So Edwards has a lead in SC and Missouri, hmmmm

[ShaneGR]

The two biggest delegate states on Feb. 3rd are SC and Missouri. Edwards is leading in both and has actually hired all of Gephardts staff to work alongside his own staff in Missouri (Gep's home state). It appears that a Gep endorsement is forthcoming, provided Edwards finishes in the top 4 in NH with more than 10% (More than likely). So, my prediction. Either Kerry or Dean wins NH (Doesn't matter because both are gonna get whipped on in the southern primaries) and Edwards roars out of Feb. 3rd with a delegate lead.

Just my take.

[arewethereyet]

1. I've been calling it this way since early fall

Go Edwards !

[ALago1]

2. Missouri might be a tough fight

There is a recent buzz that Gephardt is going to endorse JK before next Tuesday.

Most likely, this will give Kerry a lot of momentum in Missouri and a great chance to pick up delegates.

[ShaneGR]

6. I can tell you right now, Gep will not endorse Kerry

Why would Gep have told his staffers to go with Edwards if he was going to endorse Kerry?

[KittyWampus]

13. You Are Misinformed. Gep's Staff Went To Clark. Edwards Had No Money

[jenk]

16. It's on Edwards website, he's got Gephardt staffers from Missouri AND NH

ST. LOUIS, MO - The Edwards for President campaign announced today that it plans to move a seasoned campaign staff into Missouri in preparation for the state’s February 3rd Democratic presidential primary. The Edwards Missouri staff will be made up of key operatives from Edwards’ strong Iowa effort and impressive new hires from Congressman Dick Gephardt’s former presidential campaign.

[JI7]

18. staffers went to many campaigns

they did not all go to just one campaign. they spread out among different campaigns.

[sistersofmercy]

28. Temple went to Kerry!

Made the local news this evening in St Louis, that's good!

[kerry-is-my-prez]

20. Most workers wen tto Clark

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/articles/2004/01/23/gephardts_ex_staffers_find_clark_to_liking/

Gephardt's ex-staffers find Clark to liking
By Brian C. Mooney, Globe Staff, 1/23/2004

Twenty-five field operatives from Representative Richard A. Gephardt's organization in Iowa have signed on with the campaign of Wesley K. Clark, but only after being turned away by Senator John Edwards's campaign for budget reasons.

Gephardt's campaign staff has begun to scatter following his defeat in Iowa Monday and abrupt withdrawal from the race the next day. His South Carolina director, Ike Williams, has signed on with the Edwards team in that state, which votes Feb. 3, a week after the New Hampshire primary.

-snip-

A Gephardt aide said the campaign's top Iowa operatives tried to sign with Edwards, but were told by an Edwards staffer the campaign had a "payroll freeze."

[Amager]

15. I could have sworn I saw somewhere else here today that Kerry hired

one or more of Gep's staffers. Don't know where I saw it now.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

22. Yes, Gep's chief of staff. Clark did hire a bunch. I think Edwards

got some too.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0125az-kerry25.html

[Amager]

26. Thanks for the link

I knew I had seen something somewhere.

And thanks for the welcome newyawker.

[newyawker99]

25. Hi Amager!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Jerseycoa]

21. Gep's staffers are everywhere

We have about 30 of them. But I did hear on TV today Gephardt is endorsing Kerry later this week.

[Loren645]

3. Source? Link please?

Thanks.

[jenk]

4. we're going to win one for the Gepper!

[JohnKleeb]

9. wasnt Gep your original guy or at least your number 2

Gep is a great man, I can see him endorsing Edwards easily.

[jenk]

14. he was my #2, but I was with Edwards from the start

[Renew Deal]

5. Do you have the MO poll?

I haven't seen that one.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

7. Missouri? I haven't seen any Missouri polls...source?

[Loren645]

8. Hello, is there a source? Tap tap; is this thing working? Hello?

Testing testing...

[Feanorcurufinwe]

27. Still no MO poll? Is there an MO poll?

[mourningdove92]

10. He is also polling well

in Oklahoma and Arizona. Not first, but moving up.

Hang on to your hats, this is going to be a wild ride.

[Loren645]

11. Hm, psych attempt maybe? Ooo, those insiders sure know how to

play this game, eh? :)

[KittyWampus]

12. Actually, Clark Hired Gep's Staff. Edwards Had No Money

so I have no idea what you are talking about.

He is also not leading in polls I've seen except SC.

[JI7]

19. some of them did go to edwards

some of the staff did go to edwards. some went to clark. a few went to kerry.

[Frances]

17. It seems no one knows who will win the nomination

and that's GREAT!

It keeps the voters interested and generates great publicity for the Dems and against Bush.

Bush has already sent Pataki and Guiliani into New Hampshire trying to get a little attention for his side.

[Duder]

23. Hmmm...

...

A SurveyUSA poll conducted Jan. 9-11 showed Gephardt leading in Missouri 37 percent to Dean's 19 percent and retired Gen. Wesley Clark's 15 percent. All remaining candidates had 6 percent or less.

...

Dean backers claimed to have more than 3,500 Missouri volunteers, including 1,424 in Kansas City, who had signed up on the Internet.

Clark forces claimed more than 2,000 volunteers who already were knocking on doors, dropping off campaign fliers and calling voters. “Just think what would have happened had we been doing any advertising," said Lisa Young, Clark's Missouri coordinator.

The Edwards camp has deployed staff and spent advertising money in Oklahoma and New Mexico but is now waiting to get past New Hampshire before deciding about Missouri.

...

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/7789801.htm

Fox News Channel reports Dick Gephardt will endorse John Kerry. Further details are unkonwn. Friday night Kerry's campaign hired longtime Gephardt strategist Steve Elmendorf..

http://www.politicsnh.com/

[Adjoran]

24. Gephardt won't be endorsing anyone too soon

He will wait until the race clarifies a bit, probably until just before Super Tuesday.

In Missouri, Dean was the only one organizing well before Gephardt withdrew. He has spent little or nothing in SC, and has only two paid staffers in the state, so it looks like he wrote it off early because with two southerners working the state hard along with Lieberman and the strong level of support for Sharpton, he figured the other Feb 3 states were greener pastures.

In the most recent SC poll, Edwards led, but only with about 20% support. Kerry had lept into second ahead of Clark and Sharpton on the basis of his Iowa momentum (he had been in the low single digits previously).