TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

Iowa voters say it loud: it's a shake-up! (The United States of America could actually produce a black president....)

• Obama Wins Iowa, Bolstering Bid for New Hampshire Independents-RECORD TURNOUT: The number of Democrats participating in the caucuses jumped to almost 240,000, close to double the 124,181 who voted in 2004. (Bloomberg.com)
• Analysis: Obama Ahead; GOP A Headache-Obama Attains Front-Runner Status; Huckabee Win Roils GOP Race (CBS News)
• Focus Turns to the Independent Voters In New Hampshire, Unaffiliated Are Key For McCain, Obama (By MARY JACOBY Wall Street Journal)
• A Whiff of Revolution From Iowa (By E. J. Dionne Jr., Washington Post)

And now on to New Hampshire....


And on a side note: CIA confirms Ventura meeting occurred--CIA was (is?) apparently monitoring the independent movement..... (by Tim Pugmire, Minnesota Public Radio)

Independents' day

US elections 2008: Voters who are not affiliated to either the Republican or Democratic parties may be decisive in picking the next president
by John Judis and Ruy Teixeira

There is a spectre haunting this year's presidential campaign: the independent voter..... (Comment is free/Guardian Unlimited UK)

With 1,695 of 1,781 precincts reporting, Obama had 37.4% of the vote, a clear lead over Edwards with 29.9% and Clinton on 29.6%. The excitement of the Democratic contest was reflected in the turnout figures with 221,000 participating in the caucuses, a huge increase on 2004 which saw 125,000 voters..... (Guardian Unlimited)