Jimmy Carter beat all the other candidates with a level of support that just shocked many Democrats. It shows that somebody who isn't really well known can use the state's nominating system to become a national figure in politics. Obama was not, frankly, at least early on, a particularly good candidate is like an attest from watching him in those early days.
For the past 50 years, the race to become the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee has been shaped by the where the contest begins: Iowa.
But that process could soon be overhauled. In a coming meeting of the Democratic National Committee, South Carolina — a state that is more representative of the party and, possibly, of the country — could take over the key role of going first.
Guest: Adam Nagourney, a West Coast cultural affairs correspondent for The New York Times.
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