HISTORY OF THE IOWA CAUCUS

•Adopted the Caucus in 1846 when Iowa joined the Union.

• Until 1972, the Iowa caucuses were obscure local events that were scheduled in the middle of the national primary season.

http://www.iowapolitics.com/index.iml?Article=87630

Kristin

a V

oske

s

1972 THE IOWA CAUCUSES

EMERGE The Iowa Democratic Party decided to move its caucus date

to January 24, thus making it the first official presidential primary in the nation.

The media began tracking results from the Iowa Democratic and Republican Caucus precincts through the final caucus event. This developed a “play by play” form of coverage that really showed what voters in certain areas desired in political candidates.

http://www.iowapolitics.com/index.iml?Article=87630

Kristin

a V

oske

s

1975 ELECTION OF JIMMY CARTER-CARTER ENTERED THE 1975 IOWA DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS AS A POLITICAL LONG

SHOT, BECAUSE HE WAS BASICALLY UNKNOWN OUTSIDE OF THE SOUTHERN STATES.

-AS THE UNDERDOG, CARTER SPENT OVER A YEAR CAMPAIGNING IN IOWA BEFORE THE CAUCUS EVENTS EVEN STARTED. HE GENERATED A LOT OF SUPPORT, MEDIA ATTENTION, AND WON THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION.

-SINCE THIS ELECTION, CANDIDATES HAVE MODELED THEIR CAMPAIGNING UPON CARTER’S STRATEGY, AND HAVE DEVOTED AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF TIME CAMPAIGNING IN IOWA TO GAIN BOTH VOTER SUPPORT AND MEDIA ATTENTION.

IF THE CANDIDATES ARE CAMPAIGNING IN IOWA, THE MEDIA WILL BE THERE

HTTP://WWW.IOWAPOLITICS.COM/INDEX.IML?ARTICLE=87630HTTP://PEOPLE.VIRGINIA.EDU/~TED9T/CYOU/INTRO_PAGE/HOME/1980S/80S-IMAGES/JIMMY-

CARTER.JPGHTTP://HISTORY.HOWSTUFFWORKS.COM/AMERICAN-HISTORY/IOWA-CAUCUS.HTM/PRINTABL

Kristin

a V

oske

s

WHAT MAKES THE IOWA CAUCUSES SO IMPORTANT?

Since 1972, the winner of the Iowa caucus often becomes the eventual party nominee.

In the last 9 caucuses, Iowa has predicted the Democratic and Republican presidential nominee 5 times.

When candidates win this first primary event, they gain a lot of free publicity thereafter as the media has an increased focus on their campaign.

After winning the Iowa caucus, a candidate quickly becomes the frontrunner in their party, and has an advantage of delegates.

http://www.iowacaucus.biz/index.html

http://www.twolia.com/blogs/zoboxrox/files/2009/04/iowa.jpg

Kristin

a V

oske

s

HOW MUCH TIME AND MONEY DID CANDIDATES DEVOTE TO IOWA CAUCUSES

IN THE 2008 ELECTION?

The top 16 candidates spent a total of $457 million dollars campaigning in Iowa before the caucuses even began. This was a record high for spending during the pre-primary campaign period.

Some candidates began campaigning as early as June 2006 for the January 2008 Caucuses.

http://www.iowacaucus.biz/IA_CAUCUS_MONEY.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/06/AR2007020601598.html

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/4886744/2/istockphoto_4886744-time-is-money-hourglass.jpg

Kristin

a V

oske

s

HOW DOES MEDIA COVERAGE AFFECT A CANDIDATE’S

CAMPAIGN?

The media places both labels and expectations on candidates.

They tend to give a lot of positive press to long shot candidates who perform unexpectedly well in Iowa, and stop giving as much attention to those who were expected to do well and don’t.

The media’s coverage has a significant impact on the way that voters view candidates because it is a main source of election coverage.

http://history.howstuffworks.com/american-history/iowa-caucus.htm/printable

Kristin

a V

oske

s

KEY ELECTION TERMS

Front Runner: A candidate who leads either in the polls or by actual votes in an election. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/front-runner

Grassroots Campaign: A campaign that begins by building support at the local level with the intention of becoming a widespread movement. http://www.grassrootscampaigns.com/index.php

Dark Horse Candidate: A political candidate who achieves unexpected support and success as a in an election. US History Encyclopedia http://www.answers.com/topic/dark-horse

Invisible Primary: The time period before the political primary season begins in which candidates campaign, and the media identifies top contenders. http://www.allacademic.com//meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/1/5/2/2/8/pages152282/p152282-5.php

Political Horse Race: The Media’s coverage of presidential elections is often compared to that of a real life horse race, in which political analysts are constantly comparing opinion polls about candidates and trying predict who will win. http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/29/2008-coverage-focuses-on-the-horse-race/

Kristin

a V

oske

s

CASE STUDY: HOWARD DEAN 2004 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Background information: In a little over a year, Dean rose from the Governor

of Vermont to the Democratic front runner in the months going in into the Iowa Caucuses.

The media gave him great attention in the pre-caucus campaigning period, and placed very high expectations on his caucus performance.

http://www.allacademic.com//meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/1/5/2/2/8/pages152282/p152282-1.php

http://firstfriday.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/howard_dean_f.jpg

Kristin

a V

oske

s

THE SPEECHThis speech was given after the Iowa

caucuses… How do you think Dean did in the Iowa

caucuses? What affect do you think this speech had on

the rest of Dean’s campaign? http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=KDwODbl3muEhttp://www.southdacola.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/howard-dean-8.jpg

Kristin

a V

oske

s

THE AFTERMATH IN HEADLINES

Dean's Iowa Speech Looms Over Him

“I think it crystallized a lot of the concerns voters had about Dean's potential temperament as a president”

-Fox news, January 21, 2004

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,109117,00.html

What Happened to Howard Dean?“Dean did not want his supporters to think he was giving up after one defeat and he pumped up the decibels as if he was the coach of a team that was losing at half time. It was quite a show. But the media overplayed it by running it again and again and giving it the memorable title of the "I Have A Scream" speech. Howard Stern's radio show set it the soundtrack from "Rocky," and late-night comedians made it into evidence that Dean was out of control.”

-NPR, February 9, 2004http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1667239http://www.customs.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/C6F862D3-2DE0-41C9-B073-E674F2F1F8C4/0/

News.jpg

Kristin

a V

oske

s