To the Point

Caucuses in Iraq and Iowa

As the Iowa caucuses get under way, events in Iraq could have a major impact on this year-s presidential campaign. While the Bush administration was asking United Nations' support for a gradual transition of power, there was a massive demonstration in Iraq today to demand immediate, direct elections. Back in the US, what seemed like a big lead for Howard Dean in the Iowa caucuses has now devolved into a four-man race, with Dean, Congressman Richard Gephardt and Senators Kerry and Edwards all bunched together in the latest polls. The candidates are faced with a lot of uncertainties, not least of which is the way votes will be counted at the caucuses themselves. We hear from New York and Baghdad, get the latest from Iowa, and find out why we may never know the complete results of the Democratic caucuses. Making News: Iraq Shiites Demand Elections in Baghdad Protest In Baghdad today, some 50,000 Iraqis tuned out in the biggest demonstration yet on behalf of direct elections. At the same time, the leader of the civilian coalition, Paul Bremer, was seeking United Nations support for a gradual turnover of power. Dan Murphy is following the story from Baghdad for the Christian Science Monitor. Reporter-s Notebook: African Americans in Politics since Martin Luther King This holiday dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is not all parades and celebrations. The Los Angeles branch of King-s Southern Christian Leadership Conference, will devote today to voter registration. Clarence Page, a syndicated columnist with the Chicago Tribune, considers the changing role of African Americans in politics today.