memeorandum: Live Caucus Blogging from Des Moines by Rick Klein (Rick Klein/Political Radar)

10:00 PM ET, January 3, 2008

Top Items:

John Harwood / The Caucus:

Is Obama a Plan B for Richardson Voters? — Barack Obama's drive to win tonight's Iowa caucuses is getting a boost from two of his putative rivals. After earlier winning the support of Dennis Kucinich, Obama's campaign has reached an agreement with Bill Richardson for the second-choice votes …

Discussion: Iowa Independent, TalkLeft, Marc Ambinder, Slog, Stumper, Sister Toldjah, The Democratic Daily, American Street, You Decide 08!, TPM Election Central and Taylor Marsh

Shailagh Murray / The Trail:

A Biden-Obama Deal? — DES MOINES — Sen. Joseph Biden wants to beat New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson tonight. And Sen. Barack Obama could help him do that. — A source close to the Biden campaign described a possible arrangement, now under discussion between the two camps …

Discussion: Taylor Marsh, Wonkette and TPM Election Central

Michael Crowley / The New Republic:

The Deal Was for Real (UPDATED) — Bill Richardson was not viable in this precinct, and all 17 of his supporters (of 161) appear to have switched en masse to Barack Obama. They're sorting out three remaining Biden supporters who can decide the winner here. — Update: Maybe the “deal” isn't in effect statewide.

Discussion: American Street

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:
How a deal looks — and its limits

Discussion: Taegan Goddard's …

Ben Smith / The Politico:
Obama staffer suggests Richardson vote deal

Discussion: Hotline On Call and TPM Election Central

FactCheck.org:

Huckabee's Attack Ad Runs After All — His attack ad appears on three Iowa stations. We find it somewhat misleading. Another ad makes misleading claims about tax cuts. — The ad Huckabee said he decided not to run has now appeared at least three times in Iowa anyway.

Discussion: Marc Ambinder, The Corner, Political Radar, Althouse, PoliGazette and Fact Checker

David Schoetz / ABCNEWS:

Huckabee Takes Iowa; Romney in 2nd — Former Arkansas Governor Rides Momentum Surge to Early Victory — ABC News projects that former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee will win the Iowa Caucuses, beating out former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in a two-man race for the Republican party's top spot in Iowa.

Discussion: Ankle Biting Pundits and BitsBlog

CNN:

Obama projected winner of Dems caucus in Iowa — DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN) — Barack Obama will win the Iowa Democratic caucus and Mike Huckabee will be the Republican winner, CNN projects, based on early results. — With 85 percent of precincts reporting, Obama had the support of 37 percent of voters …

Discussion: CBS News, Arizona Republic, AlterNet.org, The Politico, Donklephant, Blogs of War, Punditry, Blue Crab Boulevard and The Hill

You Decide 08!:
HUCKABEE WINS IOWA PRESIDENTIAL CAUCUSES

Discussion: Gateway Pundit, Hot Air, Tammy Bruce and Viking Pundit

CNN:

Supreme Court Justice Bill Clinton? — WASHINGTON (CNN) — It is a title that would be sure to bring either fear or cheer to many Americans, depending on your political leanings: Supreme Court Justice Bill Clinton. — That provocative possibility has long been whispered in legal …

Discussion: Moonbattery, The Carpetbagger Report and Wonkette

Carrie Budoff Brown / Ben Smith's Blogs:

Bill, Hillary and expectations in Iowa — Former President Bill Clinton tried to lower expectations today for his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, suggesting at a Starbucks here in Des Moines that Iowa was not make-or-break for her presidential campaign. — “I didn't win a race until …

Discussion: The Swamp, New York Times, Cafe Hayek, Spin Cycle, Immigration Chronicles, The Democratic Daily, truthout, American Street, TIME and MSNBC

Roger Simon / The Politico:

Inside Iowa — Fuzzy math, Iowa-style — I just bumped into David Axelrod, Barack Obama's chief political strategist, and told him about my earlier blog item in which Tom Vilsack said: “Hillary Clinton has 5,000 people prepared to give rides this time." — “Sure, she has 5,000 drivers …

Discussion: Boston Globe and MyDD

Rick Klein / Political Radar:

Live Caucus Blogging from Des Moines by Rick Klein — 8:28 pm CT: Checking in with the GOP — Fred Thompson stirs. Running third as of this moment, holding off McCain. Wonder if Thompson's secretly disappointed — he looked like he needed a nap. — 8:27 pm CT: It's over way earlier …

Discussion: TownHall Blog, NYT, Slog, Hotline On Call and Comments from Left Field

Mark Murray / MSNBC:

DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS SITE PACKED — From NBC's David Gregory and David Gelles — Inside the Westridge elementary school in West Des Moines, this Democratic caucus site is packed. Huge turnout here. — Only 86 showed up in 2004. Tonight, the line is out the door. — It looks like almost 200 here.

Discussion: THE REACTION, Cogitamus, MyDD, Oliver Willis, The Democratic Daily and Open Left

Zogby:

Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby Daily Tracking Poll: Obama Moves Into Lead Followed by Edwards; Huckabee Lead Widens — Clinton, Romney dip as Ron Paul gains — UTICA, New York - Democrat Barack Obama continued his upward momentum through the evening before the Iowa caucuses, capturing the lead ahead …

Discussion: TPM Election Central, Captain's Quarters, The Newshoggers, Taegan Goddard's …, Pollster.com, Heading Right, RealClearPolitics, The Democratic Daily, Open Left, Wonkette, Deadline USA, Comments from Left Field, Pajamas Media, The Moderate Voice, Weekly Standard, Middle Earth Journal, Hot Air and Booman Tribune

Chase Martyn / Iowa Independent:
Richardson set to send Obama second-choice support

Chase Martyn / Iowa Independent:
Obama-Richardson Deal Goes Both Ways in Certain Precincts and Counties

Discussion: michellemalkin.com, The Swamp, Corrente, Captain's Quarters, Open Left, Norwegianity, Donklephant and Booman Tribune

Paul Kiel / TPMmuckraker:

Harman Warned against Destroying Tapes in 2003 — The CIA's initial defense for destroying the videotapes showing interrogations of Al Qaeda detainees was that they'd briefed members of Congress about their intention to do this long ago. — To which, Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) …

Discussion: Think Progress, The Lede and Emptywheel

doj.nh.gov:

MCCain and Romney PUsh Poll Complaints — Attorney General Kelly A. Ayotte is requesting the public's assistance in identifying who employed Moore-Information of Portland, Oregon to conduct a poll in New Hampshire, in November 2007, which has been alleged to be a push-poll.

Discussion: TPM Election Central, Captain's Quarters, The Campaign Spot, The Corner, michellemalkin.com, Washington Times, Hot Air, Wake up America, BlueOregon and Redstate

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blogs:

Dodd may drop out — Sen. Chris Dodd, who moved his family to Iowa in an effort to make a strong showing in the caucus, has told Fox News that he would be “going to Hartford tomorrow” if he doesn't finish stronger than fourth place tonight, my colleague Martin Kady II reports.

Discussion: The New Republic and MyDD