I don't know about you, but by bunching up a number of primaries and holding most of them during the first four months of the year, I find that the campaign season stretches out forever. It also forces all of the candidates to go into "Turbo" mode, campaigning in multiple states simultaneously. This might be fine for after the conventions when each party has chosen its nominee, but not during primary season.

The perception that "by the time Iowa and New Hampshire were done, the candidate was already chosen" is just that, a perception. But it wasn't so. It was still very much up in the air at that time and there were still lots of primaries and caucuses to go.

Changing the rules because of a mistaken impression isn't necessarily a bad thing. But if the rule changes are only going to make it worse, then why change them?

Frankly, I don't care who goes first. But I do mind that the push to make the same mistake as 2004, but only worse the next time, is a damn foolish thing to do. It's only going to piss off more voters and make the campaign season seem even more interminable.

The major change being made is to add in states from other demographics early in the election cycle, so that a broader base of the Democratic party has a say before all the other nominees drop out. Nevada will hold a caucus before New Hampshire's primary, and after Iowa's caucus, with South Carolina's primary just days after Iowa. This will get at least some representation from the west and south in the early stages of choosing a Democratic nominee.

Keep in mind this is only for the Presidential nomination, so this won't effect senate or house races. This will have little to no effect on the length of the campaign season, or the amount of political advertisements you see.

The American voters don't want a campaign of nothing but sound bites and campaign ads. They want to press the flesh with the candidates, one on one. With such a heavy schedule that won't be possible. It also means those candidates with less than bulging campaign war chests but better ideas and messages won't be heard, and that's bad for everyone.

I have to agree with Brian that the campaign is already too damn long. The DNC wants to make it even more insufferable.