Something must have changed in the dozen years since I stopped paying attention, because I can't help but wonder what (special) importance the Iowa caucuses are in GOP primary politics? It had some relevance to Dem politics since McGovern's campaign used it to advance his dark horse candidacy in '72, and if I recall correctly Carter's campaign (Hamilton Jordan, something like that?) used a similar tactic, but it's never been much of a factor in GOP politics other than the front-runner usually does well for obvious reasons and it gives the rest of the field that participates the opportunity to prostrate themselves before ethanol farmers and hardcore social conservatives. Isn't Paul leading that poll something of an indication it's pretty meaningless? It's free media for fringe candidates for the most part, they often do well there, but to little avail. I think Keyes finished third there one year he ran.
I don't recall Bush the Elder doing well there in '88, nor did McCain even bother much in '00 other than to say 'ethanol sucks!' at some point in a debate. New Hampshire can mean something, Iowa seldom does, though obvious front-runners will generally do fairly well. Has something changed in the last dozen years?
