John Edwards bets it all on Iowa

Jim Morrill | McClatchy Newspapers

last updated: July 18, 2007 07:23:57 AM

ANAMOSA, Iowa — His sleeves rolled up under a hot afternoon sun, John Edwards stood in front of a giant American flag fielding questions from 150 Iowans in a small-town park. Then, he posed one of his own.

“How many people here plan to participate in the caucuses?” he asked, watching hands shoot up. “That’s about what I was expecting. You have enormous power to decide who the next president of the United States is going to be.”

Iowans also may have the power to make or break Edwards’ bid for the Democratic nomination. In less than six months, they’ll hold the first contest of the 2008 campaign. A win offers big momentum heading into an unprecedented crush of primaries over the following three weeks.