Howard Dean revolutionized Presidential Politics in 2003 and 2004. There's a great book out about his campaign and an upcoming movie. My understanding and I can't reveal my sources is that George Clooney is not only producing the movie but casting himself to play the role of Blogfather, Jerome Armstrong. Stay tuned.
Then the DNC did its best to radically change the Primary Calendar for the first time in quite a while and while Iowa and New Hampshire continue to fall all over themselves to go earlier and earlier, the most important change has gone relatively undiscussed and that is, in 2004, Super Tuesday was in early March, now it's in early February. Hmm.
Any logical person would look at the requirements for election as the Democratic nominee, 2,181 delegates won, and determine that the early states of Iowa and New Hampshire are virtually insignificant in the process this time.
I'm just making a statement of fact.
Take Texas on February 5th. 299 delegates at stake. First four states combined, 147 delegates. Which would you rather win?
The reason, historically, that Iowa has mattered so much is that the media fills the days, and weeks, after Iowa with stories of who met expectations, who exceeded them, who won and who lost. But that won't happen this time, because there aren't days or weeks to fill with retrospective news stories, there will be more results to report.
I'm just making a statement of fact.
There's another reason why Iowa and New Hampshire are not as relevant as in past years; and that is money. With both parties holding primaries in the states, you just can't spend the money there that you have raised and are holding in cash. Money is not the arbitrator of success that it once was.
John McCain raised and blew $20,000,000. Romney has spent more than that. Hillary and Barack are spending millions - Giuliani has spent $13,000,000 over the past 3 months. Where is it all going? A fair portion into Iowa and New Hampshire and there are only so many t.v. spots and bbq's you can host in those states.
So why is it happening?
Well, it's a convenient circle. Candidates have been told that it's all about Iowa and New Hampshire - by their consultants - who know all about Iowa and New Hampshire.
Iowa and New Hampshire tell people it's all about Iowa and New Hampshire.
The corporate media tells everyone about Iowa and New Hampshire and on it goes. And on it will go. To the point of absurdity, when Michelle Obama is drawing a line in the Iowa dirt. A $100 million campaign is going to come down to one state with a handful of delegates? Only if you let it.
Until someone is smart enough to realize,
the calendar is different;
the money is different;
the world and how we communicate is different;
and it's only about Iowa and New Hampshire if you don't think about it.