Weigel

The University of Iowa puts out a new caucus poll, weighted to include the best possible Republican sample. Cain dominates -- I think this is the biggest plurality for any candidate in any Iowa poll this year.

Herman Cain - 37.0%
Mitt Romney - 27.0%             
Ron Paul - 11.5%  
Newt Gingrich - 7.7%
Rick Perry - 5.9%    
Michele Bachmann - 3.9%       
Rick Santorum - 3.1%
Someone else - 2.5%
Jon Huntsman - 1.2%            

Yes, that's Bachmann with half as much support as Newt Gingrich. Will one legacy of the 2012 primary be the total downgrading of the Ames straw poll? If not, why not? Sure, part of Bachmann's problem is that she wears about as well as an original master of Metal Machine Music, and that her response to Perry jumping in the race was to make an aloof rock star campaign even more aloof. But it's pretty clear now that the straw poll wasn't a good reflection of the race. I like the line Cain delivers when he explains why he only came fifth in the poll: He didn't spend any damn money. "I woke up the next day with no headache and no debt!"