By US journalist Michelle Quinn

The United States presidential primaries are about more than politics.

They are really about making everyone feel that they matter - at least for a few days.

And that is why the primaries in my home state of Delaware were dissatisfying. Delaware exists in a no-man's land between New York City and Washington DC. Surrounded by New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland, Delaware has an inferiority complex the size of Texas.

Democrats Al Gore and Bill Bradley stayed away. Republicans Alan Keyes and John McCain did as well, all skipping ahead to South Carolina which does not hold its primary until 19 February.

Mr McCain's spokesman twisted the knife when he said: "Delaware is an itty bitty state that we're going to pass for now.''

Thanks McCain for the tough love.

George W Bush campaigned for one day in Delaware and tried his best to boost Delawareans' collective low self-esteem.

"I take all 50 states seriously,'' he told senior citizens.

But he left before the Delaware polls even closed.

Forbes out of race

In 1996, millionaire candidate Steve Forbes was the only candidate to campaign in Delaware. And Delaware Republicans rewarded him by making him their nominee.

In his second, doomed attempt to become president he said: "Delaware calls itself the First State. It is certainly the First State in my mind."

Despite the welcome flattery Forbes came in third in the Republican primary this year and pulled out of the presidential race.

This is nothing new for Delaware. It has a tiny population of 750,000, minimal electoral clout and a pathological terror of being ignored. To grow up in Delaware is to grow up envious of Rhode Island because it is the smallest state, while Delaware is only the second smallest.

It has none of the things that make a state count - no big mountains, no great lakes, no famous people, no serious hurricanes, no really tall buildings. People look vague on hearing the name. They ask: "What state's that in? Isn't that near New Hampshire?"

And I have noticed a disturbing trend. Delawareans, on their travels, will not admit where they are from. They will say: "East Coast" or "Mid-Atlantic States".

Or, the dead give-away: "Near Philadelphia." They only come clean when confronted.

The Diamond State

Delaware's motto is The First State because it was first to sign the Constitution in 1787 and join the Union. But after that, Delaware has been first for much less.

It was the first state to enact a fertiliser law. Nylon was invented in Delaware. Bob Marley's mother and F. Scott Fitzgerald lived in Delaware for a little while. Delaware may be the only state with one border that makes the arc of a perfect circle.

On the other hand, we were the last state to abolish the whipping post. The last public whipping was in 1952 and it took until 1973 to remove the punishment from the books. So take that John McCain.

What Delaware is famous for tends to be on the boring side.

Delaware is the corporate capital of America because of its tax laws. A Delaware senator became moderately famous for a law that modified tax-free retirement investments.

The only time Delaware enters the consciousness of many Americans is when they write a cheque to their credit card company, very likely based in Delaware. Its state bird is the Blue Hen Chicken. Its nickname is the Diamond State because, as you learn in school, Delaware is small but valuable.

Oh, there was once a magical year - 1988. Then, two state politicians, Joseph Biden and Pete Du Pont, ran for presidential nominations for the Democratic and Republican parties respectively. Yes they were weeded out early. But for a brief moment, Delaware seemed to be a political cauldron, like Paris in the 20s. And then it was over.

Enemy state

So desperate for attention, desperate to matter, Delaware politicians arranged in 1996 to make their primary early - right on the heels of New Hampshire's. New Hampshire became a Delaware enemy. Its party leaders warned candidates not to go to Delaware - to punish Delaware. Now Delaware has notoriety.

McCain said: "I promised the people of New Hampshire that when I pass through Delaware on Amtrak, I'll pull down the shade."

I don't think McCain's attitude is all bad. Rejection, after all, is a form of attention. It is better than being ignored.