Yepsen: For Iowa Dems, prize is presidency, not caucuses

[Debi]

Des Moines Register article -------

The national Democratic Party should tinker with its 2008 presidential nominating process. Iowa Democrats shouldn't get too parochial about it.

The goal of the party's nominating campaign isn't to fill hotel rooms in Des Moines. It isn't to give a relatively minor boost to the economies of small states, or increase civic participation or debate issues.

It's to elect a Democrat to the White House.Period. If the party is doing anything that doesn't contribute to that goal, then it should quit doing it.

The good news for Iowa and New Hampshire is the party could keep the two states' leadoff positions but change the subsequent calendar of events by moving other battleground states up in the schedule of delegate contests. That would give more states a chance to play a more important role and force party candidates to organize early in those states, thereby enhancing the ability of the party to carry them in November.

<snip>

http://www.dmregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050531/OPINION01/505310360/1035&template=printart

[Broke Dad]

1. Yepsen needs to get a real job

There he goes again, telling us what we already know. A lot of older Democrats stood with Kerry in the caucuses because they believed he had the best chance to beat Bush. So in case Mr. Yepsen didn't hear any of those conversations in December 2003 or January 2004, Iowa Democrats were trying to win the White House in 2004, not just be parochial. We have always had our eyes on the prize.

Yada, yada, yada . . . whatever Mr. Yepsen.

[Debi]

2. If Iowa loses the First in the Nation status Yepsen loses his status

You don't see a reporter from Maine on Meet the Press or yapping with George Stephanopulos.

Yepsen needs us to get fired up so he stays in the spotlight.

(Still, we need to work to insure we stay first - don't really want to be caucusing in June when the nominee has already been determined).

[Hobarticus]

3. Yepsen's a hack...

Hasn't had any attention since November, and no one in Iowa takes him seriously.

[Debi]

4. But no one at NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN or FOX knows that n/t

[Hobarticus]

5. Sadly, he is "the voice of Iowa", for better or worse n/t