It's been fascinating night in Iowa, as Democrats turn out in record-breaking numbers.
Barack Obama is the presidential pick among Democrats in Iowa, taking 38-percent of the vote. John Edwards got 30-percent. Hillary Clinton -- a close, but profoundly disappointing third, with 29-percent.
On the Republican side, Mike Huckabee's 34-percent trounced Mitt Romney's 25-percent. John McCain and Fred Thompson are tied for third with 13-percent.
It's all about beating expectations, and that's what happened tonight with Barack Obama beating Hillary Clinton by a lot and John Edwards beating Clinton by a little.
The turn out was the big factor tonight. On the Democratic side more than 200,000 Iowans packed the caucus meetings, and there were twice as many Democrats as Republicans.
Democrats and independents are standing up for Barack Obama.
"At this defining moment in history you have done what the cynics said we couldn't do," said Barack Obama (D) Illinois.
This was not a good night for the party establishment. Hillary Clinton had the Democratic machine, but not the votes.
"We've always planned to run a national campaign all the way through the contests," said Hillary Clinton (D) New York.
Tonight, Clinton talked less about experience and more about change.
"And that change will be a democratic president in the white house in 2009," said Clinton.
The surprise of the night on the Democratic side -- John Edwards who has squeaked out a second place finish ahead of Clinton.
"And you have created a tidal wave of change that will sweep all across the country," said former North Carolina senator John Edwards.
In the GOP race, Mike Huckabee's prayers have been answered. Even though he was outspent by Mitt Romney by a factor of 15-to-1, Huckabee beat Romney by a wide margin.
"People are more important than the purse and what a great lesson to learn," said former Arkansas governor (R) Mike Huckabee.
Mitt Romney told his supporters it's just the first inning in a 50 inning game.
"You win the silver in one event it doesn't mean you're not going to come back and win the gold in the final event and that we're going to do," said former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.
But for Romney the next stop could be more trouble he's in a very close race with John McCain in New Hampshire.
Two casualties of the night are Joe Biden and Chris Dodd. They both dropped out after failing to gather enough support to be considered viable.
Tonight, the candidates are heading to New Hampshire where the voting is next Tuesday.
