Once again the voters didn’t listen to the media and instead voted their hearts and their values. There will be a lot of speeches about comebacks in New Hampshire but what happened tonight is historic.
On the democratic side an untested young black senator beat a senator who had previously been a Vice Presidential candidate and had been campaigning non stop in Iowa with his own and union funds. Barack Obama also beat the front runner, the wife of a two-term President and a two-term Senator herself. Obama appealed to Iowans hearts and minds and the want for someone other than the old tired choices plus managed to win in a state that is something like 95% Caucasian.
On the other hand I am currently listening to some talking heads discuss Huckabee’s win and they still don’t get it. They are saying this is a repudiation of Bush. No, it is a validation of what voters have been saying for the past eight years – they want candidates who share their core moral values and yes, religion. Sorry, Mitt, but not even your money can get past that fundamental truth.
It is interesting to note that this also played out in the second tier of the Republican candidates. In spite of Iowa’s The Register nominating McCain, Thompson, the candidate who some joked never showed up for his own campaign, still managed to run neck and neck with McCain. Again it boils down to values.
In addition Barack, Huckabee and Thompson all share another common factor – likeability. No matter how hard Clinton and McCain will try to spin it – people simply don’t like them. But you know those two old campaigners will have the big guns out starting with the early news shows Friday morning trying to explain how it “really wasn’t a loss”. And the media will go along with it as evidenced by the following quote from Roger Simon’s Politico column today: “Several times we have been declared dead,” McCain said. “`It’s up to you (i.e., the media) who the winners are and who the losers are in the Iowa caucuses.”
I can only hope the voters continue to bewilder the media by continuing to vote for their values and with their hearts.
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