Then Axelrod added—”frankly,” he said—that at this early date, the debates are being watched mostly by “a lot of political junkies and a lot of score-keepers.”

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean was also in the spin room, and echoed Axelrod’s perception of who’s watching the debates.

..."Dean told me that at this early date, “the penetration of these debates is among political junkies and political journalists.”

He wouldn’t bite on the question of whether Obama was right to start fending off non-DNC-sanctioned debate requests. But there was some cheering of Obama’s move from apparently road-weary political journalists.

DES MOINES, Iowa - Campaign debates are always about far more than a bunch of candidates arguing over issues and trying to sway voters.

Democratic national Committee Chairman Howard Dean looked a bit perplexed when he was introduced to the crowd at Drake University Sunday morning, setting the stage for the latest debate between the party's presidential rivals. As Dean marched onto the stage before the cameras started rolling, the auditorium erupted in applause as the couple of thousand activists leaped to their feet and roared approval.

"Was that scripted into this deal?" asked Dean, as a perplexed look came over his face.

..."After Sunday's debate, Dean simply shrugged about the apparent affection activists now have for him.

"The problem for me is that I told you so is a lousy campaign slogan," said Dean, saying he was heading to Iowa State Fair to get a pork chop on a stick.

Some (admittedly trivial) style notes: First Read got pretty close to Edwards while he was outside. He was tanned and comfortable in leather black loafers and dark suit. His tie was blue with light blue octopi on it. Incidentally, Dean was wearing a similar tie, but with whales on his. Children could be seen through the spin room as well. Dodd carried his daughter in, and Biden brought his made-for-TV smile and had his two granddaughters in tow -- one comfortable in her purple crocs sandles, the other with chic gold open-toe sandals.