What Will They Say After the Caucuses?

No matter what result the Iowa caucuses bring tonight, the campaigns will have plenty of spin up their sleeves. NBC’s Chuck Todd previews the politico talk:

• John Edwards: No one needs this one more. A victory will be a vindication of populism and domestic issues. A loss may well be un-spinnable.
• Hillary Clinton: If she wins, even barely, we’re back to the inevitability storyline. A three-way tie could be OK, if managed perfectly. Third would be a “near-disaster."

• Barack Obama: He must win here to get the nomination. Revolutions need victories, and this bandwagon needs to get going. Spinning a loss will fall flat.
• Mike Huckabee: A win will be a massive upset, but it’s got to be big to avoid the spin that he merely wooed evangelicals. If he loses, he disappears on the spot.
• Mitt Romney: Victory would have new meaning because of Huckabee’s surge. A loss could be played off, blamed on Christian conservatives. But McCain would have a field day.
• John McCain: If he can pull 15%, bring on the front-runner spin.

(More Iowa caucuses stories.)