The Daily Background

The expectations game

• The Clinton campaign is reportedly expecting the winning order in Iowa will be Obama, then Clinton, then Edwards.
• ABC’s George Stephanopoulos expects Fred Thompson to drop out after a poor showing tonight.
• Obama’s chief strategist says he can’t help but be optimistic
• (See my caucus predictions here.)
• Dodd has signaled he may drop out if he does not place at 4th in Iowa

Second choices

• Kucinich has told his supporters to caucus for Obama if he is not viable
• Rumors are spreading that Richardson has reached a deal with Obama
• Is an Obama-Biden deal may also be in the works?
• The one second tier candidate not likely to strike any sort of deal is Chris Dodd, given his reaction to Kucinich’s move
• Ambinder cautions that 2nd choice deals aren’t always a done deal

Last minute dirty tricks

• Someone is threatening Huckabee’s alliance of pastors
• Someone is push-polling Romney’s supporters
• Fred Thompson’s surrogates ask if McCain is behind media stories suggesting he might drop out after Iowa. (Highly unlikely.)
• Obama still battles inaccurate smear rumors that he is secretly a Muslim.

In other news…

• Bush is “interested” in the Iowa caucuses, but not interested enough to stay up past his bedtime

Filed under: Z-TDB Blog