Montana, the state that looks like Nixon

I always thought that on a map of the USA, the western boarder of Montana, the section that borders Idaho, looked a little like the profile of Richard Nixon.

“How amazing,” I thought when my 8th grade Social Studies teacher, Mr. Kotkin pointed that fact out.

This was 1969, and the Viet Nam war was raging. I am sure Mr. Kotkin became a teacher just to avoid the draft. He never gave homework, which to a 14 year old in junior high school was just great. Kotkin was not much of a Nixon fan, and he probably had supported Eugene McCarthy or Bobby Kennedy for president the year before.

Anyway, I can’t think of Montana, without thinking of Nixon. His beady eyes are right where Missoula is. The jowly cheeks, near Butte and Anaconda.

And, at least on the Democratic side of the primary aisle, the vast majority of the primaries are on the super-est Super Tuesday of them all ---February 5th. Thus far, 22 states and all 'Democrats abroad' will cast their votes on that one day. Those state legislatures were thinking far ahead back in 2005 or 2006, and made it a priority to move their Primary Election day to an early time.

That got me thinkin’-----which states---at least on the Dems side--- simply thought to themselves---“Screw it, let’s not have any impact on who the Dems pick for President. We're gonna stick to being last.”

That state is Montana. Yup, the The Treasure State. Big Sky Country. The Bonanza State. Their 27 delagates will be picked on the same day as South Dakota’s----Tuesday, June 3rd.

Their voters will have no impact at all. While we, here in the Garden State, will [finally!] be players in the Presidential primary game. Or at least, we hope so.

So, here’s to you Montana: Your name has been popularized by the number one teenage girl show on TV ---whose viewers probably could not locate the state on a map. Your western border still looks like Nixon to me.

And your voters will have little to no impact in the Presidential primary.
Go Big Sky Country.