CEDAR RAPIDS -- Hillary Clinton has faced criticism in recent days after a campaign aide asked a student to ask the senator a question on global warming, most notably from John Edwards, who suggested that the tactic is akin to the way President Bush operates in front of screened audiences. "It takes a village to ask a question, apparently," joked Bill Kristol this morning on Fox News Sunday, offering the zinger to opponents Edwards and Barack Obama.

Two quick thoughts on the matter: Skeptics will point out that Clinton actually called on the student, leading them to believe that she was in on the plot. After all, how likely is it that, in a crowd that presumably numbered in the hundreds, Clinton would find the one planted questioner without knowing who that person was?

On the other hand, after spending several days on the trail with Obama, during which Politics Nation attended half a dozen or so town hall meetings where questions were asked, it strikes us that Clinton may have had little choice but to call on the plant.

Iowans are proud of their access to presidential candidates, but notably few, when solicited by Obama, raised their hands to ask a question. While every event ended before all the questions could be answered, there were never more than three or four hands up when Obama made his exit. So, with the choice of a smattering of audience members interested in asking a question, Clinton might have had a better than even chance of picking the plant.

None of that excuses the staffer's actions, and her opponents will certainly raise the specter that more than a few audience questions were planted at various campaign stops. But perhaps it absolves the candidate herself of blame in the matter.

One further observation: Des Moines is a very small town. After last night's Jefferson Jackson Dinner, three top Democratic strategists all happened to find themselves in the very same, very small bar at the Hotel Fort Des Moines. Jammed with campaign staffers and journalists, Edwards adviser Joe Trippi, Obama chief David Axelrod and Clinton campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe all made appearances.

Trippi and Axelrod exchanged pleasantries, and McAuliffe might have said hello, though Politics Nation didn't happen to witness it.

Finally, now that the dinner is over (a clearly relieved Iowa Democratic Chairman Scott Brennan was also spotted around town, sans tie, after the festivities), the sprint to the end is off in full force. The Des Moines Register's David Yepsen pens a great history of the caucuses in this morning's paper, detailing the rise of the caucus's prominence and offering some lessons that might come from this year's contests. A definite must-read for any junkie.