On January 4, 2008: Hope Over Fear

The day after the 2008 Iowa caucuses, then-Chicago-Tribune reporter Michael Tackett wrote about the win by then-Senator Barack Obama.

“In the end, Iowans voted for a smile,” wrote Tackett, “They chose conciliation over combat, personality over pedigree, hope over fear.”

Tackett noted that voters were “intrigued by a different kind of politics,” and that despite repeated advice pushing Obama to attack his opponent Hillary Clinton, Obama refused.

Throughout his presidency, Mr. Obama has mostly kept smiling - despite a cacophony of despicable words and deeds unleashed by his opponents. Haters gonna hate…

Only time will reveal the true legacy of the Obama Presidency. But after 7 years in office, the president can point to hundreds of accomplishments. And in this his last year, he has pledged to keep working for the American people, and to “leave it out all on the field.”


For a compelling history of the 2008 campaign, as told by news media, politicians, and ordinary people, see King's Dream: Barack Obama Becomes President of the United States of America.

On January 3, 2008: Iowa Rewards Obama

Then Senator Barack Obama won the Iowa Caucus on January 3, 2008.

While many urged him to go on the attack against Hillary Clinton, he did not. Iowa rewarded him, and with a record turnout. Mr. Obama took 37.6% of the delegates' votes, While Mrs. Clinton had 27.5%. Compared to 2004, nearly twice as many Democrats turned out and they outnumbered Republican caucus voters by more than two to one.

After his win, Mr. Obama spoke at a packed Des Moines, Iowa rally:

"They said this country was too divided, too disillusioned to ever come together around a common purpose. But on this January night, at this defining moment in history, you have done what the cynics said we couldn’t do."

Mike Huckabee scored Iowa's GOP victory, carried largely by evangelical voters.

After receiving only very small percentages of the Iowa votes, Senators Biden and Dodd dropped out of the presidential race.