Why are IA & MO Whites trending so fast in different directions ...

[Tender Branson]

when they are neighbouring states ?

IA Whites 2000: 48-49-3 Bush (B+1)
IA Whites 2004: 49-50-1 Bush (B+1)
IA Whites 2008: 51-47-2 Obama (O+4)
IA Whites 2012: 51-47-2 Obama (O+4)

MO Whites 2000: 42-55-3 Bush (B+13)
MO Whites 2004: 42-57-1 Bush (B+15)
MO Whites 2008: 42-57-1 McCain (M+15)
MO Whites 2012: 32-65-3 Romney (R+33)

US Whites 2000: 42-54-4 Bush (B+12)
US Whites 2004: 41-58-1 Bush (B+17)
US Whites 2008: 43-55-2 McCain (M+12)
US Whites 2012: 39-59-2 Romney (R+20)

...

So, comparison for IA & MO Whites with US Whites:

2000: Iowa -> D+11, Missouri -> R+1 (Spread: 12)
2004: Iowa -> D+16, Missouri -> R-2 (Spread: 14)
2008: Iowa -> D+16, Missouri -> R+3 (Spread: 19)
2012: Iowa -> D+24, Missouri -> R+13 (Spread: 37)

So, Iowa Whites went from being 11 points more Democratic than the National Whites in 2000 to being 24 points more Democratic in 2012.

Neighbouring Missouri on the other hand went from being 1 point more Republican than the National Whites in 2000 to being 13 points more Republican in 2012.

What is the big difference between those 2 largely rural states ?

[Tender Branson]

Did Obama actually do something in the past 4 years that could have pissed off MO Whites and made him more attractive to IA Whites ?