A new poll conducted by The Des Moines Register shows Hillary as the second choice (!) among the state's potential First-in-the-Nation caucus voters. She trails former V.P. candidate John Edwards 30% to 26%. Edwards also bests Hillary in terms of "very favorable" ratings, 42% to 37%. According to Hillary Watch's best recollections, this is the first poll of any consequence that has Sen. Clinton is any other place than first among potential Democratic candidates. This can't be good news for poor Hill, says the paper's political columnist, who said her showing "can be interpreted only as a setback."
Apparently this guy isn't familiar with the Clintons. They can spin this klunker into pure gold. First of all, Edwards has been to Iowa nine times the last two years, while Hillary hasn't been to the state since 2003. It's obvious that Iowans have forgotten who Hillary Clinton is. In addition, the margin of error for the poll is 4.9%, so it's entirely possible that Hillary got 30.9% and Edwards only 25.1%. And when Hillary has a better showing in the next Iowa poll (there will undoubtedly be dozens more before the actual caucus, which is about nineteen months away), she can call herself "The Comeback Kid, Part II."
