Dan Merica

Dan Merica @merica

Sure, the content of the speeches mattered. But the ability for each campaign to organize their supporters in the hall was a powerful flex for the Iowans in the room. From massive signage to light shows, Warren and Buttigieg won on that measure. https://t.co/BbUocOlzWB — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

Thread: Ninety-four days from the Iowa caucuses, the Democratic presidential contenders each got 12 minutes to try to impress likely voters on the state party's biggest night of the year. Here are my takeaways with @ericbradner: https://t.co/BbUocOlzWB — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

RT @ericbradner: 7 takeaways from Iowa Democrats' biggest night of the year, from me + @merica: https://t.co/2yUA1lBWAy — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

"Hello Iowa! Thank you for speaking for the keynote speaker," Montana @GovernorBullock exclaims, the last candidate to speak at the Liberty & Justice Celebration. Oh, and he was initially announced as @CoryBooker. — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

John Delaney just walked on stage for his speech at tonight's Liberty & Justice Celebration with a massive picture of Steve Bullock behind him. So, how is your night going? — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

Amy Klobuchar is possibly the candidate who suffered the most from going in the second half of this event. She delivered a pointed speech that fired up even people not here to support her. Almost certain that speech would have been received better with a full house. — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

Klobuchar balancing hitting Trump w/ knocking her opponents. On Warren w/o naming her: "I will have plans that I can pay for and deadlines that I can meet that are grounded in reality." On Trump: "He sides with tyrants over innocents. He sides with dictators over our allies." — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

Amy Klobuchar's speech here in Iowa is being punctuated by the low roar of a plastic horn. "I think that is Viking horn," exclaims Klobuchar, a proud fan of the Minnesota football team. "You are going to piss off all the Packer fans.” — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

Wow. Sen. Michael Bennet notes that he used to be the superintendent of Denver schools and oversaw their $1 billion budget. He adds that the budget was "about three times the size of a certain municipality in the state of Indiana," a clear shot at South Bend and Buttigieg. — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

Beyond the words, though, the speech highlighted the newfound power for Buttigieg's growing organization in Iowa, with hundreds of supporters sporting yellow shirts emblazoned with "PETE" making up one of the biggest shows of force of the night. — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

Pete Buttigieg touted himself as the most electable Democrat in the 2020 presidential field on Friday, delivering an optimistic speech that cast himself as the person who can best person unify the country after Donald Trump leaves office. Our story: https://t.co/3IC2wFBIHK — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

Harris looks to capture some of the moments that initially propelled her campaign. Being a senator "meant taking on Jeff Sessions, taking on Bill Barr, taking on Brett Kavanaugh," she says. "And Iowa, I stand before you today... fully prepared to take on Donald Trump.” — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

Kamala Harris appears to take a subtle shot at Elizabeth Warren. After highlighting her time as a prosecutor, she says, "I have only had one client my entire life and that is the people." She adds, "Unlike others, I have never represented a corporation." — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

Buttigieg directly takes on questions about his age: "If talking about hope and belonging sounds optimistic for a time like this, fine, call it optimistic, but do not call is naive, because I believe these things not based on my age but based on my experience." — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

Buttigieg hits Trump: "I don’t have to throw myself a military parade to see what a convoy looks like. Because I was driving one in Afghanistan right around the time this president was taping season seven of the Apprentice." — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

Buttigieg nods to Obama: "First time I came to this state was as a volunteer to knock on doors… a young man with a funny name. And we knew this takes were high then. The stakes are colossal now." — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

RT @JasJWright: Our dispatch of the day here: "The almost abandonment of the first-in-the-nation primary state operations follows a major… — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

Sen. Kamala Harris is closing three of her four presidential campaign offices in New Hampshire and has fired all her field organizers in the state as she pivots her struggling campaign fully to Iowa https://t.co/XY1W8gasqM w/ @JasJWright & @KyungLahCNN — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

Beto O’Rourke supporters taking down his signage inside the Wells Fargo Arena. The signs previously said, “We the people decide what is possible in this country.” https://t.co/BPtUXpBTVG — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

RT @ericbradner: O’Rourke is lingering, hugging and comforting his supporters. “We’ve got to keep the faith,” he tells one crying woman. ht… — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

A few people audibly crying as O’Rourke speaks here in Des Moines. — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

“We have to clearly see at this point that we don’t have the means” to successfully run for President, O’Rourke says outside tonight’s Iowa event https://t.co/Ms6WIqj6Vr — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

Beto supporters wait for the former candidate to speak in rainy Des Moines, shortly after he ended his campaign. Remarkably, some supporters traveled from CA, GA and across the country for this event and were “stunned” by the news this afternoon. https://t.co/slOSIIqFie — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

Harris at her Iowa rally this afternoon: "We're in it to win it. We are in it to win it. We are knee deep in Iowa, we are not playing around. We are here. We are here, yes indeed, we are here." — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

Sen. Kamala Harris dances her way into Wells Fargo Arena for tonight’s Iowa Democratic Party event. https://t.co/Kq9o8ZWcMt — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

Pete Buttigieg makes his way to Wells Fargo Arena followed by multiple blocks of supporters. https://t.co/7NpC4diePc — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

Former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke announced Friday that he is ending his 2020 presidential campaign https://t.co/eAQRuiZ80m via @ericbradner — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

Pete Buttigieg briefly responded to Beto O’Rourke ending his campaign on Friday. “He’s a really good man,” Buttigieg told CNN. “And he brought a lot to the race.” — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

Beto ends his 2020 bid — PolitiTweet.org

Dan Merica @merica

RT @BetoORourke: Our campaign has always been about seeing clearly, speaking honestly, and acting decisively. In that spirit: I am announ… — PolitiTweet.org