Dipping Another Toe Into Iowa

Checking in on some of the action -- or speculation -- out there in Eye-O-Way:

The Iowa Independent is saying that Ron Paul could well finish third in the caucuses, which, if that happens, could be the biggest story coming out of the January 3rd events. That would be called "getting some traction." The same site gives a slight edge to Obama to take the Democratic nod: "The Illinois senator consistently seems to draw larger crowds than his opponents in the same places, which speaks both to the strength of his campaign's organization and the enthusiasm his candidacy seems to generate. And his wave of small-town newspaper endorsements should enhance his second-choice support in rural parts of the state where he has been perceived as weak."

Via 24-Hour Dorman comes news that Hillary Clinton has apparently stopped taking questions from the audiences at Iowa campaign stops. Hmmm.

John Deeth reports that Obama and Huckabee are ahead, respectively, with Iowa newspaper endorsements ... for whatever that's worth.

Dave Price takes the (unenthusiastic) pulse of a Hillary Clinton crowd waiting (as usual) for the candidate to show up (she takes after Bill in that respect). Clinton staffer keeps pleading with people for "some noise," but doesn't get it. Must be rough working for a sinking candidate.

Charlotte Eby interprets latest Iowa state polls as "Obama Dropping" while both Edwards and Clinton are gaining. But given what happened to Howard Dean in 2004, despite the polls, we're beginning to think that polls are pretty useless in Iowa.

RadioIowa reports that Hillary Clinton's campaign has purchased two minutes of airtime during the six o'clock local TV newscasts in all eight Iowa media markets to make her "closing argument" on the night of January 2nd. (Closing argument ... as in, "Save my campaign for president, please!"?) Same source also reports that Sen. Fred Thompson, last heard from while refusing to come off his campaign bus in Waverly, predicts he will come in first or maybe, in a pinch, second in the Iowa caucuses. Which just naturally raises the question: "What's Fred Thompson smoking?"