Obama Emerges Victorious in Iowa

Jan. 3, 2008 — -- With next week's New Hampshire primary already looming over Sen. Barack Obama's win in the Iowa caucus, there may not have been time for a lengthy victory lap or champagne toast, but his supporters still found plenty to cheer about.

"They said this day would never come," Obama said, over deafening cheers. "They said our sights were set too high; this country was too divided, too disillusioned to come together around this purpose. You have done what the cynics said we couldn't do."

"You have done what the state of New Hampshire can do in five days," Obama continued. "You have done what America can do in this new year: 2008."

Emphasizing the themes of change and hope that seemed to resonate with the Iowa electorate, Obama said, "We are choosing hope over fear. We're choosing unity over division and sending a powerful message that change is coming to America."

Obama came away from the Iowa Democratic caucus with 38 percent of the vote. Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards edged narrowly into second place over New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.

Edwards held 30 percent of the vote; Clinton 29 percent.

Elsewhere in the Democratic pool, as the caucus results came in, presidential aspirations dwindled.

Both Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd and Delaware Sen. Joe Biden abandoned their presidential bids in Iowa, each registering less than 1 percent of the vote.

From the beginning, Dodd's campaign was plagued by low numbers in the national polls, and his campaign struggled to get attention, hoping for the kind of jump that Republican caucus winner former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee received weeks ago.

In his concession speech, Dodd congratulated Iowa's Democratic party, saying it "sent a clear message that this party is united in our belief that our nation needs change to restore our security, our middle class and all that makes this country great."