The Iowa caucus reminded me of this story from '04..

[Jack Bone]

It's a really great story, I'm surprised that I found it again!

Turning Point
After nearly everyone had written him off, John Kerry turned a limping campaign into a force that couldn't be beat. Here's How
By Roger Simon
Posted 7/11/04

Joe Ricca, a senior adviser to John Kerry and a former Iowa organizer for Michael Dukakis, was assigned the job of wooing and winning Mauro over to the Kerry campaign. At the end of December 2003, the Kerry campaign wanted--needed!--those votes that Mauro had in his pocket.

Ricca, with Kerry adviser Michael Whouley at his side, explained it this way to U.S. News .

"So John Mauro has 9,100 absentee ballots," Ricca said.

"Don't get the guy indicted though, OK?" said Whouley.

"Oh, no, they're all legit," said Ricca.

"Sure they're legit," said Whouley. "Right."<snip>

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/040719/19point.1_17.htm

It's a long story, but very worthwhile. Kinda makes me wonder who has John Mauro on their side this year?

[karynnj]

1. There are NO absentee ballots in a caucus

Which makes this story just a tad bit unlikely. Doesn't Roger Simon usually write for Politico?

Tell me what you are going to do with absentee ballots at a caucus! The story as written admits this, your excerpt comes to nothing - the guy doesn't do caucuses. This is a smear article - intending to get people who just read the beginning - written as dialog that likely didn't happen as I assume that all Kerry's people KNEW that there were no absentee ballots in a caucus. In the end there is no there there.

[Jack Bone]

2. Evidently, you didn't read the article..whatever..

This fabulous story from 3 1/2 years ago, goes into great detail as to how Howard Dean lost Iowa in '04 and how John Kerry pulled off the surprising win. Not by rumors, smears or innuendo, but by stories from the campaign managers of what actually happened. Doubt it all you wish, dare to be stupid!!

The piece that I posted was the lead-in to the article, it's kinda hard to sift through about 20 or so pages of a story to gain 4 paragraphs worthy of including as a DU thread. So, I just posted the lead-in. crucify me...

Do yourself a favor, take a 1/2 hour and read the story...it's worth it!

[karynnj]

3. Your link goes to just one page and it boils down to nothing

Kerry got more voters to the caucuses than Dean did. Look at the DM register polls - that series of polls shows Kerry getting progressively stronger. That was because he went out and convinced more people - than Dean did. Remember Edwards beat Dean too.