Word: tiers
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...ballots today, the Romney campaign must look past a mere tweak of message and hope that the bitter sniping of the last two debates and their intensely negative attacks on McCain will nudge moderate Republicans to vote in the Democratic primary and encourage conservative Republicans to look at second-tier candidates instead of McCain, if they choose not to vote for Romney...
...second-tier candidates, who need 15% of the total at each caucus to win delegates, found themselves overwhelmed by armies - the very well run organizations of Obama, Clinton and Edwards. Forced to make second choices, the overwhelming majority chose Obama...
...John Edwards, meanwhile, has spent more time in the state than anyone in either party and remains a popular second choice among likely caucus goers who don't favor him as their first choice, a key indicator in a process that can reward also-rans when third-tier candidates don't meet the 15% threshold at most caucus sites. "Its not just a question of who turns their voters out," said Joe Trippi, Edwards's campaign manager. "It's a question of who knows how to work the caucus system...
...Iowa is famous both for winnowing both parties' fields - and for nudging dark horses into the top tier. The contest has lifted, for the moment at least, former Arkansas governor Huckabee into the top ranks of the Republican race, as voters warmed to his downhome delivery and easy sense of humor. Iowa could also deliver a better-than-expected evening for Arizona Senator John McCain, who was given up nearly for dead a few months ago yet is now poised - but not guaranteed - to come in third in the GOP contest, behind Romney and Huckabee. (In another sign that...
...only Edwards (71), Clinton (58) and Obama (47) had more than the 29 supporters required to reach the 15% viability threshold to continue to the next round. Only one person was undecided. Biden's supporters, not ready to give up, tried to convince the supporters of the other bottom-tier candidates into regrouping with them. But the three leading contenders were not going to let that happen; all three groups started calling at the small knot of neighbors who had supported the remaining contenders. "We've got good sandwiches,"one man from the Clinton contingent shouted, evoking a big burst...