Iowa Caucus-goers Stick By Edwards

Ed Tibbetts, Quad City Times -
BREAKING NEWS: (Updated 3:11 p.m.) Former vice presidential candidate John Edwards is the top choice among likely Iowa Democratic caucus-goers asked to say who they would support in the 2008 caucuses, according to a new poll.

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., finished third.

Edwards, who is considering a presidential bid and has traveled to the state extensively since the 2004 campaign when he was the Democrats’ vice presidential nominee, won the support of 36 percent of those polled. U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., finished second at 16 percent, and Obama had 13 percent.

Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack finished fourth at 9 percent. Vilsack has already announced his candidacy. The others are considering it. [..]

[..] Obama’s third place finish in this new poll is also notable because it was conducted Oct. 12-19, a few days before he said on “Meet the Press” that he would seriously consider a presidential bid.

Obama had been the focus of speculation before then, but it has grown significantly since. Last weekend, the first-term senator went to New Hampshire, site of the country’s first primary. Obama and Clinton tend to be at the top of most nationwide Democratic presidential preference polls. [..]

[..] Following Edwards, Clinton, Obama and Vilsack was U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., the party’s 2004 presidential nominee. He had 6 percent. U.S. Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., who has said he will run, came in sixth with 5 percent. Eight percent were undecided.

Joe Klein puts in his two cents.

Chris Cillizza notices.