So this thing gets decided by

[edhopper]

about 4% of the population of Iowa.
Great way to pick a President.

[Renew Deal]

1. You know it's not over after today right?

[edhopper]

2. Just point out the obvious

for all the fuss it is really meaningless.

[Mojambo]

3. This thing is going to go on nearly as long as Obama/Clinton. n/t

[edhopper]

4. touche'

Though there were almost 3 times as many voters in that Caucus.

[Tx4obama]

5. The link below has the vote results (on the right side of the page) for the NINE GOPers and 'other'

Talking Points Memo - Iowa Results: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/

[FarPoint]

6. None of this collective matters to me.

Obama is all I care about. Additionally ....this Caucus system is what the people of Iowa prefer. So be it.

[RZM]

7. What would be your suggestion?

No primaries at all? Mandatory attendance at Caucus sites? Starting somewhere else?

Primaries are necessary, you can't mandate participation, and it has to start somewhere. I do think that the media hypes this thing way more than it deserves, but it's not like they don't do the same thing with a myriad of other issues/events.

[JohnnyRingo]

8. I don't even think Iowa has a good record of predicting the candidate.

It's just an opportunity for the Republican hopefuls to audition for the middle America whitebread conservative Christian vote.

It's an important demographic for them, but it won't be the deciding factor. I bet Santorum or Bachmann gets the best they've seen so far in Iowa. Then it's all downhill for them.

On edit:
As I recall, this is the primary that Bill Maher refers to as the "roach motel" where the candidates make the crazy statements they spend the rest of their campaign explaining away.