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While the debate, attended by fewer than 1,000 AFSCME members from around the country, gave the liberal audience plenty of red meat to chew on, the real politicking after the event gives an indication of who is taking Iowa seriously. Most of the candidates jetted off to other political commitments; only Gephardt and Edwards hung around to make a real mark.

Almost all the Democratic campaigns are ceding Iowa to Gephardt, who won the caucus last time he ran for president. But Edwards has been putting down roots here, earlier than any other campaign that is up and running today. Both men were going to spend the weekend in Iowa holding in-home meetings with voters. Gephardt planned on holding events in at least five different towns on Sunday.

"We've had an operation here longer than Kerry or Lieberman, even Gephardt," says an Edwards campaign staffer. "We may not win Iowa, but we'll finish in the top three, and that's all that matters. We are taking this state seriously."

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