Trust me, Dave is not alone. Because of the record-high turnout, the MSM coined “second-tier” candidates faced insurmountable viability thresholds. Biden, Dodd, and Richardson had to continually fight for attention in Iowa and the national press to get balanced coverage and equal time in the debates, but to no avail.
If this wasn’t bad enough, they had to fight the archaic caucus system in Iowa. In my precinct (Coralville 03), the turnout doubled, yet the delegates were based on the last election’s turnout, so 120 people were fighting for 3 delegates.
After people broke into preference groups, only Obama and Hillary were viable, while Edwards, Richardson, Biden, and Dodd faced realignment or extinction. Edwards had 14%, while Richardson and Biden had 11% but nobody wanted to abandon their primary candidate. Why should they?
Consequently they got together and formed an uncommitted group and procured the third delegate — essentially keeping it out of Obama and Hillary’s hands.
These folks came committed to their candidate, only to become committed to being uncommitted, thus forming a political paradox –while simulatenously joining together in their repudiation of the caucus system.
The real tragedy is that although Biden polled 11% and polled even higher in precincts across the state, he ends up at 1% ( based on final delegates), whereas a convential count would have possibly placed him at 10%.
Consequently, Biden was a casualty of the current caucus system and his presence will be missed at tonight’s debate in NH. After all, who will take the lead on all the prominent issues and the frontrunners will no long be able to say: “Joe is right…”
Joe Biden and Chris Dodd deserve much better than this.
