For a while there, it seemed that Barack Obama’s wave of popularity was going to go the way of Howard Dean a few years ago. Though he didn’t make any colossal blunders the way Dean did, his poll numbers, once so high, had begun to fade into obscurity. But with the support of Hollywood powerhouses such as Oprah Winfrey, and even conservative talk show hosts coming to his defense when it came to the more outrageous allegations about his character and religious background, Obama could be the comeback kid. With a win in Iowa, where according to usaelectionpolls.com, he is waffling between the lead and third place, Obama could be unstoppable as the primary elections sweep the country.
Some questioned Obama’s electability in the general vote next November, should he win the nomination in the early part of the year. No doubt, some of this uncertainty (which both he and Hillary Clinton shared) led to an upswing in the polls for John Edwards, who is seen as more middle of the road and centered than either of the other two candidates. Still, with those concerns on the backburner for now, Obama seems poised to at least give his rivals a run for their money.
Despite having taken a recent lead in Iowa, the three latest Iowa polls show Obama is not in first place.
What is interesting is how pointed the attacks have been between Obama and Clinton. Some Democratic analysts fear these sparring matches could have a deleterious effect on either candidate, should they win the eventual election. The perception of Obama as a candidate with little political experience and no real hands on dealings with foreign policy will surely linger long past the nomination, should he win.
