PRESS RELEASE from Democratic National Committee

For Immediate Release

January 3, 2012

Contact: DNC Press
DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz's Statement on Results of Iowa Caucuses
 
Des Moines, IA - Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz released the following statement on the results of tonight's caucuses in Iowa:
 
"We knew that the Iowa caucus was an opportunity to test our campaign organization and expand our volunteer base as we move toward November, and we're overwhelmed with the results.   Not only did 25,000 Iowans come out tonight to talk about the President's record and vision to restore security to the middle class, but 7,500 Iowans pledged to volunteer and work for his reelection, underscoring their commitment to continuing the change the country has seen under President Obama's leadership.   This is the first time a caucus has organized for a general election, and it’s a significant down payment for November.  
 
“The Republican caucus tells a different story.    They made clear tonight what kind of nominee they want facing President Obama in November -- a candidate that supports Tea Party policies that let Wall Street write its own rules, gives more tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires and makes the middle class foot the bill.  But after five years of campaigning and adopting policies far to the right of Rick Perry, Rick Santorum, and Newt Gingrich on issues ranging from economic philosophy, to immigration, to social issues, Mitt Romney still failed to convince voters that he could be trusted to help middle class families and those still trying to reach the middle class.
 
"So while the Republican candidates pack up their offices tomorrow morning and head out of town, President Obama will emerge from tonight's caucuses with the strongest grassroots organization and infrastructure in this critical battleground state of any candidate going forward.  The President made a promise tonight to keep fighting for America's working families, and he's going to keep it - for the people of Iowa and for folks across the country."
 
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Also, this EMAIL from Obama for America
January 3, 2011

These Republican candidates spent in some cases more than a year -- in Mitt Romney's case seven years -- campaigning in Iowa to be the next president.

But tonight, GOP voters there couldn't decisively get behind anyone.

Who exactly leads the Republican race going forward isn't clear, but we do know two things:

1) The extremist Tea Party agenda won a clear victory. No matter who the Republicans nominate, we'll be running against someone who has embraced that agenda in order to win -- vowing to let Wall Street write its own rules, end Medicare as we know it, roll back gay rights, leave the troops in Iraq indefinitely, restrict a woman's right to choose, and gut Social Security to pay for more tax cuts for millionaires and corporations.

2) We'll be facing an onslaught of unprecedented spending from outside groups funded by corporations and anonymous donors. In Iowa alone, so-called "super PACs" spent $12.9 million on almost exclusively negative ads. These groups will turn their fire even more directly on us in the weeks ahead to prove that their candidate is the most anti-Obama.

This race is officially on -- and if we want to win, the only way is to out-organize them on the ground.

Sign up to volunteer your time now, and one of our organizers in your community will give you a call by the end of next week to talk about how you can help.

Many observers still think Mitt Romney will be the Republican nominee. If he is, we will be prepared. But it's curious that no one can really explain how, when or why the 70-plus percent of Republicans saying in polls and in Iowa that Mitt Romney's not their candidate will suddenly come around.

So the path ahead for Romney -- or whichever of the Republican candidates is going to emerge from this process -- is sadly and starkly very clear: to run even further to the extreme right, and make even more dangerous promises that threaten not only the progress we've made but the fundamental fabric of American society.

We also know that candidates who take these extreme positions can, in the right circumstances, win not only a primary but also a general election in just about any state.

Just ask the Tea Party senators from Pennsylvania and Kentucky, and the Tea Party governors in Florida and Wisconsin.

Watching the circus on TV, it's tempting to think it's almost funny -- but this is not a joke.

We've got to be ready.

What you decide to do next will determine which kind of politics wins this election:

http://my.barackobama.com/After-Iowa

More soon.

Messina

Jim Messina
Campaign Manager
Obama for America