Afternoon Update: The Democrats

** Barack Obama called Sec. Condi Rice last night to speak about the post-election chaos in Kenya, CBS's Dean Reynolds reports. He later recorded a call for calm that the Voice of America station in the country will broadcast.

** Barack Obama joins Hillary Clinton in airing a two-minute closing argument on Iowa television stations during the 6pm news tonight.

** During those same newscasts, John Edwards will air a one-minute version of his latest television ad,

** Edwards claimed the endorsement today of 30 "leading" economists as his anti-corporate greed op-ed is published in the Wall Street Journal. Among the economists endorsing Edwards: James K. Galbraith from the University of Texas at Austin; and U Chicago's Deirdre McCloskey.

** Jacqueline Jackson, wife of Rev. Jesse Jackson, endorses HRC and tapes a South Carolina radio ad on her behalf. The Rev. himself is supporting, somewhat tepidly, Barack Obama.

** Bob Novak predicts that Mitt Romney and Barack Obama will win their parties' Iowa caucuses.