>> bret: iowa picks corn, new hampshire picks president. that's what they say out east to disparage the importance of the iowa caucuses. american political history tells a different story. going back to 1846, iowans had chosen delegates to the national conventions in the springtime. through a quick succession of local, county, district and state caucuses in which party leaders were mostly in charge. but that changed after 1968. the mostty multious year in modern american politics -- the mostty multious year in modern american politics. robert kennedy was assassinated after the california primary. vice president hubert humphrey didn't compete in the primary but he got nomination in a chicago convention scarred by violent street protest. >> go ahead. go on, officer. >> bret: that spurred democrats to make new rules.