Omaha World-Herald editorial: Caucus doubts could cost Iowa

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/opinion/world-herald-editorial-caucus-doubts-could-cost-iowa/article_9c79a258-2354-5bb6-ba3b-568d13e11e6f.html

POSTED: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016 1:00 AM

Iowa jealously guards the first-in-the-nation status of its presidential nominating caucuses. But for the second caucus year in a row, questions are swirling around the outcome.

A very close Democratic race, with Hillary Clinton edging Sen. Bernie Sanders by tenths of a percentage point and reports of coin tosses at some caucuses, has raised questions about the accuracy of the results.

Sanders’ campaign has urged release of raw counts from what party officials described as a "historically close Iowa Democratic Caucus." Iowa’s largest newspaper called for a "complete audit of results." In an editorial headlined: "Something smells in the Democratic Party," the Des Moines Register said: "Once again the world is laughing at Iowa."

That "once again" reference was to 2012, when the Iowa GOP first declared Mitt Romney the caucus winner by eight votes, only to announce two weeks later that Rick Santorum had gotten 34 more votes than Romney. The state Republican chairman resigned, and GOP officials said before this year’s caucuses that they had aggressively addressed 2012’s problems with new technology, more staffers and beefed-up training.

FULL story at link.

[CharlotteVale]

1. K&R

[cui bono]

2. And that incorrect call against Santorum cost him his campaign.

He left Iowa with no momentum because of that.

Now who has anything to gain from this year's snafu? Bernie still came out of it with major attention and momentum. He is now considered a real contender and electable and that means the people who thought "I like him but he's not electable" will move to be Bernie supporters. Hillary got her armor taken off, she is no longer viewed as invincible, she will lose support as people start to look into Bernie since he has proven he is a viable candidate.

Can you imagine if Hillary had the statistical loss? That would have been an even bigger nightmare than the virtual tie is.

Both candidates that gained from Iowa's 'sloppiness' were mainstream corporate, establishment candidates.

.

[angryvet]

3. The Democratic caucus

is a STUPID and undemocratic program. If it isn't discontinued and fixed the first in the nation status should be removed from Iowa. When I was there as a worker for the Howard Dean campaign I was appalled at the horse trading. People had to change their votes. It really is a dumb system.