The campaign is really pushing two new Iowa polls that show her leading, within the margin of error — pointing out that while Obama is responding to her hits on his health care plan by pointing to sinking poll numbers, the two most recent surveys show her ahead.

The AP poll has Hillary topping Obama 31-26, with leads in every demographic. And a new Hawkeye poll from Iowa State University has her up on John Edwards 31% to 24%, with Obama at 20%.

But both polls have some weird features. The AP survey was in the field from Nov 7th to Nov 25th, while the Hawkeye poll was out from the 6th to the 18th — both unusually long date ranges, and long enough ago that they don’t reflect the developments of the last week and a half. The Hawkeye poll, meanwhile, has a margin of error of 6 points, and while it cites interviews with 1,416 registered Iowa voters, it’s likely caucus goers that matter. That number isn’t listed.

The upshot? Iowa is notoriously difficult to poll, and every survey in the last 3 months has shown all top candidates within the margin of error. It’s really just too close to call out here. In fact, the Clinton camp is using that fact to raise money — putting out a fundraising email called “Dead Heat in Iowa” that asks supporters to drum up $1.25 million in the next week.

——————

Obama has a new website called Hillary Attacks to point out and refute Hillary’s latest jabs on his health care plan and his political action committee (as well as on those Kindergarten essays he wrote expressing his desire to be president).

——————

Minutes after a Clinton spokesman jokingly threatened to down the press plane if reporters failed to write about the new, positive surveys, the cabin began filling with smoke after landing on an icy runway in Mason City… the same airport where Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper boarded their ill-fated flight on Feb 3, 1959. Her event, meanwhile, is being held in the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake — the last concert venue those three ever played.

That spokesman has promised he did not intentionally jinx us, but the national press corps understandably suspicious. We’re supposed to get back on that same plane to fly to Sioux City. Many of us are considering renting a car.