Can anyone out there explain the caucus process?

I hear about it on the news every day and the newscasters act as if they know what it means, but I'm not buying it. I bet most people don't know what it is and how it works.

Why is the Iowa caucus so important?

In U.S. politics and government, caucus has several distinct but interrelated meanings. One is frequently used to discuss the caucuses used by some states to select presidential nominees, such as the Iowa caucuses.

...bottom line is that a Caucus is merely an old word for a meeting or session that is necessary to establish the credentials of the presidential nominees, similar to the primaries. It's mostly semantics for what you and I, and other average voters need to know. This is basically "game time" for the candidates to prove why they are more prepared to be President than the person standing next to them.

If a nominee "wins" the Caucus in the Iowa voters' minds, they are therefore rocketed ahead of the pack. Think of NASCAR. The more races you win, the more points you get, which puts you in line to win the championship. Winning each race proves that you are the fastest and best on the track. That is the purpose of the caucus and primaries...to prove that you are deserving of the vote of the population of that state.

By the way, I don't watch NASCAR but I did read a NASCAR magazine last week.

Also, if you win a Caucus and some Primaries you are proving your credentials to your respective party. If you win the Caucus you'll more than likely (historically) win your party's nomination. So whoever wins the Caucus on 3 January, 2008 for each party will most likely be your next presidential candidates to vote for in November.

The Iowa Caucus: Free information directory for the presidential election 2008 in Iowa. Caucuses Polls, History & candidates.

Great, but then what is the process for selecting each nominee?

Does each party have a vote that does this? What's to keep more than one Republican or Democrat from running in the general election?

It seems strange that one state (and Iowa at that) is responsible for choosing who the candidate is going to be. I don't think I've ever met anyone from Iowa, and I know a lot of people.

I'll admit that I'm not well versed in our own political process; definitely not as much as I should be. I have no idea how the Caucus affects the nominations other than usually if a candidate struts their stuff at the Caucus then they are more likely to get the nod of approval from their party. Once a party chooses a singular candidate it's pretty much unwritten (I believe) that the other sort of gracefully bow out and then support "the chosen one" in order that their party has a better chance of winning.

For instance, if Hillary wins the Democratic Caucus then all other Democratic candidates should bow out of the race slowly and gather up support for Hillary. Their support will hopefully "give" their would-be voters to the new "chosen one" so that the party as a whole can win the presidency.

That's my take on it anyway, please someone feel free to add or correct.

It seems that I hear more about the Iowa caucus. Why is that particular state so important?

It beats me. I think it's because it is the first one. If a candidate does well there, it may give him/her a ton of free publicity and momentum. If people vote in the other states that are after Iowa, they may look at the Iowa winner and vote for that person.

Just guessing though.

I stumbled upon this article from the nation about 4 years old, but it does explain the caucus and that iowa is the only state that caucuses.

ThisNation.com--What is a "caucus"?

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Iowa is one of the most important along with New Hampshire because they are the first. The candidates have a lot more time to meet the people and it's over all a way more personal experience. Once these two states are done the race becomes more difficult with primaries going on in several states at once. This makes it harder for the candidates to get around effectively and therefore harder for them to get their "point" across.

"It seems that I hear more about the Iowa caucus. Why is that particular state so important?"

Because it supposedly represents the most "across the board" group or demographics and ideology. In other words, the best mix of representation of all people(s)

Personally, I find that hard to believe, but that's what I've been told.