CBS News has a good breakdown of Iowa votes

[displacedtexan]

Mods,
If this is a dupe, please forgive me.

Why Kerry & Edwards Got The Votes

NEW YORK, Jan. 20, 2004

Each candidate’s voters came to the caucuses looking for different things, but substantial numbers agreed that beating President Bush in November was an important factor.

Voter concern about health care and the economy boosted Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry to victory in the Iowa caucuses. North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, who finished second, also benefited from voter concern with these two issues, according to a CBS News entrance poll of caucus-goers.

Third-place finisher Howard Dean, the early front-runner, was hurt by the fact that his signature issue – opposition to the war in Iraq – did not resonate with caucus-goers as much as had been anticipated.

<snip>.

According to the entrance polls, Dean’s strong opposition to the war in Iraq did not pay off for him in the end. While 75 percent of caucus attendees said they disapproved of the U.S. decision to go to war with Iraq, the issue was not the most important in deciding their vote. The most decisive issues cited by caucus attendees were health care, 28 percent, and the economy and jobs, 29 percent.




more (including percentage breakdowns of age groups and issues)...

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/19/politics/main594108.shtml?cmp=EM8705

[George_Bonanza]

1. I think Saddam took steam out of Iraq

Taking it out of the context in which it was achieved, the capture of any dictator is a good story. After months of deaths and helicopter crashes, perhaps Saddam's capture put a bookend to the Iraq issue, and Democrats could now look forward to electing somebody they trusted to end the current hostilities (any of the four major candidates) instead of dwelling and clinging onto the past and demanding reparations where it could not given. Just a thought.

[displacedtexan]

2. Interesting.

I've really had a hard time believing that capturing a sick old man (who we created in the first place) wouldn't bring such sudden closure to the illegal war issue.
Iowa voters have helped me to focus on the here and now: the economy and health care.

[lovedems]

3. The numbers I saw last night said that 74% of caucus goers

were against the war, so it is important! It is just not the only issue people want to hear about.

[Dookus]

4. well...

I agree that the Saddam capture didn't do much. What I *DO* think, though, is that people are no longer all that interested in pointing fingers about how we got there. Well, maybe they are in an abstract sense, but they're looking for politicians who are looking ahead about what to do, not looking backward to place blame.

But a lot of people who share Dean's anger at Bush (which I also share) don't think such anger is a compelling reason to elect somebody President, regardless of how personally satisfying it is for us.

I think Bill Clinton was so successfully politically was his constant optimism. No matter what happened to him, he presented himself as always looking ahead, staying on the issues, and ignoring what happened in the past. A lot of people liked that quality a lot.

[fishnfla]

5. Now this is the sort of stuff we should be discussing!

Not HD's post caucus speech. Substance over symbolism.

[fishnfla]

6. Several points

1. Its still the economy, stupid
2. The decline of union importance as a voting block
3. Edwards did better among women. The "nice guy who cares" approach resonates there, I think
4. Half of Kerry and Edwards voters decided at the end. Why? Cause Dean and Gephardt were attacking each other? I heard that Iowans tired of Deans edgey attacks, did he try too hard? peak too soon?