Des Moines And The Sundance Kid
WE HEAR:
Fred Thompson told a local reporter in Sioux City that it's in "the hands of the good Lord and the people of Iowa, and I'll be perfectly happy when those results come in" ("Political Radar").
Meanwhile, Thompson "continued to fire back at reports" he'll drop out of the race if he has a low finish in IA, this time saying the press was "partly to blame." Thompson: "I'm afraid the media never gets tired of allowing itself to be used. And I think that quite frankly the media is being used for purposes to hurt me here in the last few days because they see what's happening" ("From the Road").
The Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol said he "ran into" ex-Pres. Clinton in the lobby of their hotel, who "subtly" hinted that Hillary Clinton's camp "isn't confident" about a win in IA tonight ("Special Report," FNC).
"Get this....After being late to almost every campaign appearance, Edwards just told his supporters not to be late to their caucus tonight. Priceless" -- some bitter person commenting on DesMoinesRegister.com.
"What happens in Iowa, unlike in Las Vegas, doesn't stay in Iowa. ... The ripple effects are going to be enormous" -- columnist Mark Shields (PBS).
ABC's Raelyn Johnson reports, Edwards launched an IA rally today, saying: "I'm going to call on members of my traveling press to give my speech now" ("Political Radar").
Des Moines has been "transformed in recent days to what one observer called a 'political junkie's Sundance,' with more than 2,500 credentialed media turning out." Hollywood donors "booked hotel rooms long ago, or flew in on their private jets for the day" ("Wilshire & Washington").
CNN's Toobin is going to be "keeping an eye on the results from tiny Warren County (pop. 44,000), which includes several suburbs south of Des Moines." Since '80, Warren "has been an uncanny bellwether for the results statewide, and this hold true for both" Dem and GOP races ("Political Ticker").
Ron Paul "sat in the corner with only a handful of friends" when he showed up at Palmer's Deli today and found it already packed with Barack Obama supporters ("Yeas & Nays").