Reply #3: It is an expectations thing. [View All]

[MindMatter]

Hillary entered Iowa playing the "inevitable" card. That thing is long gone, and it isn't clear she can get the momentum back. It will be very interesting to see what happens in NH.

McCain is a different story. It was Romney who spent all the money there. McCain entered Iowa with a washed up campaign that everybody was writing off. He had little money and lots of turnover inside his campaign. It is hard to call a 13% 3rd or 4th place finish a victory, and I didn't hear Matthews say that. But the big difference is that there are a lot of fundies in Iowa to pump up Huckabee. Nobody expects him to do well in NH. That ought to be a good place for Romney, but with Romney losing so badly after spending so much in Iowa, a lot of people may figure he's not the horse to ride. That leaves them looking at POW, and gangster, and a senile old fart. The POW is the clear choice from that bunch.

Now if Huckabee can parlay his Iowa strength into a win in NH, all bets are off.