Updated: Huckabee, Obama lead new Iowa poll

Mike Huckabee's strange day -- marked by the unusual news conference where he discussed a negative ad he won't be airing -- is ending on a high note: the just-released Des Moines Register poll shows him ahead, by six percentage points, over rival Mitt Romney in the Republican presidential race.

The survey also contains good news for Barack Obama, putting him on top in the Democratic contest. The poll, which has had a solid reputation for accurately gauging what will happen on caucus night, gives him a seven-point lead over Hillary Clinton and an eight-point edge over John Edwards. Within two hours Obama's campaign had turned the encouraging new numbers into another fundraising appeal.

The Register's numbers and its analysis can be found here. And a summary of the most recent poll results in Iowa can be found here and here.

(UPDATE: Late this evening, running an hour late, The Times' Maria LaGanga reports, Obama appeared at a jammed rally at Iowa State University in Ames. He launched into his standard stump speech. After nearly 22 minutes, he added: “Apparently the Des Moines Register is coming out with a poll tomorrow. (We're) up six points, maybe it’s seven. Six or seven. It’s beyond the margin of error. So we might just pull this thing off. We might just pull this thing off, Iowa. Who would have thunk it.” The raucous crowd went wild. Obama didn't.

(Meanwhile, in downtown Des Moines,  according to The Times Seema Mehta, the three Clintons returned from a rally to the Hotel Fort Des Moines and wandered through the lobby. Hillary and Chelsea made a bee line for the elevator while Bill stayed behind to mingle with New Years revelers spilling out of the bar wearing funny hats and seeking photographs with the ex-president.)

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[Ava]

This is BIG NEWS! The DMR poll has earned the reputation as the most important pre-caucus poll in Iowa because they were the only pre-caucus poll in 2004 to correctly predict the rank of the top 4 democratic contenders coming out of the caucuses that year. All the other polls were all over the place but DMR got it right. Looks like Obama is going to win Iowa.

[arman]

zogby was the most accurate polls than any other polls backed by reuters and usa today, read what people have to say about Zoby..Hillary leading on their polls..

[evelyn]

Our moment is now. The American people finally have reached the moment when we realize that voting for someone because "he seems like a nice person to sit down and have a beer with" got us nothing but disaster. May this be the moment when our wisdom has returned. Make history, America. The moment is now.

[iowacaucus08]

My question for each one of the presidential candidates is, "Why would you put your presidential campaign profile on the MySpace website when MySpace has thousands of swingers with profiles looking for extramarital relationships?" Where is the proclaimed "holier-than-thou" proof of character in the campaign decision to advertise on MySpace? What is next, campaign ads in strip clubs? It seems like "selling out your soul" for the sake of American "pop culture" and popularity. I have yet to receive an answer on this issue. Give me a candidate with some common sense. Focus on the issues and address them on your own presidential campaign website and quit trying to win an Internet popularity contest.

[Marks]

Can Thursday hurry up already! Get the Iowa vote done with and off they run, its a political playoff, as we witness the NFL playoffs. Super Bowl 42 Sunday, Feb. 3 ( Patriots won't make it :-), Super Duper Election Tuesday Feb. 5th. The candidates chosen!

If Hillary loses Iowa, she'll skip New Hampshire and head right to South Carolina. Better to fight Obama there taking that state's black vote from him. Where Oprah had her huge gathering and render that a futile political stunt.

She'll hold on until Super Duper Election Tuesday regardless what happens. She might have to start mentioning her choice of V.P. early.

None of candidates are strong by themselves on either side. We need a package of ideas to lead the next White House from two people. The next VP has to fix that office Cheney has ruined having too much Pentagon and State Department policy influence from there. The V.P. should be in a disclosed, location.

Remember how Dan Quayle was forced on George H. Bush by the Republican party. Will that happen in either party this time?

I have no clue who Obama might choose as V.P. Would Biden want to? It could be anybody. But that person has to be viable choice America accepts to be a potential V.P if its not a Governor or Senator. It could be a former Military person. Obama's choice for V.P could harm him if its the wrong person. Hillary choice too. Edwards choice will define his policies better.

America is getting tired and anxious for this long Presidential run to start! Ready for some of these candidates to drop out already!

[Marks]

I forgot about Nevada's primary earlier than South Carolina. Hillary still wants to win South Carolina over Obama more than anywhere I bet early in this campaign.

[Deon]

California... Obama will take the first three states. We need to seal the deal. CA is the closer. Start connecting with the campaign now. Go to www.california.barackobama.com now and join up! We're gonna do this!!!

Finally, change. No more status quo. The political dynasties will be broken. Let's get some real work done. Obama for transparency. Obama for lobby and voting reform. Obama for the return of our constitution!

FIRED UP! READY TO GO!

[Charliemac]

Isn't it amazing all the money spent on these presidential races? Americans (individuals as well as businesses) seem to have a lot of discrectionary dollars don't they? I wonder if those that have contributed to these campains would also contribute to all those who REALLY need help.

It is for sure that the individual who gets elected to be president this year will not be thinking of those folks who have no homes or those living on a social security check or those who have to pay rediculous amounts for medicare.

Wake up Americans.

[Europeanview]

For more information on how the Presidential Primaries are covered in Europe, you can go to this blog entry:

http://tpzoo.wordpress.com/2008/01/01/good-morning-from-europe-its-2008-and-384-days-to-go/
or here:

http://tpzoo.wordpress.com/2007/12/30/good-morning-from-europe-3-days-left-till-the-iowa-caucus-that-is/

European media mostly dismiss any chances on the Presidency that Republican candidates may have. They are still booked on Hillary Clinton, but Barack Obama is coming in as a strong second. Edwards is taken into account, too. I personally, if I may say so, would favour Edwards, but as a non-citizen, who asks me?

[cde nhongo]

never in the history of the american presidential campaign has the whole world taken so much interest in the contesting candidates.i think this is the time for the office of the president in america to retain lost confidence in the eyes of both the american and the rest of the world.in obama,america is geared for a greater future,economicaly,socialy as well as foreign policy.God bless you america.to maccain,you are a good candidate thrown at a very diffult time,that of contesting against a man like obama