It quickly became clear Thursday night Barack Obama would win the Iowa caucuses with 38 percent of the delegates. The results were apparent even sooner at the 68th and 69th precinct caucuses at Callanan Middle School in Des Moines, Iowa, where we watched as caucus goers took charge of their own ramshackle primary, with self-made leaders guiding attendees in counting votes by hand and assigning delegates. Obama supporters cheered loudest and longest in both precincts as the gatherings slowly came to order (or some semblance of it: The 69th precinct's tally was delayed after the loss of a sheet caused several minutes of confusion over the number of caucus goers).

Obama supporters even took up their candidate's popular "Fired up! Ready to go!" chant in the 68th precinct, which met in the school's auditorium, just feet away from the cafeteria that held the 69th precinct's caucus. The candidate eventually won both districts, with five and four delegates, respectively. Clinton and Edwards each earned two delegates in both precincts. Richardson earned one delegate in the 69th.