Iowans like guys named John.
Best explanation I can come up with for the caucus results. According to preliminary e-mails I've gotten from the Kucinich campaign, Edwards' strong second place may have been due in large part to the Kucinich alliance. Reports from Kucinich supporters say that they were just short of 15% in many caucuses, and went over to Edwards as part of the deal. Sounds like a tough sell, though, with the results showing Kucinich at 1% with zero delegates, while Gephardt drops out with 11%, and Dean being said to have been dealt a severe blow at 18%. If it can be sold, though, it leaves Kucinich as the only candidate with a strong pro-labor (anti-NAFTA) position.

I'm just depressed about this. I really want to work on a campaign this year to get rid of Bush, and I'd like to be excited about it. Imagine passing out leaflets for Kerry:

Voter: Why should I vote for Kerry?
Me: Because Bush started two illegal wars.
Voter: But didn't Kerry vote for both?
Me: Well, yeah. But Bush passed that awful Patriot Act!
Voter: But didn't Kerry vote for that too?
Me: Well, yeah. But Bush supports even more "free trade" agreements which benefit the wealthy few at the expense of working people in all countries!
Voter: But doesn't Kerry support them also?
Me: Well, yeah. But Kerry's better than Bush on the environment.
Voter: Okay, but so is ExxonMobil. How can someone support illegal wars, which pollute like nobody's business, and trade agreements which undercut environmental regulations and still claim to be pro-environment? Don't you need a higher bar than "better than Bush?"
Me: John Kerry is not George W. Bush.
Voter: Okay, I'm sold, but that's the best you can come up with?