Barack Obama Knocks Out Clinton In Iowa Caucus

Freshman Illinois Senator Barack Obama thumped former First Lady Hillary Clinton in Thursday night's caucus, posing a dramatic challenge to a campaign that has cloaked itself in an air of inevitability.

Obama would be the first African American president and, at 47, one of the youngest, if he were to go on to capture the Democratic party nomination and then the White House. Themes of change and hope dominated his campaign, and they were the concepts he focused on in celebrating his win before elated supporters following the caucus.

Iowans of all ages and colors turned out for Obama's victory speech, but the crowd was dominated by enthusiastic young supporters. Obama's ability to tap into new voters, both those who only recently became old enough to vote and those who have never come out on caucus night, was widely viewed as a key reason for his resounding win. He beat Clinton with 38 percent of the vote to her 29%, as well as former North Carolina Senator John Edwards's 30%. In doing so, he captured 57% of the under-30 vote, according to a CNN analysis.