks, OC--you too.

[cboy4]

4. Let's see, it's only 6:30 here and I've already had my first

laugh out loud moment of the day. :rofl:

[saltpoint]

11. Hi, cboy4. This is a good time to say Happy 2008 to you.

I hope all's well your way out west.

[cboy4]

12. And a very happy new year to you my friend.

Everything is great, and speaking of out west...I look forward to casting my vote for John on Tsunami Tuesday.

I must say I've been leaning toward Dennis K. because I think he's such a good man -- especially when it comes to peace issues -- and DK is the best when it comes to civil liberties involving gay people.

But after a lot of soul searching, I'm finally satisfied Senator Edwards is in more need of my vote, considering how close this race is.

And with you supporting him, geez, I must be doing something right. =)

(Boy what a long response. I really need to work on my summarization skills!!) ;)

[saltpoint]

21. Dennis and John are both good folks and I think a strong case could be

made for your supporting either.

Truly a happy new year to you, cboy4.

[gratuitous]

6. That's rather heartless

I'm merely hoping that they get a case of severe frostbite in the ditch.

[saltpoint]

8. Well, ok, but alongwith their severe frostbite in the ditch, may a great raptor

swoop down and gnaw their guts for an eternity!

I take a damned partisan view in these matters!

[gratuitous]

9. Okay, I'll go along with the raptor

Lousy Christian that I am, I always hold out hope for a person's redemption, and I don't make an exception even for Huckscabee supporters. Gut-gnawing raptors are okay.

[saltpoint]

10. "GUT-GNAWING RAPTORS AGAINST FUNDAMENTALISM" would be a

great bumpersticker to drive across the country with.

If Jesus were alive today and a licensed driver, he'd likely put a bumpersticker like that on his vehicle if he could see what people like Huckabee are doing to the central tenets of his ministry.

[Jennifer C]

7. Oh yes please

:rofl: :spray:

[CorpGovActivist]

16. .

[1awake]

13. lol..

I consider myself a fundimentalist christian, and technically I'm still a republican (on paper anyway). I will be voting for Edwards or Obama (in that order would be my choices). I think the Evangelicals need to sit down and make a list of their main issues of importance. I believe they would come to realize what I have... the republican party they love, no longer exists as it use to. Until it does, I think the way forward is clear. Take away all the partisanship.. take away the D's and R's behind everyone's names.. and the candidates who hold many of the same "real" ideals would not be those sporting elephant symbols. People may think I am an oddity in my views in relation to who I am, but from where I'm sitting, there are many who will be crossing party lines this time around.

[marions ghost]

17. Hope you're right...

and that at least a few others like you are now awakened...

:thumbsup:

[TexasLawyer]

18. Hey, welcome to DU!!!

[KharmaTrain]

14. A Lot Will Decide At 3 P.M.

They'll check the forecast and see where they have to go and then decide on if its worth going or not.

I suspect Huckabee has a lot of church busses warming up right now and Mittens people may find excuses to stay home.

On the Democratic side...a lot rides on how many Iowa, ISU and Drake students came back early and will older women be willing to go out on a cold night to bicker with a bunch of strangers?

I'll be watching C-SPAN all evening...I think we may get an indication early as to how the night will go.

[CorpGovActivist]

15. Interesting Read!

Thanks for posting this!

- Dave

[CorpGovActivist]

19. Newton Is in Jasper County

The precinct(s) there haven't reported yet.

http://www.iowacaucusresults.com/

- Dave

[CorpGovActivist]

20. Newton Precincts...

... are beginning to report.

- Dave

[CorpGovActivist]

22. CBOY ... Edwards Mentioned Newton! n/t