Agents of Change Jolt Parties

Iowa's caucuses last night delivered a battering to the two parties' establishment candidates, with voters on both sides endorsing relative newcomers who promise an end to the status quo. A first-term senator with a Kenyan father and a Baptist minister most famous for having lost 100 pounds brought low frontrunners whose lackluster finishes called their electability into question, reports the New York Times.

The parties go into New Hampshire with both races wide open, and for Hillary Clinton the loss is especially acute. "If Hillary doesn’t stop Obama in New Hampshire, Obama is going to be the Democratic nominee," said consultant Robert Shrum. One difference between the victors: Obama is a heavyweight fundraiser, while Huckabee won while being outspent 6 to 1 on TV ads alone. (More Barack Obama stories.)