You forget how clubby the New Hampshire primary is. Iowa is a huge and far-flung state. Almost one third the population of New Hampshire lives in greater Manchester, and the state’s next two biggest cities—Nashua and Concord—are less than 20 miles to the south and to the north, respectively. Result: you endlessly bump into people you know.

Sunday night I had plans to have dinner with an in-state friend. By the time we sat down, we were a party of six—in the same restaurant as a long table of 20 including most of the rising generation of media stars: Dave Weigel, Phil Klein, Benjy Sarlin, John Tabin, and so on. I hope I’m not blowing anybody’s cover here, but yes ... left and right ... they do eat together. Just as the Ron Paul campaign inwardly suspects and fears.