Iowa Caucus history...

A little fact checking of past Iowa Caucus results:

1980
DEMOCRATS
Jimmy Carter* 59%
Edward Kennedy 31%

Republicans
George H.W. Bush 32%
Ronald Reagan* 30%

1984
Democrats
Walter Mondale* 49%
Gary Hart 17%

Republicans
No vote Reagan unopposed

1988
Democrats
Richard Gephardt 31%
Paul Simon 27%
Michael Dukakis* 22%
Republicans
Bob Dole 37%
Pat Robertson 25%
George H.W. Bush* 19%

1992
Democrats
Tom Harkin 76%
Paul Tsongas 4%
Bill Clinton* 3%
Republicans
No vote Bush* unopposed

1996
Democrats
No vote Clinton unopposed
Republicans
Bob Dole* 26%
Pat Buchanan 23%
Lamar Alexander 18%

2000
Democrats
Al Gore* 63%
Bill Bradley 35%
Republicans
George W. Bush* 41%
Steve Forbes 30%
Alan Keyes 14%

2004
Democrats
John Kerry* 38%
John Edwards 32%
Howard Dean 18%
Republicans
No vote. Bush* unopposed

bold* = became the party candidate
italics = was elected President

So, can someone please explain why Iowa is/was so important? There doesn't seem to be any pattern in these historical results. The most bizarre is 1992: Bill Clinton* 3%...!

[Source: Chicago Sun-Times]