John Edwards Declares Sign War Victory, As Does Obama Campaign

Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, like many of the Democratic candidates for President, spent the past week touring around Iowa in a fancy bus, with decals on the side and a sound system rivaling many dance clubs.  When it rolled up to the Edwards debate watching party across the street from Drake University, a crowd of nearly 100 people, who had been inside watchin the debate, emerged from the building to cheer.

Elizabeth Edwards introduced her husband, claiming “There was nobody up on that stage who was as comfortable in Iowa as John Edwards.”  With Edwards’s official Iowa tour bus in the background, she highlighted the time the couple has spent in the state as a reason to vote for her husband.

When Sen. Edwards emerged and took the mic from his wife, he quickly declared victory — but not the victory you might expect.  “There is no question who won the sign war,” he said, speaking mostly, it seemed to “the young people who are working 18 hour days” for his campaign.

This was a particularly taxing weekend for staff from most of the Democratic presidential campaigns in Iowa.  Last night in Cedar Rapids, Iowa’s labor community held a cattle call for candidates that went on late into the night.  Staff was necessary for that event, but campaigns also needed staff in Des Moines as early as 3:30AM today.  In many cases, field organizers went without sleep.

Edwards wrapped up his speech quickly, noting that the candidates on the stage this morning presented the audience with a simple, obvious choice: “Change or status quo — it was that simple.”

Sens. Edwards, Clinton, and Obama each held debate watching parties within a block of the Drake University campus (and within a block of each other).  Informal counts of the crowd revealed similar numbers of supporters at each, and each candidate visited his or her respective watch party.  Clinton’s appeared the best planned, since her party was in a theater well-suited to watching the debate.  Obama’s was probably the worst organized, as his supporters gathered in the dining area of a Planet Subs sandwich shop.

And, despite Edwards’s claim to victory on the sign wars, it was unclear who really won — if anyone can actually win a sign war in the first place.  For signs along the road in the community around Drake’s campus, Sen. Obama probably won.  For total number of supporters turned out to march into “battle,” it was a close call.  Clinton, Obama, and Edwards all appeared to have large crowds, and Dodd’s contingent was also present to make noise.

The Richardson campaign, as usual, declined to compete in the sign war.

Update 11:40PM: Just spoke with Tommy Vietor, spokesperson for Sen. Obama’s Iowa campaign, who says the Obama campaign had 150 people on their side in the sign war, which they showed up for at 2:30AM before significant contingents from the other campaigns had arrived.

“We were definitely the best organized,” Vietor said, noting that in his mind the Obama campaign “won the day.”  And, while Planet Subs may have been an awkward venue for a debate watching party, I should make clear that it was the closest possible venue that was not already being used by another campaign.

Winning a sign war will not determine who wins the Caucuses or the nomination, and campaigns clearly understand that when they speak to reporters about them after the fact.  That said, they also take coverage of it very seriously.