Obama takes Iowa

We stayed up last night with our baby and watched the Iowa Caucus results. I am very pleased that Obama won but I know it is still very early in the race and anything can happen. Baraks speech reinforced my belief that he is the candidate most knowledgeable of the change that is needed and the most committed to protect the middle class and strengthen our American democracy. Last night Obama was one of the only candidates that laid out what he plans to do with his presidency. (I thought Edward's gave a good speech too and has been very clear about his platform.

....We are choosing hope over fear. We're choosing unity over division,

You said the time has come to tell the lobbyists who think their money and their influence speak louder than our voices that they don't own this government - we do. And we are here to take it back.

The time has come for a president who will be honest about the choices and the challenges we face, who will listen to you and learn from you, even when we disagree, who won't just tell you what you want to hear, but what you need to know.

And in New Hampshire, if you give me the same chance that Iowa did tonight, I will be that president for America.

I'll be a president who finally makes health care affordable and available to every single American, the same way I expanded health care in Illinois, by by bringing Democrats and Republicans together to get the job done. I'll be a president who ends the tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas and put a middle-class tax cut into the pockets of working Americans who deserve it.

I'll be a president who harnesses the ingenuity of farmers and scientists and entrepreneurs to free this nation from the tyranny of oil once and for all.

And I'll be a president who ends this war in Iraq and finally brings our troops home who restores our moral standing, who understands that 9/11 is not a way to scare up votes but a challenge that should unite America and the world against the common threats of the 21st century. Common threats of terrorism and nuclear weapons, climate change and poverty, genocide and disease.

Tonight, we are one step closer to that vision of America because of what you did here in Iowa...

When you look GOP front runner, Huckabee, there is a sharp contrast. Huckabee's campaign is reminicent of George W. Bushes first run for office, with even less vision for change. Other than his passive agressive style, that some mistake as charm, Gov. Huckabee presents with few ideas and his only solid stances are that taxes are bad, Christmas is good, and Chuck Norris has a nice chin. Then he gave a speech that is completely fluff and devoid of any information about what needs to happen, other than him "going all the way". To the White House, not with Chuck.

Here are links to the transcripts of bothHuckabee and Obama speeches, if you would like to see the differences for yourself.