Reply #9: This is a very good chronology I would like to emphasize one point and add another

[grantcart]

1) The DNC moved from the relatively mild 1/2 penalty for jumping the primary line because the Clinton team did not want a string of early primaries that could be picked off in a large field. They wanted to get to a big national primary as quickly as they could with as many states signed up as possible. Ickes championed the more severe rules to that end.

They were particularly concerned about Michigan which had indicated that they were going to jump 4 years earlier. Michigan with a large AA population would give Obama a big win early - especially if there was still a big field. The Clinton's were happy to lose Michigan but most likely unhappy to have lost Florida where their long southern connections still gave them an advantage.

2) The Clintons not only missed the caucuses they also set up a series of firewalls starting with Wisconsin but never really devoted the resources to win. IN and TX were also narrow wins. The Clinton campaign was only able to rebound on the backs of Gubenatorial machines in Ohio and PA to get any traction at all. By then it was too late. They had run out of room and needed to extend the track in order to hope to compete.

Your over all description is the most comprehensive history that captures the context very well.