Not at first place, of course. Nor second or third. But, as Blake Dvorak notes, a fourth place win would be substantial for a candidate who usually places under 10%. Apparently Biden, who’s a second-tier candidate, has been drawing in relatively large crowds as of late.

* 500+ people yesterday in Des Moines; a “first tier crowd”

* 300 Biden backers in Mason City

* 250 enthusiastic supporters in Dubuque; “a scene more typical of the events of democratic front-Runners”

* An “energetic crowd” in Waterloo ; leads to “an endorsement from a key Black Hawk County Democrat”

* 200-strong crowd in Council Bluffs

That seems to be backed up by this from Time.

Biden has seen standing room-only crowds, like the one in Ames, across the state in recent weeks. And the Ames audience was twice moved to its feet in ovations for Biden’s stump speech — a surprisingly brisk 18 minutes compared to Obama’s nearly hour-long closing argument, Hillary’s 45-minute speeches and Edwards’ typical 35-minute spiel. Biden by comparison spends more than an hour answering questions, a strategy, his communications director Larry Rusky says, that is starting to pay off.

Again, I’m not saying he has a shot at first, second, or third place. Those slots will be filled by the usual Clinton, Obama, and Edwards (in some variation of that order). But a fourth place win might mean Biden staying in the race a bit longer.

Also: Bryan has a post up about Biden going after Clinton for her Pakistan remarks.