I live near new hampshire, and if the TV ads are any indication, Romney and Ron Paul aren't on the right track up here. Almost every add I've seen from them is about illegal immigration, because all those Canadians sneaking across the border are sooooo annoying. I understand that there are bigger implications of this problem in other parts of the country, but appealing to the place you're trying to win is a pig part of it. Hopefully for them they're focusing on other issues in rallys/speeches.

 A comedian had an act like that something like

"People ask if America might be ready for a black President.  Sure, sure they are but one named Barrak OBama?  Come on now, you know if he ran all everyone would say is what Black Osama I'm not voting for him!"

 Was hilarious at the time.

 
Anyone know why the primaries happen in the order they are in?  If it were me I'd either start in the swing states, so momentum can get behind the candiate most likely to win the  general election.

Unfortunately, there are a few swing states in South. Virginia and Florida especially should be heavily contested.

The states set their primaries and caucuses themselves, but the parties try to exert some influence to keep them from getting too crazy (soon enough, Iowa wil be held in the year before the election, which is just stupid). This year, Michigan and Florida will probably be sanctioned on the Democratic side for moving their primaries up too soon.

Iowa and NH are swing states, by the way. Arguably, so are Nevada and Michigan.