KCCI released on Thursday the results of The Research 2000 Iowa Poll, which was conducted from Dec. 18-20. The poll consisted of telephone interviews of 600 likely Iowa voters and has a margin of error of no more than plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Caucus Outlook
The poll asked Iowa Democrats which candidates they would vote for if the 2008 Democratic caucus were held today. The top three candidates were Sen. John Edwards at 22 percent, Democratic U.S. Sen. Barrack Obama at 22 percent and Vilsack at 12 percent. U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton of New York came in fourth at 10 percent.

KCCI political analyst Dennis Goldford said that Edwards left himself well-positioned from the caucuses.

"Barrack Obama is the rock star of the moment. What's interesting is Vilsack is ahead of Hillary Clinton in Iowa," he said.

If the 2008 Republican Caucus were held today, Republican U.S. Sen. John McCain would be the top vote-getter, with 27 percent of Iowa Republicans polled saying they would pick him.

Republican Rudy Guiliani was second with 26 percent, and Republican Massachusetts Gov.

Mitt Romney was third with only 9 percent of votes overall.

All of those polled were asked if the 2008 presidential election were today, would they vote for Vilsack or McCain, and 41 percent said they would vote for Vilsack, with 72 percent of Democrats saying they would choose the Iowa governor, but only 9 percent of Republicans saying they would choose him.

Forty-two percent of those polled said if the 2008 presidential election were held today they would pick Vilsack over Giuliani.

Again, 72 percent of Democrats picked Vilsack, and only 9 percent of Republicans picked him. Those polled were also asked whether they would vote for Vilsack or Romney if the 2008 presidential election were held today.

Overall, 45 percent of respondents said they would vote for Vilsack, and 28 percent said they would vote for Romney.

Along party lines, 76 percent of Democrats said they would vote for Vilsack, and 55 percent of Republican said they would vote for Romney.

How Hopefuls Fared  

If the 2008 presidential race were held today between Edwards and Romney, 41 percent would vote for Edwards, 29 percent would vote for Romney and 30 percent were undecided, according to the poll.

If the 2008 presidential race were held today between Democratic Sen. John Kerry and Romney, most remained undecided at 37 percent.

Kerry edged out Romney by 3 percentage points, with 33 percent of respondents picking him.

McCain would beat out both Kerry and Al Gore if the 2008 presidential election were held today, the poll showed.

Forty-three percent said they would vote for McCain, and 38 percent would vote for Kerry.

McCain was slightly ahead at 41 percent in the poll, with Gore getting 39 percent.

Giuliani also beat out Kerry and Gore, although the gap was narrower.

Thirty-eight percent of those polled said they would pick Giuliani, and 34 percent said they would vote for Kerry.

If the race were between Giuliani and Gore, 36 percent said they would pick Giuliani and 34 percent would pick Gore.

If Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton were in a race against Romney, more of those polled would pick Clinton, at 40 percent versus Romney's 30 percent.

If Obama were running in 2008 against Romney, 43 percent said they would pick Obama and 28 percent they would choose Romney.

Breaking down results by gender and party of those polled, results for possible presidential candidates were mixed.

If the 2008 presidential race were held today, Obama would lead McCain with 42 percent of respondents' approval versus 39 percent.

Along party lines, 73 percent of Democratic respondents would pick Obama and 73 percent of Republicans would pick McCain.

Edwards edged out McCain with 42 percent of respondents overall saying they would pick him versus 39 percent.

Among Democratic respondents, 72 percent said they would vote for Edwards and 73 percent of Republicans said they would pick McCain. McCain beat out Clinton in the poll.

Forty-three percent of respondents said they would choose McCain, and 37 percent said they would pick Clinton.

Independents leaned toward McCain at 45 percent.

Along party lines, 69 percent of Democrats picked Clinton and 75 percent of Republicans picked McCain.

The gap was narrower in results between Giuliani and Clinton. Thirty-nine percent of overall respondents picked Giuliani, and 35 percent picked Clinton.

More men, or 43 percent, said they'd pick Giuliani, and 39 percent of women said they would vote for Clinton.

Most independents, or 40 percent, said they would vote for Giuliani. If the race were between Obama and Giuliani, 43 percent of respondents said they would pick Obama and 38 percent said they would pick Giuliani.

Along party lines, 73 percent of Democrats said they would choose Obama and 75 percent said they would pick Giuliani.

Edwards beat out Giuliani overall with 42 percent of the vote versus 38 percent. More men picked Giuliani at 43 percent, and more women picked Edwards at 46 percent.

Strong Opinions Remain On Bush, Iraq

Most respondents, or 53 percent, rated President George W. Bush's job as president as fair.

More than half of men at 51 percent and women at 55 percent rated the president as fair.

Sixty-seven percent of Democrats and 59 percent of Independents said Bush is doing a fair job.

More than half, or 54 percent, of Republicans said the president is doing a good job. When it comes to Bush and the Iraq conflict, most respondents had clear opinions.

Those polled were asked to rate Bush's performance in the handling of the post-war occupation of Iraq, and most people said he was doing a fair job.

Forty-eight percent of those polled rated the president's handling of the post-war occupation as fair; so did 60 percent of Democrats and 53 percent of Independents.

Of those Republicans polled, more than half, or 54 percent, said Bush was doing a good job and 29 percent said he was doing a fair job.

Respondents largely across the board think that it was not worth it to go to war with Iraq for the sake of a regime change.

Sixty-four percent of those polled said it was not worth it. Along party lines, 86 percent of Democrats said the war was not worth it and 59 percent of Republicans said it was not worth it.

Among Independents, 72 percent said the war was not worth it.

More than half of those polled, or 58 percent, prefer a drawdown of troops in Iraq before 2010, which is the year the Pentagon has sent for maintaining its current troop levels.

More than three-quarters, or 76 percent, of Democrats favor pulling out troops prior to 2010, as do 64 percent of Independents.

Only 36 percent of Republicans prefer drawing down troops before 2010.