Has anyone from Iowa ever seen a whole room shift from one candidate to another?

I don't know if I have a full grasp on how the voting works in Iowa but from what I have heard you have to make your case for your candidate and try to convince others to come vote for your candidate. I am wondering if people who really believe in their candidate can cause a very large number of people to shift away from a candidate?

Or, are people pretty rigid on who they plan to vote for and very little shift occurs?

On Edit: Who might this help or hurt?

But I did watch it in 2004 and I think that your candidate has to have 15% or something in order for you to stay "in your room".

That was my understanding of the process and it was very cool. But, perhaps someone actually in Iowa or, at the very least, more knowledgeable about the process, can fill us all in.

Then they count the groups to see which are viable.

It is when people are in a nonviable group that the persuasion begins. They are then courted by representatives of the various other candidates.

So...on that basis....all I hear from the Hillary folks is the negativity....is that gonna work here at this time for the ones who are being recruited? I doubt it. i think a more positive message will be more effective. That is why obama and edwards will reap more than hillary among the rest. Because they are more persuasive

as each of the candidates precinct captains got going and the question of electability and experience came up (over and over) people left Dean. By the end there were three, and he was not viable. I don't remember how many he started with, but some went Kerry, some went Edwards and I think two went to Gephart.

thing could happen tomorrow to one or more candidates.

in a caucus.

their delegates - no problem.
Candidates who do not receive at least 15% do not get a delegate from the precinct.

The candidates who get under 15% will be eliminated so either the people need to bring others to their condidate or switch to another candidate who will get over 15%, big winners included. At this point, speeches are made to encourage support of various candidates.

Ex, Last time, as the only voter for Clark, I had to switch my vote to someone else if I wanted my vote to count. People encouraged voters like me to vote for their cindidate. Kucinich needed one more vote to get over the 15% so he could have a delegate from our precinct. I switched my vote to him.

My question was if a front runner could come in with all kinds of support and the rest of the room talk them out of supporting the front runner. For instance the above post suggested Dean's supporters left him because others kept saying he would lose.

Did you notice anything like that happening?

nothing like that happened. We were pretty respectufl of other people's decisions. We had a state legislator as chair and he led the group in a very organized way.

We met in a large school gymnasium with many other precincts in the room. A few of those precincts were very vocal, some angry, loud and had lots of campaigning.

There are so many variables to caucusing that the results to me are pretty bizarre. The precinct chair sets the tone and people seem to follow. Most people attending caucuses are new to them and don't understand how they are run. Also - It can make a big difference if there is a real activist in the precinct who has prepared to campaign. That is where candidate organization plays a role.

and it is used to determine viability. Not in Iowa, but I have been to caucus in Mich when Wallace was running that got quite nasty.

I don't know how else to tell you this. The dynamics of a small mostly rural precinct will be different than a larger city precinct.
I can't imagine a whole room shift. I have never seen anything like that.
In 2004 our was split at first count....@50% Kerry......25% Edwards.....25% un-viable and the rest.
The Kucinch and Gebhart people wouldn't budge to another candidate ...the rest of the ones not viable went to Edwards. So the delegates were split Kerry 4.....Edwards 4
My experience tells me most people come in with someone in mind to support.....a good share are rigid.
There will not be that much time to convince others of your candidate being the best choice...maybe 30 minutes. I know many people think enthusiasm is going to switch people to them.....but it turns off many people is too over the top.

My personal opinion.....Clinton .....seems like you love her or hate her. I don't see much shifting after the first count. Obama....depends on the precinct. If he has several he may pick up a few more before it's over....if not much support they will leave like they did for Dean. Edwards....I can't get a handle on that one....Biden will be the surprise.
Like I said....just my opinion

Or would his caucusers just wait until others with less percentage come on over?

Sorry, I don't get this part either and you seem to know.

If Biden does pick up the second place votes then I, too, think he will be the big surprise.

Everyone still has a chance to gain. There could easily be several uncommitted on that first count. I would be surprised if there wasn't. If he couldn't achieve viability....each person in his group can then choose where they want to go.
I need to leave for a bit....but there are many different scenario's....The big three are going to do what they can to keep each other from picking up as many delegates as they can. If they can't convince a uncommitted to come with them....they aren't going to convince them to go to their main rival...you can see how this thing could come out a big surprise.

CSPAN showed the entire process at a particular Iowa precinct in 2004. It was very interesting and was the first glimpse I'd had inside the caucuses.