Iowans "are going to stand in the shoes of all Democrats in the country," Rep. Dick Gephardt said Sunday night as the caucus campaign neared an end. And on that, Howard Dean, John Edwards and John Kerry doubtless agreed.

All four men arranged a final round of campaign appearances during the day, before moving on to New Hampshire and the nation's first primary on Jan. 27. Two other major contenders who skipped the caucuses awaited them there Sen. Joe Lieberman and retired Gen. Wesley Clark.

By the numbers, Iowa's caucuses offered scant reward first claim in a fight over 45 national convention delegates out of 4,322 who will attend next summer's national convention.

But Iowa Democrats had the power to confer more than that when they settled in for an evening of politicking in 1,993 precinct caucuses. They offered instant campaign credibility for the winner and potentially crippling setbacks for also-rans.

While the contenders spent months and millions wooing a single-state constituency, the final surveys judged the race too close to call.

But they couldn't take into account the relative strengths of get-out-the-vote organisations that are unusually important in caucuses.

Gephardt and Dean, a former Vermont governor, were given the edge there, while polls suggested Sens. Kerry and Edwards had late support coming their way.

Adding another element of uncertainty, a large percentage of potential caucus-goers told pollsters they might change their mind at the last minute.

Meanwhile, Democrats seeking to replace President George W. Bush Sunday cited a massive suicide bombing in Baghdad as evidence of the failure of US policy there.

Bush's Democratic opponents have harshly criticized the president's Iraq policy, and some said the bombing was the latest proof it is a failure.

"We have a failed policy right now. Why the administration is not willing to change course, I have no idea," Senator John Edwards of North Carolina told CBS.