Obama wins Iowa caucus

[modeski]

From CNN, quite possibly the best news we have had from the US in a long, long time:

With all Democratic precincts reporting, Obama had the support of 38 percent of voters, compared to 30 percent for John Edwards and 29 percent for Hillary Clinton.

This is just a flying visit, so I don't have time to type more, but it really does merit celebrating. Here's Obama's victory speech. It honestly gave me goosebumps. After seven long, long years I think I see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

uk.youtube.com/watch?v=yqoFwZUp5vc

[HStorm]

Symbolically it's good news, but before we celebrate too loudly, it's worth taking a closer look at the policies on offer; Barack Obama would be a first black President, Hillary Clinton would be a first female President, both of which would make important breakthroughs. But in terms of a left-wing platform to address the enormous issues of social injustice in the USA, the closest any of the candidates in either party come to that would undoubtedly be John Edwards. Obama has essentially watered down any resemblance his campaign has to egalitarianism to suit his corporate supporters, while Clinton is even further to the neo-liberal right than her husband.

This is not to suggest that Edwards is a socialist or anything, but by a distance, he is certainly the furthest to the left of the state-capitalists at the height of the Democrats. The symbolism of an Obama victory would all be very worthy, but in practical terms I'd much prefer Edwards to win.

[Thanatos]

"...the closest any of the candidates in either party come to that would undoubtedly be John Edwards."

No, it would be Dennis Kucinich or Mike Gravel, though unfortunately they have no chance of winning.

[HStorm]

Fair point.

Anyway, Hillary Clinton has turned things on their head by winning the New Hampshire primary, while the professional Obama-ass-lickers in the media were assuming the Democrat nomination was already sewn up.

Sadly, all the real lefties are effectively out of it already.

[modeski]

I think the mainstream media were far, far too quick to declare the nomination contest over after Iowa. I was annoyed that Hillary won NH, but it's still only the very start of the campaign. We still have a long, long way to go.