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Author Jeff Greenfield argues that the Iowa caucuses did not help establish a Republican frontrunner.
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Mr.
Greenfield good morning Don -- are you.
I'm pretty good that you I'm fine afternoon.
And I think Wallace all -- wants all stuff plus and I watched a good chunk of it.
You don't think it's the first term and a long time I've not been part of it and listen as what you want should.
From this side of the screen you get a even stronger sense of somebody absurdity.
Of -- I used to have that's simple clothes do when it.
But the idea for instance that the political noise out -- what does that -- I have no idea you know -- I don't -- Yeah.
I don't see that as a -- -- -- -- But the idea differences that it matters intensely whether Mitt Romney was gonna -- -- -- eight votes in caucus situation.
Who was.
A kind of example -- hyper caffeinated coverage this was a tie.
The results of the -- All -- But he because this is an election if this -- November.
Then it really mattered who -- post -- -- -- -- which would would be office this was a caucus.
And so they get the same number of delegates Rick Santorum gets the group the coverage and the attention whether he was eight votes ahead of the content that will -- As at least for this week as the principal alternative to Romney.
The caucus did knock out Rick probably Rick Perry and Michelle Bachmann and probably Gingrich.
But I think it easy for me is that you get caught up in that some of the numbers really close and you if you look at it is so we're the seventh game of the World Series -- whoever gets one more run winds.
That's not have this thing works.
We're finished with a fraudulent undemocratic.
Hyped caucus.
We're now go to the situations in the next few weeks we actually have primary -- people will Chua provoke.
And that's the the question that has -- the Republican party for the last six months still most of which is -- have a front -- When three of every four members that party want somebody helps us and we're gonna find out the next few weeks with a Romney can you know.
Begin to make it a broader appeal -- somebody -- Representing a more conservative Republican actually can give him battle for the nomination.
-- my guys you know.
-- you know now.
-- -- -- -- -- -- Pulled out then in my balloon here.
Farmers charge -- -- -- what happened last night as a vector from my diamond Romney and you've just informative that it wasn't.
Now if he you know if it.
I'm remembering the way to -- Iowa Caucuses are always hopeful interpreted.
So fortunate that he loss city come in third us state by -- by a margin.
You would have the same reaction.
That region got in 1980 when he lost the first George Bush when one prominent commentator said that he's politically dead that didn't happen.
But he got virtually the same number of the same number of votes that he got in Iowa for years ago he got us I think -- slightly smaller percentage.
And but people know goes to New Hampshire we -- less you know.
Every law of the political universe and you'll win -- large victory in the questions in new interest going to be -- going to be bloody.
One we're seeing things -- commercial -- -- just how angry.
-- -- -- -- -- -- I don't all the recession and you know almost negative into super -- committee on you -- politics.
I mean and and here's the thing -- -- -- numbers nothing in any of those that wasn't true.
I didn't say that the as what -- go -- -- -- -- Clinton store but the point that fundamental attack on Gingrich Gingrich.
That that he took a lot of money from from you know governments -- enterprises that he.
Was defined by the ethics committee that's all that is true that doesn't look sometimes you get angry when people say accurate inspections that went missing -- -- -- -- -- because usually hurt.
And now the question is what's.
-- kind of campaign.
As we go through New Hampshire.
And South Carolina isn't it is Newt Gingrich going to.
Well -- -- -- not to win but to destroy Mitt Romney.
That's a very different kind of campaign but it's hard for -- to remember campaign -- one candidates principal goal.
Maybe not to win -- to destroy somebody else in the -- So obviously it's this thing gets a little more interest in and particularly -- is South Carolina.
Because that is a state where social conservatives.
Or -- very big part of fruit and citrus you know just down there a couple weeks ago for a piece of doing for.
This need to -- shown a couple of weeks it is a state where.
On Munis once redundant and trust -- moment.
I think important message you're didn't just want something in your prepared -- -- them on many.
-- -- -- it island it was pretty obvious one is along the need to goes on Friday night someone of the four co hosts on -- actually pretty good show because bonds.
It's it's about trying to do pieces in on what network PBS I -- -- -- solid -- they don't you do I'm not.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- somewhat Gingrich talking of that -- path.
But I just Caroline is going to be.
I think probably.
The most pivotal.
Point of the whole -- -- into the campaign oh yeah I do think if Romney wins in South Carolina of this thing is over okay if he doesn't.
He he is sort of the next week we made -- -- extended test.
But anyway that's.
That there was actually fascinating to me that -- That we could that Romney for you know he's been at this now for six years he's got more money than anybody else.
And he's got more endorsements than anybody else in the yet.
But the Republican Party boat so -- -- important keep looking for somebody other than Mitt Romney took Qatar right -- reluctant.
Yes yes it did and a lot of elect who that this this true -- you break it was always to the favorite of the base of -- liberals party.
The almost unseated -- 1476.
And Ford was in the White House.
So but you're right it doesn't launch -- mean it's it's hard to see we're Mitt Romney has increased.
His appeal to the broader Republican voters especially -- that -- much more conservative.
Even in the Republican Party wasn't -- rate -- -- Romney did Obama.
I have no idea and -- I -- you don't think -- else.
Your response to the -- of how would you look at the broader to -- And -- as -- as -- surveys which.
Show that most Americans right now to not -- Obama to have a second term.
That means is -- it's not like 84 with Reagan and indecent for Clinton when people were satisfied and happy and secure let him have another four years.
And that means that Obama like George W.
Bush channel four is gonna have to make.
Of those the case that the other guy.
He is not worth the risk of bush did that very well with Terry and I think whoever the nominee is.
But the Republican -- that's going to be a central part of the democratic seem all right you're not that happy little archive that you really don't want that debt.
Now the other thing we're saying is that did not that the numbers of the economy are starting to look a little brighter then doesn't it look look a couple of months of this is by no means of a glorious moment and economic.
-- of America but the numbers are starting to tick up a little and that's why you know between now one and September.
When people sort of start really -- and how they feel that the economy there's room for Obama to improve but I think yes I think.
The one of the top weird things -- -- this campaign issue have a precedent.
But right now most people don't want to have a second term and the odds are they'll get one slightly.
And you have a Republican front runner who most Republicans don't want as a nominee but he slipped to be the nominee.
Stringent I start to -- afternoon.
What questions I just Greenville -- month -- prominence until.
