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It's possible that the Nagle Axiom was turned on its head by Sen. John Kerry's big victory in tonight's Iowa presidential precinct caucuses. Then again, it just might have been reinforced by the events that unfolded at nearly 2,000 gatherings across this state.
The political law, coined by then-Iowa Democratic Party Chairman David Nagle was simple. The formula to victory in the first-in-the-nation caucuses was to �organize, organize, organize and get hot at the end.

I'm posting this note at 10:50 PM on the evening of the Iowa caucuses, and after just watching Howard Dean do his best imitation of the Incredible Hulk. Speaking to supporters after finishing a disappointing third, Dean's "speech" (more like a rant) was both shocking and embarrassing. I thought Tom Harkin any minute would step up and muzzle the candidate he'd endorsed. Someone stop this guy before he shouts again!

The people in my circle have been climbing fences lately. Even those I would have put down in a "strong supporter" column in heavy black ink, have hopped up on to that fence? I've been asking why? Many people engaged in this primary have overwhelming objective: to replace Bush. And with the economy improving somewhat, and the polls being published showing broad support for Bush in Iraq, voters are vulnerable to campaign rhetoric questioning whether a candidate has the stuff for a good match. Dr. Dean, having been the acknowledged front runner up until last week, has had the fusilades from most of the other campaigns, directed at him. We have five campaigns doing everything they can to call Dean's November viability into question. And because it is the biggest concern about any of the candidates, the constant harping from so many fronts has taken its toll, moving Dean leaners up on to the fence, and mobilizing voters concerned about Dean's November viability into action in another direction.

Iowa's radio and television stations are raking in the final fistfuls of dollars from Democratic presidential candidates as the campaigns implore Iowans to support them at tonight's precinct caucuses. The airwaves are still dominated with Howard Dean's face and voice, Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack's endorsement of Sen. John Kerry and images of Sen. John Edwards and Rep. Dick Gephardt.

We'd had the coldest day of the new year and, if memory serves, the whole winter.

I had a long distance call from the engineer who decided on Dean at the very
beginning-nothing...but nothing has swayed him. However, the most undecided
are women in my circle of friends and acquaintances. It is not that we
women cannot make up our minds...its more that we want to be right...we are
a thoughtful lot. The people I have been talking to have been very
representational..black, white, Asian, mixed race and one who never