Early Caucus Date a boon to Obama?

[Perky]

TextBy AMY LORENTZEN
Associated Press Writer

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Iowa Republicans on Tuesday moved their presidential caucuses ahead to Jan. 3 and said they would not push the contest into December, even if another state tries to jump ahead.

"We figured putting it on (Jan. 3) gets the ball rolling, and our county chairs will be very thankful and they can get busy," said Chuck Laudner, executive director of the Iowa GOP.

The announcement came Tuesday night after the state central committee, two national committee members, the party chairman and co-chairman unanimously approved the date during a conference call.

Laudner said Republicans will continue discussions with the Iowa Democratic Party, which has yet to choose a caucus date. Democrats are believed to be considering Jan. 3 and Jan. 5. If they select the later date, it would mean the first split caucus since the 1970s.

Caucuses for both parties tentatively had been scheduled for Jan. 14.

Seems to me that usch an early Caucus date could give a small bump to Obama in Iowa. College students will still be home for the holidays. And Obama's support skews far more towards young voters than Hillary's...Just something to consider.

[wyldwolf]

1. Des Moines Register says the DNC will keep the Iowa caucus on Jan. 14.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071017/NEWS09/710170397/-1/caucus&lead=1

[Perky]

3. You may have misread the lead.....

Meanwhile, Democratic officials in Iowa are keeping Jan. 14 as the date for their party's caucuses, as they watch for signals from other early nominating states.

but further down in the article:

The Iowa Democratic Party remained noncommittal on its caucus date after the GOP vote. Some county Democratic officials expressed frustration at the uncertainty.

Cheryll Jones, Davis County Democratic chairwoman, said she and others were getting antsy.

"It's frustrating because you have to set up locations," Jones said. "The other thing is, sometimes it's difficult enough getting people to come out to caucus, and harder still when you can't tell them what the date is."

Seems to me that they are going to move it in line with the GOP.

[wyldwolf]

4. How much more simpler can "Democratic officials in Iowa are keeping Jan. 14" be?

Democratic officials in Iowa are keeping Jan. 14 as the date for their party's caucuses. :shrug:

Some may be frustrated at the uncertainty. Some may say they're being non-committal. But until they state emphatically otherwise, Iowa is on Jan. 14.

[Perky]

5. So AP is simply wrong?????

[wyldwolf]

6. The AP statement is not definitive.

"Democrats are believed to be considering Jan. 3 and Jan. 5."

BELIEVED to be. But based on what?

I would also say the Des Moines Register is a bit closer to the action than the AP.

[IA_Seth]

7. It will be moved..

We just haven't chosen a date yet. The Democrats in Iowa are serious about remaining first.

[MethuenProgressive]

2. dupe -

[Freddie Stubbs]

8. You are assuming that college students are registered to vote at home rather than at college, or

that they are registered at all.

[zulchzulu]

9. Campaigns are using the model that the caucus will be on the 4th or 5th

If it stays on January 14, so be it.

On the question about whether the moved up date will help or hurt Obama, his grassroots support and the ground game is not just "youth-centric". Historically, we all know how dependable young voters are in numbers when the deal actually goes down. It may be different this year, but that is not going to be the backbone of Iowa strategy...