Obama takes majority of Iowa delegation's votes

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By Ed Tibbetts | Thursday, August 28, 2008 12:17 AM CDT | () comments

Before Barack Obama was declared the Democratic presidential nominee, Iowa cast 48 of its 57 votes for the Illinois senator, with Hillary Clinton getting nine.

The announcement came Wednesday afternoon, seven months after the state kicked off the presidential campaign and launched Obama toward becoming the first black man to win a nomination from a major party.

Iowa’s count was announced by Jacob Krapfl, a 24-year-old Iraq War veteran who served two tours. Krapfl, of New Vienna in northeast Iowa, said that while making the announcement he was wearing the combat boots he wore in Baghdad in honor of the troops.

“Back on a cold winter’s night in January, Iowa planted the seeds for a new field of dreams for America with Barack Obama’s campaign for change,” Krapfl said.

The voting for Iowans began early in the day, at their hotel. Delegations across the city cast ballots in the same way, an unusual process that left some delegates confused. States were told to be finished by 5 p.m., when the votes were delivered to the Pepsi Center in Denver.

There was no doubt Obama would be the nominee, but the vote and roll call was aimed at giving delegates for Hillary Clinton the chance to make their voices heard. It was Clinton who asked that the roll call be stopped and Obama be declared the nominee by acclimation, setting off a celebration.

Even though nine Iowa Clinton delegates cast their ballots for the New York senator, it was clear early on that the unity the party sought was working in many quarters.

“I’m getting on board with Barack Obama. I think he’ll be an excellent president,” said Kathleen Krehbiel, a former teacher from Solon, who came here as a Clinton delegate and had said only a day earlier that she felt as if Clinton supporters were not being given their due.

Krehbiel and Stephanie Imhoff, another Clinton delegate, got up before the delegation Wednesday morning and urged people to vote for Obama, even engaging in his signature rallying cry: “Fired up. Ready to go.”

When they walked back to their seats, Obama delegate Sandra Pope of Ottumwa opened her arms and said, “Welcome girls. That’s all I’ve got to say.”

Davenport Mayor Bill Gluba cast a vote for Obama. Like many, he recognized the import of the moment. “I’ll go down in history as one who cast a vote” for him, he said.

“For the Obama campaign, this is all about allowing the process of democracy to work,” said Jackie Norris, his state director in Iowa. “We know on Friday we’re going to leave with a Democratic nominee and that’s Barack Obama.”

Obama will address the convention tonight at Invesco Field.

Ed Tibbetts can be contacted at (563) 383-2327 or etibbetts@qctimes.com.