SURE HE GOT WAXED ON SUPER TUESDAY, BUT HE CARRIED GUAM!:

2 Top Democrats Will Not Contest Iowa's Caucuses (ADAM NAGOURNEY, October 20, 2003, NY Times)

Two prominent Democratic presidential candidates, Gen. Wesley K. Clark and Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, have decided to bypass Iowa's presidential caucuses, angering some party leaders there and signaling what could be a very different nomination battle next year. [...]

"What we'll do is what I call the General MacArthur strategy," a senior Clark adviser said. "General MacArthur was very successful in World War II because he skipped over the Japanese strongholds, where they were more organized, and instead picked islands that were favorable or neutral terrain. Which means we would choose not to focus resources on Iowa and instead focus them on New Hampshire and on Feb. 3," when there are Democratic contests in seven states.

Mr. Lieberman's advisers said his moderate stances on issues that are big in Iowa now, including his strong support for the war in Iraq and support of treaties lowering trade barriers, were problematic in a contest that attracts many liberal and blue-collar voters. His decision marks something of a retreat by the man who was his party's vice-presidential candidate in 2000; Mr. Lieberman has spent 15 days campaigning in Iowa this year.

"I think it's pretty safe to say that there's recognition inside the campaign that Iowa is not now, and will never be, Lieberman country," one adviser said.

Another adviser said on Sunday, "There's no victory in being fourth in Iowa."

John McCain was able to ignore Iowa because he was going to do very well or even win NH. The strategy of the current crop of Democrats--John Edwards and his SC fire wall; Joe Lieberman trying to make AZ matter; etc.--asks supporters, donors, staff, and the press to keep the faith longer than seems likely.

Posted by Orrin Judd at October 20, 2003 8:40 AM