Well Pilgrims.... after all the folderal - the first Primary finally arrives this week...

...... and it all happens in the "Who cares" State of Iowa! Come to think of it, if it weren't for this primary every four years -- who'd even hear of Iowa? Twenty-one years in the Military, another career after that in a national association - and I ain't never met anybody from Iowa.... 'cept of course for Radar O'Reilly (M*A*S*H) who was from Ottumbwa or someplace.

Anyhow, just in case you was wonderin' what the schedule of this insanity is for the next month -- here's how it plays out (according to Wikipedia):

Campaigning for president often begins a year or more before the New Hampshire primary, almost two years before the presidential election.
For 2008, both the Republicans and the Democrats have moved their Nevada caucus to an earlier date than traditional, January 19th. In response to the Democratic Nevada Caucus being scheduled before the New Hampshire Primary, other states have also changed their primary election dates for 2008, creating a cascade of changes. The current dates up to and including Super Tuesday are now:
January 3—Iowa Caucus
January 5—Wyoming caucus
January 8—New Hampshire Primary
January 15—Michigan Primary
January 19—Nevada Caucus / Republican South Carolina Primary
January 26—Democratic South Carolina Primary
January 29—Florida Primary
February 2―Maine caucus
February 5―Super Duper Tuesday: Primaries/caucuses for both parties in 19 states, plus three Democratic-only caucuses and one Republican-only primary

Problem is, by Super Duper Tuesday when most of us get to vote in a Primary - it's pretty well over, and there ain't gonna be one of those Presidential wannabe's stopping by my front porch to say "Howdy!".... How about yours?