It wasn't just the fact that he lost that's devastating for Dean.

[Robin Hood]

It was the wide margin of loss between Dean and Kerry that was devastating to Dean. It would have been OK if Dean had gotten close to the two front runners, but he was far from even close to be viewed as a contender.

All of this has made me really suspicious of polling data. It seems that polls have been manipulated.

[ringmastery]

1. the results were kind of skewed

Gephardt wasn't viable in many precincts and his supporters flocked to Kerry and Edwards.

Also, Dean may not have been viable in some precincts and his supporters forced to go to Edwards or Kerry.

[youngred]

2. How can you be suspicious of people standing there telling their votes

its not a secret ballot counted by someone else. It's actual bodies standing in groups with people counting and voting confirmation of the counting

[Robin Hood]

4. Huh?!

I am suspicious of polls numbers and how they can be skewed to say whatever you want them to say, or fudge the numbers all together. I am suspicious that the media has propped Dean up in because they were afraid of a Kerry/Edwards ticket running against their precious Bush.

The numbers compared to the reality do not add up at all.

[youngred]

7. You're right they don't

Dean had a much worse showing than the polls indicated he would. The media have been nothing but friendly to Dean until this morning. Polls are indeed suspect, but caucus votes aren't

[NewYorkerfromMass]

3. It was a rejection

A qualified rejection by Iowa.

[killbotfactory]

5. The nature of the caucus allows for vote manipulation

The Gephardt/Dean squabble drove up their negatives, so when people had to go to a viable candidate, most went to Edwards or Kerry.

[beaconess]

6. I don't think the polls were manipulated

All along, the polls indicated that a significant portion of the voters were undecided and that even those who state a preference for a particular candidate weren't completely certain that they would stick with them when it came time to vote.

I think that the results indicate that Dean's support was very soft and that many of his supporters decided, when it came down to it, to support someone else.

[Robin Hood]

8. Fo months the polls have placed Dean as the front runner.

And Kerry/Edwards as non contenders. I thought that Edwards was toast, I even took my self off his e-mail list. Now I am suspicious that the media have been down playing the true front runners because they are scared of them.