The Democratic Calendar

The Democratic National Committee is trying to enforce a new delegate-selection calendar that would reduce the influence of Iowa and New Hampshire. The New York Times reports: "Any candidate who campaigns in a state that does not abide by the new calendar will be stripped at the party convention of delegates won in that state." This punishment may not have much effect. Of the 4,341 delegates to the 2004 Democratic convention, New Hampshire sent 27 (0.62 percent) and Iowa sent 56 (1.3 percent).