Reply #20: I guess it depends

[lastliberalintexas]

on how you view the deals that were cut in Iowa. While I think the media had a role, I don't think they alone brought Dean down. But the coordinated attack campaign from Gephardt and Kerry, the Osama ad, and the deals to throw delegates to (basically) any candidate BUT Dean did hurt him and his campaign a great deal. People who think that only the media brought him down or that Dean didn't make mistakes are living in denial.

But to say that the delegate deals in Iowa are meaningless is to live in denial as well.

Is that a conspiracy? By a legal definition, yes (2 or more parties acting in concert to bring about an event or occurence). Take that for what you will.