I really don't like to say I told you so

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Aw, who am I kiddin'?

For months, politicians in big states like California, Florida and Michigan have griped about their lack of influence in the 2008 presidential race, pushing up their primaries to try to diminish the sway of Iowa and New Hampshire.

Now, thanks to those efforts, Iowa and New Hampshire appear more important than ever.

It's mainly a process story about how candidates must score an early victory to be able to gather enough money to compete on February 5.  It was all so eminently predictable, and the relative absence of any Presidential candidates or buzz in this state with a little more than 3 months to go until the primary is further proof.  The only way to end the prospect of Iowa and New Hampshire picking the nominee is to... stop having them pick the nominee.