Ten more delegates go on his overall total

ABC News in the US is leading on the above story about the second delegate battle for Iowa – scene of the very first caucus in the nomination process on January 3rd.

According to ABC Obama “saw his delegate lead over Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., grow by 10 on Saturday when Iowa Democrats took the second step in picking national convention delegates..Obama’s gains at Saturday’s county conventions came from successfully wooing Iowa Democratic Party activists who had previously backed former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., as well as picking up the support of some Iowans who had backed Clinton during the Jan. 3rd precinct caucuses.”

As ABC’s Chuck Todd observes Obama has boosted his delegate margin from this activity by more than Hillary Clinton secured in her famous victory in Ohio nearly two weeks ago – underlining the ruthless efficiency of his campaign in piling up the delegate totals.

Other states which have had caucuses will go through a similar process which must leave open the prospect of more gains for Obama on this model. Todd wonders whether a factor might have been the Clinton campaign’s effort to denigrate the states which uses the caucus model.

This latest development will help move the narrative on from the difficult focus that there’s been on the Pastor who married him and Michelle.

Latest Democratic nomination betting has Obama at 0.4/1 having moved out quite a bit in the past few days.

Mike Smithson