Democratic presidential candidates Joe Lieberman and Gen. WesleyClark pulled out of the Iowa Caucuses. Despite what the twocandidates’ public relations people might say, reasons forthe absence of two prominent candidates are clear.

Gen. Wesley Clark, despite his exceptional foreign policycredentials, will not bode well if he is unprepared to talk aboutpressing domestic issues that he’s still trying form policyon. Lieberman knows he will likely come in low on the Democratictotem pole in Iowa, but may have more success in states like NewHampshire.

Both candidates know that a poor showing in Iowa will bepublicized, and they are unwilling to risk any blemishes that mightaffect them later in the campaign. They have both placed their owncandidacy above the cause of the party: to win the presidency in2004 for the Democratic Party.

They have also snubbed the Iowa primaries in the name of beingstrategically savvy.

Primaries are meant to streamline the field of candidates sothat one strong leader can emerge. In bypassing Iowa, Lieberman andClark have deferred the process of elimination to a later date,i.e. Feb. 3, 2004, when the New Hampshire primaries begin.

Does this seem selfish to anyone else?

Instead of throwing their hats in the ring and allowing thepolitical mechanisms of the primaries to begin, these twocandidates have placed their own interests above that of theDemocratic Party.

It should be noted that no one who has ever skipped the IowaCaucuses ever went on to claim the presidency. The big winner inIowa will attract national attention and gain a clear advantage infuture primaries; the most popular candidate will also placethemselves in the minds of Americans looking towards 2004.

The last thing Democrats need is a three-man race for thepresidency.