When Iowa Democratic caucus-goers chose John Kerry over Howard Dean in 2004, some wise observers whose names I have forgotten speculated that this was a case of voters not selecting the candidate who they found most appealing, but picking the candidate who they thought the country would find most appealing. You can argue whether this is a good phenomenon or a bad phenomenon, but it suggests that the electorate is getting more sophisticated.

Today brings another example, where the compressed primary schedule, usually the concern of hard-core political geeks like you and me, is used as a fundraising tool by Hillary Clinton’s campaign:

Dear Jim,
America is ready for change.
Everywhere I go, people tell me they are ready to put an end to the disastrous Bush years — ready to make a fresh start and finally meet the challenges we face. Wouldn’t it be great to restart the 21st century?
Once the voting begins, our opportunity to persuade people that we are ready to lead America into that future will come at a fast and furious pace. As more big states move up the dates of their primaries, we’re headed for an election in which more than half of the country will vote in just 22 days.
The Iowa caucuses are on January 14. By the morning of February 6, voters in at least two dozen states will have made their choice clear in the contest for the Democratic nomination.
To win that contest, we must have strong operations on the ground in each and every one of these early states. And in the next 60 days, our campaign is expanding our field programs in as many early primary states as possible.
Help support our “Ready to Lead, Ready to Win” organizing drive today.

All bolds in original.