Has anyone else noticed how newspaper endorsements seemed to play a crucial role in the two states Edwards surprised most in, Iowa and Wisconsin? Both times, he got a surprising, prominent newspaper that reassured the last-minute deciders that here was a bona fide alternative.
How's it gone this time? The NYT was bound to come out for Kerry, of course, about whom its been a lot milder than other newspapers throughout. But its endorsement still trumps all others', I guess ... Any other newspaper endorsements that you know of?
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Meanwhile, this seems surprisingly naive: St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that Edwards is
"very excited" that Dean's leading volunteers in the state recommended like-minded activists to vote for him at the caucuses: "They're still a powerful force. It's a really important event."
What's up with that? Dean's once-reputed storm troopers yielded him a humiliatingly uneffective turnout drive in the Iowa caucuses, where the overwhelming majority of projected Dean caucusers didn't show up - and many of those who did, at the last moment ignored their "instructions" and voted for someone else instead. They were hardly more effective elsewhere. And now they are to turn the race to Edwards?
Both Minnesota papers do note that there's been a "surge" for Edwards in the state since the Wisconsin primary, though. But whether any of it will make any difference ... <shrugs>
If Americans have learned one thing in the last 4 years it is that polls can not be trusted, ever again>>>>>>
