A Richardson-Obama Deal? Some Caucus-Goers Thought So - New York Times

[helderheid]

By Jeremy Peters

DES MOINES – There were many factors contributing to Barack Obama’s decisive victory in Iowa Thursday night –- his efforts to reach out to first-time caucus voters, record turnout, and a willingness by voters to take a chance on a candidate who seemed improbable not long ago -– but was an agreement with the Bill Richardson campaign one of them?

Both campaigns have repeatedly insisted there was no deal. And on Friday the Richardson camp said it again.

A spokesman for the Richardson campaign, Tom Reynolds, said that there was no pact. “There was no deal,” said Tom Reynolds, a spokesman for the Richardson campaign. “We’ve repeatedly said this. The Obama campaign has said this.”

But Thursday night, at the State Historical Society of Iowa building in downtown Des Moines, the caucusing certainly had the feel of a deal.

The Richardson faithful huddled in a corner, all 30 of them potential prey. And almost as soon as it became clear that they were vastly outnumbered, the operatives from rival campaigns began to pounce.

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http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/04/a-richardson-obama-deal-some-caucus-goers-thought-so/

Didn't the New York times report there was a deal yesterday? :crazy:

[seasat]

1. Polls show otherwise.

Obama took the percent of voters that said they were going to vote for him based on entrance polls. Edwards benefited most from the second choice votes. I've seen other stories where they talk about Richardson supporters switching to other candidates than Obama at caucuses. It sounds like the Obama organizer at that caucus was trying to play on the rumor to get the Richardson supporters.

[helderheid]

4. I heard yesterday from someone here (can't remember who, sorry) that it was Clinton's camp spreading

the rumor in an attempt to make Obama look bad.

[seasat]

6. I wouldn't be surprised if all the candidate's campaigns spread similar stories

They were all courting the second place vote since the polls showed a close race for the top three. I also wouldn't doubt if it was the media taking something out of context and trying to stir the pot.

[OzarkDem]

2. Interesting, I expected this

[9119495]

3. Nope. All of our Richardson people went to Clinton

and it sounds like this happened elsewhere in Linn County. Try again Times.

[bullwinkle428]

5. Nearly all of Richardson's people, along with

supporters of Biden/Dodd/Kucinich went to "Camp Edwards" in my precinct. I was in a big one - 555 total voters!

[MH1]

7. I was watching c-span and they were showing the Richardson group trying very hard to make the cut

The poor guy who was trying to keep people from peeling off to their second choices until the last minute, didn't look like he'd made a deal with anyone.

When they did give up and realign, most of the Richardson supporters that found a mike did say they were going to Obama though.

Maybe they just didn't tell the cat herders.