So, I agree with people who think that Iowa and New Hampshire are just so unlike the rest of the country that it is not fair that they get to basically decide which two or three people have a chance at winning a nomination. On the other hand, I see a real value in having the first primary be in a small state where a lot of people can have an opportunity to get to know the candidates up close and personal. If the first primary were in California, the entire race would be about who had the money to bombard the six different media markets with commercials. So I hereby nominate Rhode Island to hold the first primary. With only a million people, there would be lots of opportunities for outsider candidates to impress voters with their personalities and ideas. There's a realistic mix of urban and rural in the state. And the place is much more racially, ethnically, and religiously diverse than either New Hampshire or Iowa. Plus, every four years the rest of the country would get to spend a couple of months making fun of the Rhode Island accent. And that's comedy gold, people.