Edwards in second place?

Barack Obama's decisive win in Iowa raised questions about John Edwards' campaign.

The former North Carolina senator now has to regroup in New Hampshire and South Carolina—two states where he is polling way behind—without the financial support of Obama or Hillary Clinton. He also loses his chance to be seen as the anti-Clinton candidate. (N&O)

Edwards' advisers argue that he beat Clinton, who outspent him three-to-one and had the advantage of a former president making her case. But Edwards barely beat her, with 29.75 percent to her 29.47 percent—far below Obama's 37.58 percent. (Time)

They also argued that high turnout—more than 200,000 among Democrats—was a factor in the caucus, since many newcomers favored Obama. (Washington Post)

Many Iowa Democrats seemed torn between Edwards and Obama as an alternative to Clinton. Those who went for Obama cited his freshness—a quality that Edwards had back in 2004. (AP)