Missouri Almost Always Predicts the President?

I imagine most Americans have heard of this phenomenon, but this Canadian had no idea. From a CBC article on Super Tuesday results:

But overwhelming support from African-American and young voters helped propel Obama to 13 wins of his own, including the bellwether state of Missouri, which in presidential elections has predicted every presidential contest except one in the past 100 years.

Apparently Missouri is in the middle of the country, both geographically and philosophically. There’s more information on Missouri’s bellwether status in Wikipedia.

I was encouraged to hear that there was a record turnout for Super Tuesday yesterday. Does that reflect a boon of viable candidates, or dissatisfaction with the current administration? Both, maybe.