Feingold to Address New Hampshire Convention in June

WASHINGTON- Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold is scheduled to address New Hampshire's Democratic Party convention June Third.

That would be his third trip to the state since last fall.

New Hampshire holds the nation's first presidential primary every election year. That makes it an attractive pre-campaign destination for politicians considering a presidential run.

AP

So which is worse: going through all the motions of a presidential candidate but not declaring yourself a candidate or this larger phenomenon that gives New Hampshire such a large role in presidential politics?

Historically, winning New Hampshire isn't a predictor, John Mac Cain, Pat Buchanan, and Paul Tsongas could tell you that, but that's not a very broad field. So much attention is paid to the Granite state- appealing to a populace that hardly represents the US as a whole.

That seems like a lot of influence to wield on the rest of the country- especially from a state whose motto is "Live Free or Die, Ya' Bastahd."