Today, Mike Allen at the Politico said that Edwards had raked in over $1 million since the caucuses. Some doubted it and were curious to know where the information was coming from.

Well, this afternoon we got confirmation from the campaign in a fundraising email to supporters asking for more to help for a NH GOTV effort:

“Since the Iowa caucuses, more than $1 million has poured into the campaign. Your overwhelming support for John and his message of change has kept us going — and it will keep us going through to the convention, and then on to the White House.”

For a second place finish, these are pretty strong numbers. Edwards has a considerably smaller staff across the country than either Obama or Clinton, so this money will help him keep things moving along. He’s promised to be in it until the convention and if he can still keep placing well in these early states, he can keep up decent momentum and work to make this a tough race.

And if Jerome is right the national bounce out of Iowa could be going to Edwards…

How important is it to you that candidates get at least equal amounts of speaking time or questions in these debates?

Maybe I’ve missed something in my absences from blogging over the past few months, but has the Register ever really done a serious news or feature piece on Iowa’s bloggers and citizen journalists? I mean, I know we threaten their credibility and their readership by getting scoops, insight, and news out faster sometimes–not to mention that our commentary is sometimes more consistent and better written than their columnists’–but it almost seems like there is an intent to ignore the contributions that bloggers in Iowa have had both before the caucuses and in previous elections or issues. Today, in their features section, they profile one citizen journalist who has been vlogging for PurpleStates.tv (she had to audition to get the gig) and one guy who has been doing it for MTV. Don’t get me wrong, their efforts are valuable…but what about the folks who do this on their own time and don’t necessarily live off of it?

The folks at Iowa Independent have been doing regular news and political reporting since May, and other bloggers on both sides of the aisle have been part of the debate and policy discussion in Iowa politics for a few years now. Other papers across the state, as well as national papers and news magazines, have highlighted our growth and commented on our contributions.

Simply put, why can’t Iowa’s paper of record recognize or examine the Iowa online community for what it is and report back to the people of Iowa on it? I don’t want the media attention, the scrutiny, the interviews, the publicity; I just think that some of us deserve the recognition for the contributions we make. Two of my former colleagues at Iowa Independent have already talked a bit about this subject (see Chase Martyn’s initial post here and read Ben Weyl’s abbreviated response here) and I think it is one worth further discussion as we continue to build Iowa’s blogosphere.

*As to the second part of that statement I am, in fact, only kidding. Kind of.

One website that was highlighted to me in an email is DemocraticGAIN.org. From their website:

“Democratic GAIN is a national membership association for progressive political professionals and organizations. Created in 2003, Democratic GAIN’s network of political professionals and organizations is the fastest growing in the nation. Democratic GAIN provides an infrastructure that supports and connects our members across the country through our Career Center, GAIN trainings, Professional Benefits and Networking opportunities.”

This seems like a more Democratic Party-centered version of LinkedIn and can become a valuable resource to those young staffers who are worried about the problems they might face in the future because they can’t find gainful employment right now.

From my understanding, GAIN wants to be able to compile a database of those folks working for or who have worked on primary campaigns so that when our nominee emerges there can be a centralized location of resumes and resources for the nominee’s campaign to begin looking for staff to hire across the country. This is a really cool thing that helps us Democrats actually build infrastructure and a lasting Democratic majority with experienced campaign staff.

So, if you’re a former staffer or just looking for political work, please register on the site and upload your resume. Good luck!

O’Malley Dillon is the wife of Iowa Gov. Chet Culver’s Chief of Staff Patrick Dillon. Before working for Edwards, O’Malley Dillon worked for Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jim Davis.

Matt writes:

“One crucial thing Barack Obama did last night was get white people to vote for him. Lots and lots of white people. Iowa’s not the kind of place where you can dominate the black vote, plus add on a sliver of white liberals and win a primary. To win — even in a primary — you need the support of white people.

And one thing holding Obama back among both black and white voters has been, I think, a fear that other people won’t be willing to vote for a black guy. Winning a primary does a lot to dispel those worries.”

And Ezra writes:

“And atop it all, Barack Obama won. A black man just won the Iowa caucus. And he won not because of his race, nor in spite of it; not because of the novelty of his campaign, nor because of its historic import. He won because a broad swath of Americans found him to be the most inspiring, the most elevating, the most attractive of the candidates. He won because so many Iowans felt their heart quicken before his words that they smashed all turnout records in order to add their voice to his. It’s a remarkable night. Not just for Obama, or for Democrats, or for political junkies. For the country.”

This isn’t to say that racial discussions aren’t still necessary in this country and this state, they most definitely are. Just look to Common Iowan’s blog for an example.

Throughout this race people have asked if America is ready for a black man to be president. If this many Iowans–Democrats, Republicans, and independents–can come together for Barack Obama it sure seems like America can handle him. We aren’t just white folk loving white folk in Iowa. We’re tolerant, and we’re diverse in our own way. And through the caucus process the candidates were grilled. We listened to their rhetoric, their policies, their stump speeches, and their closing arguments. Change and unity were the themes that seemed to resonate the most. Hope for an America that can not only look beyond the things that divide us, but, if ever so subtly, look beyond race.

Now, if only Iowans could truly look past gender and elect a female governor, congresswoman, or senator. Then we’d really destroy what’s left of any glass ceiling we might have.

• Obama: 37.6%
• Edwards: 29.8%
• Clinton: 29.5%

Good job.

“Republicans — Could this party be any more screwed up right now? Huckabee was a great caucus candidate, but he could be a general election disaster, especially if Obama wins. Romney and Giuliani are fading fast. (Did you notice Ron Paul had three times as much Iowa support as Rudy?) Thompson is sleepwalking. The GOP’s best hope may be McCain. He’s a likeable, solid candidate who could have general election appeal, especially among independents. His strength, experience, could be contrasted with Obama’s weakness.”

I still don’t think that McCain is the kind of savior the GOP needs, but Dorman’s right about the Republican party. They’ve got some major issues to face. They’ve been able to hold on to this coalition of social conservatives and fiscal conservatives–with views that oftentimes conflict or pull the party in opposite directions–in presidential races for a long time. In fact, one of my political science professors at Drake and KCCI political analyst Dennis Goldford calls this group the “Republican presidential coalition.” And as Jeff Greenfield mentioned on CBS last night, the party is doomed if either Huckabee or Giuliani end up with the nod simply because of how divisive they can be for the party.

Republicans have a lot to be proud of in last night’s turnout, but they didn’t have nearly enough to compete with Democrats. As Markos pointed out here, last night’s total turnout was around 356,000. If you consider the entire voting universe for both Democrats and Republicans, Mike Huckabee (last night’s Republican winner) still came in fourth behind Obama, Edwards, and Clinton.

I’m amazed. I’ll have a lot of thoughts tomorrow. But wow, record turnout of Democrats and independents. The youth vote showed up. Iowans showed up, on both sides of the aisle.

More to come…

Looks like the cast of The West Wing might be planning an impromptu cast reunion during this Democratic primary. Bradley Whitford, who played Josh Lyman, supports Chris Dodd and has even been cast in a campaign video about the FISA debate that Dodd led. Martin Sheen, the fictional President Jed Bartlet, will be campaigning for Bill Richardson this weekend. And finally, as iPol notes, Richard Schiff will be campaigning today and tomorrow for Joe Biden.

No word on whether Allison Janney, Janel Moloney, Dule Hill, Rob Lowe, Joshua Malina, or Stockard Channing would be endorsing or campaigning for anyone.

And he bashes candidates for encouraging youth participation in the caucuses. And he thought that Howard Dean would win in 2004. And a multitude of other things that put him out of touch with actual Iowans on terms of policy and politics.

Listen, I respect David Yepsen for his contributions to Iowa politics. But he isn’t the kind of kingmaker folks think he is. People shouldn’t have to win over his favor. He doesn’t caucus, ordinary Iowans do.

Most Iowans I know don’t like his column; they just use it as fodder to disagree and argue politically. And I’m sorry, but bloggers and other reporters shouldn’t indulge his ego.

Enough of this. Let the Iowans decide.

I’m not bitter, of course, but I think that it just stupid that the Des Moines Register decided to look past Edwards because he wasn’t as happy-go-lucky as 2004. When Atrios highlights Edwards’ statements on ABC’s This Week, I think we get a pretty good look at what Edwards is thinking, and it is about right:

“I didn’t consider it a consolation prize. I’m excited about being on the cover of Newsweek. The only thing I would add is, we did have a very serious debate when I was at the editorial board about a really fundamental difference that I have with them, which is, I do believe we have to take on a very serious issue of too much influence of corporate power in Washington and how it affects the public policy in this country.
[…]
I mean, they have a position. I respectfully disagree with it. I think that if we’re going to have serious change in this country, universal health care, attacking global warming, a tax policy that works for most Americans instead of just a few, a trade policy that creates jobs instead of costing jobs, I mean, all those things are going to require us to have a president of the United States who’s tough and willing to fight these powerful corporate interests that stand between us and the change that we need.

And I think the notion that you can sit at the table and negotiate and compromise, and these powerful interests will give away their power, I think is a fantasy. If it were true, it would have been working over the last few decades. And it does not.

I think we have a huge fight, an epic fight on our hands against those powerful interests, not against politicians. Nobody cares about politicians fighting. But I think we need a president who’s tough enough to take these people on and win, and I’ve been doing it my whole life.”

Simply put, the Register is being naive. And their endorsement of John McCain is just another example of wanting the status quo.

But that’s ok with me. Because I’d rather not have the endorsement as a way to keep up the fight against the conventional wisdom and against the status quo. That’s why I’m glad to have First Lady Mari Culver’s endorsement. I’ve met the First Lady several times and she’s a dynamic part of the Culver political duo. She’s a big part of the reason that the Big Lug is governor right now, and I think most Iowans know that.

Anyway, that’s why I enjoyed Simon Stevenson’s fisking of the endorsement over at Bleeding Heartland. A bit harsh? Maybe. But there is some pretty good argument and analysis, too.

In the end, it is going to be things like Edwards’ rural strategy here in Iowa that help him on caucus night. He was the first candidate to visit all 99 counties and has been to lots of small towns more than once–which can really help him come caucus night. While some of the candidates are still focusing on a big statewide blitz or drawing huge crowds in the big towns and cities of Iowa, Edwards contrasts that with a populist message of change and a fight throughout Iowa. With new polls and new observations, Edwards may be “mounting a comeback” (if you look through the media lens) or we’re finally seeing the true strength of the Edwards organization that was left over from 2004.

With a message that promises a fight and promises change, it won’t be long before we get to see just how strong John Edwards really is as a candidate.

“Hammered by student groups, the candidates have reframed their statements. But the episode has left a bad taste in the mouths of many students and of the groups that have been working feverishly to bring more of them into the electoral process. Anything that undermines student voting is bad for politics and bad for the nation.”

But I think they missed the point in blaming the campaigns and candidates solely for the whole “students from outside Iowa shouldn’t vote in the caucuses” fiasco. While some of the discussion comes from that arena, pundits like David Yepsen are to blame for fueling the fire with his anti-Obama pieces and his distaste or distrust for the youth in Iowa.

I can picture him now yelling out his Register office window and shaking his fist: “Damn kids, get out of my caucuses!”

Now, maybe he’s just the target of rabid local Republicans with nothing better to do (I mean, they get off on targeting gay Democrats, don’ they?) but he’s just taking away from the progress and ideas coming from Democrats in the state legislature and hurting their image. Is there some way we can just make this end?

“The U.S. Senate killed Earthpark’s $48.3 million federal grant Wednesday, putting the $150 million project in jeopardy.

Beth Levine, a spokesman for Sen. Charles Grassley, confirmed that budget language inserted by a senator – she isn’t sure who – rescinded the grant.
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Grassley, who arranged the grant in the first place, cannot restore it, she added.

[..]

The U.S. Department of Energy had been reviewing Earthpark’s plans to match the federal grant, but had not ruled if the Dec. 1 application met requirements.

[…]

Grassley’s office said the grant could still be allocated if the DOE acts before President Bush signs the bill, as expected, on Friday.

[…]

Monday night, the House of Representatives passed a year-end omnibus spending bill that includes legislation rescinding the Earthpark appropriation. The Senate passed the omnibus bill last.”

I wonder if any Iowa Democrats in the House had anything to do with the killing of the grant?