Around 9:29 Obama was declared the winner by Fox News. Switch to CNN same, with vote total by Obama's name = 580 votes!
That's right. Obama called the winner with 580 votes and Huckabee called the winner with 14,045.
Fascinating to watch the newscasters looking at the percentages and the results in real time they had to keep checking and inquiring were these from the "entrance" polling stats or the raw vote totals, they would pose the question aloud.
Can you believe it? Of course, the results later on in the evening increased in numbers.
But the important point is the winners had already been declared quickly and according to the news reporters based on their information from entrance results and raw vote numbers.
ABC news also kept the rundown going in real time. And posted the results simultaneously to the cable networks.
http://abcnews.go.com/politics/elections/state?state=IA
Discussion also centered on the huge increase in first time caucus goers. Doesn't that raise anyone's eyebrows? According to one reporter, first timers for the Democrats were some 56 percent.
In addition, the process there included new registration right then on the spot. An Independent registered voter could walk in and declare himself a Democrat. A Republican registered voter could walk in and declare herself a Democrat.
Then there's the requirement of "viability" in the caucus room. A candidate had to mount at least 15 percent or face exclusion.
It really does seem as if it was a Party Game. Almost like musical chairs.
Who knows who really won in Iowa anyway?
Js throws in some numbers about the Republican voter turnout. It would be interesting to determine whether there may have been an actual decline in registered Republicans who showed up and then actually voted as a Democrat for purposes of skewing the Democrat results. In other words, if there was a higher percentage than in the past of Republicans who arrived to vote, and 70 percent or more were evangelicals, there may have been some jockeying going on to influence the Democrat caucus with party switches.
Also, how was there any control over who registered to vote that evening? Given the Motor Voter Act and the hesitancy to ask anybody for proof of voter residency or citizenship status when voting it's possible the increases in voter turnout weren't even pre-registered Iowa voters.
The likelihood for election fraud being committed in the reporting of votes cannot go unnoticed either.
Declared winner with less votes than people watching reruns of the X-Files that night - doesn't say much for that process.
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/01/iowa-caucus-watch-vote-scam-in-progress.html
Update Numbers available across the internet
By 8:56 PM CNN called Huckabee the clear winner of the Iowa Caucus... that was fast. Maybe voting without the electronic voting machines and in small groups, works. Hmmm. The registration system has to be tightened, though...
Fox News calls winner of Democrat Caucus Barack Obama with what 580 votes? 9:29 PM
CNN calls Barack Obama the winner.
Net the Truth Online
Looks like they are all getting the same numbers from somewhere.
http://abcnews.go.com/politics/elections/state?state=IA
Democratic Primary ResultsThursday, January 3
Real-time Race Results: Updated January 3, 2008 - 9:30 PM (all times Eastern Standard)
Precincts Reporting 75%
Candidate Votes Vote % Delegates Projected Winner
Obama 618 36% 0 Winner
Edwards 530 31% 0
Clinton 527 30% 0
Richardson 33 2% 0
Biden 17 1% 0
Dodd 1 0% 0
Gravel 0 0% 0
Kucinich 0 0% 0
.
Estimated Delegates: 40Republican Primary ResultsThursday, January 3
Real-time Race Results: Updated January 3, 2008 - 9:11 PM (all times Eastern Standard)
Precincts Reporting 40%
Candidate Votes Vote % Delegates Projected Winner
Huckabee 14,045 31% 0 Winner
Romney 10,084 23% 0
Thompson 5,950 13% 0
McCain 5,194 12% 0
Giuliani 4,901 11% 0
Paul 4,379 10% 0
Hunter 168 0% 0
http://abcnews.go.com/politics/elections/state?state=IA
Isn't this the silliest way to conduct selection of political party candidates? The entire system is ripe for election and voter fraud and abuse.
The morning guest on Fox 'n Friends noted individuals can actually show up at the door, doors open at 7 PM, and register of one political party or the other.
Guess one does have to show they are a resident of the state, but maybe not due to the federal imposed Motor Voter Act and all the controversy over illegal aliens having to prove they are citizens before obtaining a driver's license.
so hey, anybody from any state can make the trek to Iowa, say they are planning to reside in Iowa, in the process of moving, choose an apartment address, (maybe just fork over a month's deposit, or maybe simply obtain a post office mail box), and show up at the caucus.
Then, at the caucus participants actually get to vote more than once. That's right. If candidates don't get at least 15 percent of the gathered votes, they are out of contention. The voters present get to vote again, for another choice.
Unbelievable.
Update 7 PM EST: And the vote fraud begins. Caucus goers are arriving. Republicans will take a straw poll, says Wolf Blitzer on CNN's live broadcasting.
Democrats do things a bit differently. We won't get raw vote totals, they only use the percentages, says Blitzer, unaffected by what that might mean.
Oh such fun. No wonder Black Box Voting is hopping.
Who will tabulate the party caucus results? BBV discusses in depth.
It's meaningless, though, isn't it. Independents can show up and register as one or the other, and have a say in the selection.
And according to CNN, a registered member of a party can show up and change party registration right there on the spot, thus voting for a candidate of the other party.
Oh that should put a twist in things.
What a game. Not only that. The candidates have strategized should it appear they are not going to get this viable 15 percent, they are telling their supporters in the caucus to support an opponent, one they think they can beat in the next state, and the next.
Again, silliest way to conduct an election.
CNN reporter is noting that over 50 percent of the Democrats who showed up are new caucus goers.
Fox News noted in a chart the number at 56 percent first time caucus goers.
Well, what did we speculate. Are they actually residents of Iowa?
Fox News is having fun determing which election ticker chart is the Republican Straw Poll, which chart is the raw actual vote, which chart is real numbers.
Really, nobody will know anything for sure at the end of this weird process.
Juan williams on Fox News stating that Iowa is 95 percent white residents.
It will be interesting to find out if the number of registered voters, and the projected turnout, equal the number of voters who actually voted during this process.
Net the Truth Online
Real Clear Politics people were featured on Fox News coverage
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/
CNN Transcripts galore
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/2008.01.03.html
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/sitroom.html
Black Box Voting Forum Discussion on Iowa Caucus
In Iowa, neither party has been releasing the precinct results that provide the underlying verification for the totals they announce -- a procedure so top-heavy it should come with a laugh track. Black Box Voting and many Iowa citizens have been expressing concern, and urging the release of the data for the 1,900 precincts to back up the announced total.
While it's true that each precinct vote result assigns delegates according to the vote, and those delegates go to a county convention to cast votes (though this is nonbinding), in fact the delegate votes never match the original caucus results, because the county convention is held months after the caucus, and in 2008 will take place after Super Duper Tuesday. Many candidates drop out by the time the convention rolls around, and votes are readjusted.
Caucuses are not subject to freedom of information through public records, because technically the parties are private corporations and do not have to release their documents. Therefore, the caucuses have some built-in impediments to transparency.
Black Box Voting has been raising questions and seeking answers. We've been mailing letters to our Iowa constituents, blogging, and distributing questions and concerns through the voting rights circuitry.
Here's what we've learned so far, revealing some good news and citizen action still needed to prod one of the parties into publicly accounting for its results.
http://www.bbvforums.org/forums/messages/1954/71028.html?1199244110
Black Box Voting Watch Reports
1-3-08: What to do! Iowa Caucus instructions for everyone
You don't live in Iowa? Doesn't matter. Pitch in!
IF YOU ARE NOT IN IOWA: During the event: Monitor Democratic Web site http://www.iowacaucusreults.com and capture screen shots at regular intervals. Republican county results will be posted at http://www.iowagop.net -THIS JUST IN: Republican precinct results will be posted at end of the night. Observe whether there are any results that go up or down or change after they have been posted.
If you spot anomalies, propagate documentation (like screen shots) to 3-5 places (relevant web sites, appropriate email lists).
http://www.blackboxvoting.org/
http://www.bbvforums.org/forums/messages/1954/71119.html?1199404367
http://www.bbvforums.org/forums/messages/1954/71105.html?1199386745
DISCUSSION AREA
Iowa forums at Black Box Voting
http://www.bbvforums.org/forums/messages/143/143.html
Useful Info Iowa Caucuses
http://www.bbvforums.org/forums/messages/143/143.html
Basic facts on the Iowa Caucuses
Associated Press
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080102/ap_on_el_pr/iowa_caucuses_q_a
Previewing the Iowa Caucuses
Christopher C. Hull
Author, "Grassroots Rules: How the Iowa Caucus Helps Elect American Presidents"
Thursday, January 3, 2008; 11:00 AM
Former majority staff director of the Iowa Senate Christopher C. Hull, who recently wrote " Grassroots Rules: How the Iowa Caucus Helps Elect American Presidents," was online Thursday, Jan. 3 at 11 a.m. ET from Iowa to answer readers' questions about the caucuses, how they work, and how he sees them playing out Thursday night.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2007/12/27/DI2007122702055.html
Op-Ed Columnist
The Slice of the Sliver Speaks
By GAIL COLLINS
Published: January 3, 2008
As the presidential candidates tell them every single day, Iowans deserve to be the nation’s kingmakers because they are exceptional citizens who take their responsibilities very, very seriously. So tonight, even though it’s very cold — even though it’s Hokies vs. Jayhawks in the Orange Bowl — the sturdy Iowa voters will pull on their parkas and go out to fulfill their historic destiny. Perhaps as many as 15 percent of them!
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/03/opinion/03collins.html?ex=1357102800&en=b022adc78a540174&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
TailRank Forum
http://tailrank.com/4477491/The-Slice-of-the-Sliver-Speaks
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