Sneak Peek: Dems Focus Shifts to Iowa

August 13, 2007— -- The dust has settled in Ames Iowa after Saturday's straw poll, the candidates have done their victory laps on the Sunday morning talk show circuit and one candidate has ended his presidential bid.

As the Republican field shifts its collective attention away from the Hawkeye State, it's now the Democrats turn this week.

Barack Obama and John Edwards have bus tours planned, Hillary Clinton will be on the ground in the middle of the week and the week culminates with the ABC News This Week Democratic debate at Drake University with George Stephanopoulos moderating.

Clinton tries to own the beginning of the big Democratic '08er week in the Hawkeye State by going up with her first ad in Iowa Tuesday, reports ABC News' Eloise Harper. The theme: "You are not invisible."

Clinton begins by saying, "As I travel around America I hear from so many people who feel like they're just invisible to their government."

Unlike Democratic nomination rival Senator Barack Obama's ads, D-Ill., there is no need for a formal introduction; the former first lady assumes the viewer knows who she is and promptly launches into a general election contrast with the current Republican administration, Harper notes.

The leading Democratic candidates reacted to the news of Karl Rove's resignation -- no surprises here.

Edwards kept it short, but not sweet: "Goodbye, good riddance."

Obama: "Karl Rove was an architect of a political strategy that has left the country more divided, the special interests more powerful, and the American people more shut out from their government than any time in memory."

Clinton spokesman Phil Singer responded to Rove calling her a "fatally flawed candidate": "Given Rove's track record of predicting a landslide win in 2000 and GOP gains in 2006, we're not too worried about his analysis."

In contrast, there was silence on the Republican side.

Not one GOP presidential campaign has proactively put out a statement paying homage to Rove or thanking him for his service, reports ABC News' Jake Tapper. Certainly former Governors Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee can't be delighted with Rove stealing attention from their Iowa Straw Poll victories this weekend with the timed announcement of his departure.