[Steve_Seattle]

"It's to influence the outcome of the caucus vote on Monday."

To what purpose? Increasing the angry-Dem turnout for Dean, to give Bush the weakest opponent?

[DrDeb]

Yes, this should energize the most radical fringes of the left -- mostly in Dean's camp. At least 10 professors/1 Dean/several students are in Iowa from my campus -- this will DRIVE THEM NUTS!

[Additionally, I'm sure the President wanted to both pre-empt Congress' return next week (including Daschule/Pelosi's pre-SOTU speech on Monday or Tuesday morning?) and provide an appropriate ideological backdrop for his SOTU speech on Tuesday!]