Obama On Track To Win Caucus 2nd Tier Support

Des Moines--Barack Obama has already begun shoring up support among the lower-tier candidates who lack the money or poll numbers to be serious contenders in the early primary states, such as Iowa, and Offthebus hears that "agreements" with these candidates may be announced soon.

Dennis Kucinich started what may add up to the critical mass Obama needs for a win or strong second-place showing in the Iowa caucuses, when Kucinich encouraged his supporters - few though there are in this frozen state - to join the Obama forces on caucus night, if Kucinich doesn't have enough voters to be viable.

The Kucinich endorsement flooded the blogoshpere and the main-street-media and handed Obama a mini-bounce at a critical time in this campaign for the most privileged voters in America - Iowa's caucus attendees.

For days, the rumors have been flying between the campaigns about which of the top three candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination will benefit from the second tier non-viable candidates - Joe Biden and Bill Richardson - to be specific.

The Biden national and state campaign honchos met at 4 p.m. Monday in a Des Moines attorney's office to discuss their strategy and decide if they would encourage their non-viable voters to choose either Obama, Edwards, or Hillary Clinton's caucus contingents.

At a crowded and noisy Star Bar on Ingersoll Avenue, where the Biden campaign staffers were sipping champagne - or harder stuff - and waiting for their candidate, his wife, and the Biden Family to arrive for a New Year's Eve informal gathering, Offthebus chatted with one of the Biden's national consultants who wanted to remain anonymous:

"A decision will be made tomorrow about who we'll encourage our supporters to stand behind if we aren't viable in a precinct. Right now, I'd guess Obama gets our support because we're more inline with his vision of foreign policy than any of the other candidates, and besides, we like him and how he's run his campaign."

"Is Biden angling for a Secretary of State position in an Obama Administration?"

The Biden consultant told Offthebus, "Well, Joe would make a great Secretary of State, wouldn't he?"

Biden's son, Joseph R. Biden, III is the current Attorney General for Delaware. Should Joe Biden resign his seat and accept a major post in the next Democratic Administration in Washington, his son is positioned to replace him in the U.S. Senate.

After attending the press party at the Temple for the Performing Arts, I headed over to Dos Rios, to pick up any additional bar talk conversations and dangle the Biden scoop.

Off-the-bus spoke with a national Obama staffer who confirmed, "We've heard that Richardson may also be telling his supporters to caucus for Barack if they aren't viable. Nothing definitive but there's a trend going on," she added with a smile. Ah, that's an understatement.

All of this off-the-record conversation and backroom pol talk could be nothing or something.

But the fact that the rumors are flying and top aides are willing to discuss their thinking with Offthebus, albeit without disclosing their names, is still enough smoke to detect yet another spark that could ignite a fire under the Obama campaign's fortunes in the Iowa caucuses.

This trend, along with the latest polls showing Obama ahead of Clinton or within the margin of error to win this first all-important national test, bodes well for Obama and puts additional pressure on the Clintonites to outdistance Obama in the next 48 hours.

Time is running out for Clinton, but may be the best of all possible worlds for Obama should his campaign continue to build support with the lower tier candidates open to a conversation about where their voters should land on caucus night - if they aren't viable.

None of the campaigns I spoke with - on or off the record - are prone to hand their support over to John Edwards, who is busy today flying around the state for his final push to win - and therefore, survive until New Hampshire, where his poll numbers continue to fall far behind either Clinton or Obama.

Comments

[synonys]

I didn't know Bidens Foreign policy included of the possibility of unilaterally bombing and invading pakistan?

[blocker]

Wow ok Hillary has gotten really desperate, she is now using obama's fired up, ready to go in her speech!
"We are fired up and we are ready to go, because we know that America is ready for change," Hillary said moments ago in Davenport, melding Obama's signature line into one of hers in a sort of campaign slogan medley.

[GuiltyByStander]

In the Iowa caucus you get two chances. The first is for the candidate you really want, the second is your strategic choice.

Biden supporters will use their first caucus choice to find out whether or not Biden is viable. Only then will we know whether there's any meaning in the speculation about support for Obama.

[letsmakesense]

Demos will not "jettison the Neocon scumbags" as a majority of them (Demos) are a in tune with the same CFR plan of the ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT as the gopers.
Dr. Ron Paul will take care of the Neocon scum from both parties.
Gracias a Dios
Long live the Bill of Rights

[init]

Obama is a very interesting young man. He's put into the absolute black category even though is mother is white. Strange life, strange people. Strange melting pot country. Maybe it is weird because it doesn't really belong to any of us. I believe that this is why it is damned. Very troubled place to it's core. And they love to fight! (Or send others to do their fighting.) Wars are not fashionable anymore. Look at China and the Olympics or even Russia and it's progress. This country is cursed.

[WolfAtTheDoor]

How old were you the last time we had a president who wasn't a Bush or Clinton? It was 20 years ago, I was 10. I'm a Republican supporting Obama because he represents "change I can believe in".

My Republican friends say he can't unite our country, but I say that's just the politics of despair.

Vote for change. Obama '08!

[amst]

You people are forgetting that our current President, although his only experience is that he was a governor, he was never out of the country, dodged the draft and has virtually no military experience and has made a mess out of everything he touched since he's been in office. We are in on undending war, with the prospect of yet another war in Iran (if he has his way), we pretty much are hated by every other country in the world and our economy is beginning to suck, no matter what BS they try to feed us.

Yea, I'll go out on a limb and look for some smart guy/gal with a brain and a vision, not to mention the ability to perhaps heal the P.R. damage this President has done. It sure as hell can NOT get any worse than it is now.

I am NOT putting experience on the top of my qualify list, just someone smart, honest (realisitcally, as honest as a politician can be), with vision, and someone who can get our country back on track. I really feel I'm not alone here. I am happy with Obama. As far as that goes, I'll be okay with Edwards as well, and Clinton will be my third choice. She was merely first lady. What "real" qualifications does she have anyway?

I'm looking for a Democratic win and am looking forward to it. Probably the only primary election where we actually have a decent choice of candidates.

[PuddyKatz]

looks like the people who know Hillary well, the other candidates, really dislike her. I wonder why?

[HumeSkeptic]

As far as I’m concerned, it matters very little now who wins in the Democratic primary. The principles important to me have been largely compromised. The war in Iraq is now very much a secondary issue. No one will ever be held accountable for taking our country to war based on lies. None of the leading candidates even mention accountability. The possibility of a viable not-for-profit universal healthcare system is zero. Corporatism will either grow or, at best, will be sustained at current levels. Future foreign policy will see, if any, only cosmetic changes. Education of our children will become increasing less affordable. Nothing really meaningful will happen regarding environment. The difference between the rich and the poor will stay the same, or grow further.

The hope that came in November 2006 remained just that, a hope.

The election is over. In the Primary I will go waste my vote on Kucinich. In the general election, I will dutifully go and cast my vote for the Democratic nominee is, hoping that things will not get worse. The prospect of things changing is virtually zero.

I think it is much better to devote time and energy in doing things directly, in whatever small a scale I can manage, and not through our failed system. Try to do something for war victims, do something to help the under-privileged and the oppressed here at home, do something for the environment. That’s all one can do.

The system is too big and too corrupt to change.

[BlueStateMan]

Does ANYONE know the difference between a CAUCUS & a PRIMARY?

Just asking.....R

[Swampfish]

"A decision will be made tomorrow about who we'll encourage our supporters to stand behind if we aren't viable in a precinct. Right now, I'd guess Obama gets our support because we're more inline with his vision of foreign policy than any of the other candidates, and besides, we like him and how he's run his campaign."



******Wow! if true he should be the next Prez, getting people to work with each other,is that not what we want as Ameicans to come together & be great again.

[hockeynut]

as a canadian i have a question for my American friends

all i wanna know is whoever wins the nomination will you stick together and support whoever the nominee is. sure would be nice to see you peeps be unified just once, besides it being a national tragedy.just remeber do you's really want the repugs(a.k.a..the nazi party) to win again i sure hope not for the good of the world let alone your own country

[Caramba]

VOX POPULI!
Power to Iowans!!
Anything can go Wrong!!!

OBAMA ......... 33% >>>>>>>>>>> WINNER
Edwards.........31% >>>>>>>>>>> 1st Loser
Hillary.........30% >>>>>>>>>>> 2nd Loser

Kuchnich........3%
Biden...........2%
Richardson......1%

Good Luck in New Hampshire!

Where is CNN and the rest of Poll Scientists?

[lovethesinner]

Joe Biden may go down as the best Secretary of State in American history. He's the only guy in the Democratic party, (if not all of America) that has the moxy and the brains to pull this country out of the foreign policy tailspin it's been in for the last FIFTY YEARS. (I'm counting the coup d'etat of Mosedeq in Iran as the beginning of the BLOWBACK BLUNDERS)

I can only think that Joe is looking at the situation, and thinking "how can I best serve my country at this point."

The only reason I didn't support him in his bid for the White House, is because my dream for America had him as Secretary of State. I believe he is the ONLY person who truly has the will, the brains, and the courage to do what is actually best for America, and the rest of the world.

Just knowing Biden and Kucinich are thinking of throwing their support towards O makes me proud to be an American, (for the first time in a very long time.)

It looks like Obama isn't the only one delivering hope to America after all. But, then, (in spite of the childish assertions of many of the challengers supporters,) WE'VE KNOWN ALL ALONG IT WAS GOING TO BE A TEAM EFFORT.

That is the point of Obama. It is the core of his candidacy. It is the dirty little truth that every Republican and Democrat is finally going to have to face if we are ever going to begin to relclaim THE SOUL OF OUR NATION, and democracy, itself:

We need a President who can lead ALL OF AMERICA, not half of America.

Thanks Joe, I somehow suspected you were going to be the one to carry the ball over the goal line, I just never pictured it happening this way.

I'm Pro-O (and obviously Pro-Joe) in '08!

P.S. You know, you wouldn't be a bad vice-president if you wanna pull a Cheney... naw, don't do that... America needs a STUD in the STATE DEPARTMENT.

[lornejl]

A working class hero is something to be, who would John caucus for ?