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Obama, Huckabee are 'unifiers'
04/01/2008 15:32 - (SA)
Concord, New Hampshire - Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee have struck similar cords in their Iowa win victory speeches, portraying themselves as unifiers and change agents who did not view the world in simply Republican and Democratic hues.
Obama, a US senator seeking to become the first black president of the United States, knocked expected front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton to third place in Iowa, where wins for candidates often translate into valuable momentum in ultimately securing their party's nomination in the US general election.
Iowa's results also predictably tightened the Democratic field - Sens Joe Biden and Christopher Dodd dropped out shortly after the outcome was clear Thursday night.
John Edwards mounted an energetic, populist campaign only to see himself repeat his 2004 second place finish in Iowa. He vowed to continue, but he trails Obama and Clinton in polls and in money.
Wave of support
In the Republican field, Huckabee, a Baptist preacher turned politician, rode a wave of support from evangelical and born-again Christians to victory.
Huckabee handily defeated Mitt Romney despite being outspent by tens of millions of dollars. Just months ago, Huckabee was virtually unknown outside Arkansas, where he had served as governor.
The caucuses began a crucial five-week stretch, culminating on February 5, when more than 20 states hold primaries.
The parties do not formally select their candidates until their presidential nominating conventions in August and September, though the nominees will likely be determined well before then.
As tight as the race in Iowa was, it will be no easier in New Hampshire, which hosts the first presidential primary on Tuesday.
Neck in neck
Obama is neck and neck in polls there with Clinton who, despite her third place finish in Iowa, has the resources to confront him head on.
Will Obama, like Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004, use his Iowa victory to catapult himself to victory in New Hampshire? Or will Clinton manufacture a turnaround like her husband did in 1992?
Huckabee faces even bigger questions. He has hardly campaigned in New Hampshire where a Republican contest is already in a dead heat between Romney and John McCain.
He enters the state with little money and little time to mount an adequate come-from-behind surge.
Tradition also pulls against him. George HW Bush in 1980, Bob Dole in 1988 and 1996 and George W Bush in 2000 - all are Iowa caucus winners who lost their New Hampshire primaries.
Victory speeches
In their victory speeches, Obama and Huckabee struck similar cords and distinguished themselves from their respective fields - portraying themselves as unifiers and change agents who did not view the world in simply Republican and Democratic hues.
"You said the time has come to move beyond the bitterness and pettiness and anger that's consumed Washington," Obama told his supporters.
"To end the political strategy that's been all about division, and instead make it about addition. To build a coalition for change that stretches through red states and blue states.
Because that's how we'll win in November, and that's how we'll finally meet the challenges that we face as a nation."
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