Analyze this: My report from caucus

So, we get to our precinct location and get signed in, enter the room and holy shit it was packed. Originally it was supposed to be held in the gymnasium of our high school but somehow we got moved to the band room.
My stomach dropped as soon as I walked in. Hillary's folks had a complete spread set up, sandwiches,chips, bottles of soda and water, Hillary plates, napkins Even the labels on the bottles were Hillaried.
Obama's table had desserts and coffee, Edwards and Richardson folks had nothing and neither did Biden. There was no one for Dodd and one person for Gravel.
We found the Biden folks. Two of them. That made a grand total of four. The precinct captain introduced herself and then left the room. The other lady for Biden was kind of fidgety, then found someone she knew (an Edwards supporter) and went over and sat by him. .
People are coming in, and I'm looking around the room..some things to note
1. Most of Hillary's support are old women with the exception of two very young men, and two of my neighbors (a husband and wife) who are farmers and have always been staunch republicans. The WIFE was Hillary's precinct captain.
2. All of Obama's people are the same faces from the caucus every year. The tried and tru 'ers as I like to call them. So much for the youth vote theory.
3. Edwards folks have SIX people that I KNOW are republican. One of them was the county CHAIR for the republicans two years ago. I served on jury duty with him once. AND no one from Edwards side was from last caucus.

4. Richardson's folks are all 50 ish. don't know if that has any significance..and they are all extremely overweight...again, don't know if that has any significance but It was something I noticed.
5. THERE ARE NO UNCOMMITTED.

SO. The first round to establish viability goes through and Biden is not. (we needed 10) Richardson is 1 shy, Clinton, Edwards and Obama are the only viable ones. Nows the chance for realignment. The precinct captain for Biden immediately realigns for Richardson as the richardson folks talk about how he's a "homestyle"guy. She doesn't event ATTEMPT to argue for him. The other gal goes with her.

That leaves hubby, me, and the Gravel guy. The gravel dude acts like he's really into the Edwards folks. I stand up and ask if anyone would give Biden a second consideration. My precinct captain has deserted me so I step up and talk about experience, and how we need someone who can step into that role immediately...he's got the only plan for Iraq that ALL the candidates have endorsed and on and on.. and NOTHING. They are ready for the final tally and I really think the Gravel dude is going to go for Edwards..which would give him the win. Mr. youthere and I immediately raise our hands and realign for Obama to give him the win and the gravel dude says Ï think I'm going to have to go with Obama".

I should point out:
Hillary's people said NOTHING. They tried to convince NO ONE. Neither did Obama's folks-not a word.
And finally...I don't want folks to think I dislike Edwards...I just like him LESS than Obama. I was not going to realign..I was going to stand on principle even if that meant my vote would not be counted. But I couldn't stand to let Edwards beat Obama when our votes could put Obama ahead.

Final was 22 Obama
19 Edwards
14 Clinton
11 Richardson

and Biden a big Fat fucking doodly squat.
I suppose I shouldn't be too disappointed. I like Obama, I really do. And if Biden is out of the race he's my second choice.
So that's the story. Everyone was solid on their support. No one wavered except the unviables. No one came to caucus undecided. No one was uncommitted. There was no Obama youth vote. There was no soft Hillary support. There was no vulture like grabbing of caucus goers from the two frontrunners. There was no Edwards "base" from 2004. WEIRDEST.CAUCUS.EVER.

and I can actually process it. Been a long, tense night. Thank you SO much for going, for caucusing, for taking us with you. Will bookmark and read tomorrow.. K&R

...I for one have to write an essay, so I'll be up. Thanks for doing your best. I saw another Biden group on CSPAN be picked off by the top-tier vultures, trying to get them to go for Edwards. I really wish they would change the caucus from 'groups' to individual polling. I know if the Democrats lose this year's election, who I will be blaming.

Your hubby, too. I admire your dedication.

It's hard to comment on your experience: perhaps the smallness of the precinct accounted for some of the oddity?

I watched parts of the Democratic precinct caucus being shown on C-Span. It was in West Des Moines, and there were 287 people in the room, so it was a lot different than yours. It was kind of hard to tell what was going on: but there was a lot of grabbing of the non-viable candidate supporters ... but I couldn't tell who was grabbing whom. I think the Richardson people were very successful in that. In that room, Obama got more than half the votes (160 some), Edwards next, and Clinton 75.

What exactly do precinct captains do? this sounds like a mess of preparedness versus unpreparedness versus a whole lot of 'we don't give a f---' i'm a little appalled.

it really puts it in perspective, for me at least.



god help us all if this is how we decide on a Dem nominee...
dp

but I think that was a localized phenomenon. I'd have to guess that if Richardson had the "fat vote" locked in, he would have done a little better than 2%!

:spray:

okay..that was bad.

:applause:

You really captured the character of the night. And thank you for taking the time and making the effort.

You are an extremely perceptive person who took the air of the balloons the professional talking heads have been spinning this evening. You gave us the literal truth, and for that, I thank you.

Sam

but it was the total opposite. Like bizarro world.

it's interesting to hear about!

Glad you spoke out for Joe. You did good!

I think you made the right choice.
Don't worry about the lack of replies. I think people are just bummed about their candidate not winning.

I'm okay with the outcome (I obviously wanted Biden to have a good showing) but Obama has been my second choice and I'm happy for him.

Obama is my pick. No number 2 yet...and thank YOU katz..you have been a real pal to us Bidenites.

Beautiful report. Thanks for taking the time to describe the "realities on the ground" to us. :patriot:

your 2nd choice. You helped make history! :hi:

Kick and Rec!

If it comes down between Edwards and Obama I will go to the mat for Obama. I don't dislike Edwards...I just loke Obama better. To me he is Biden without the "wear"

I'm so glad you stood up for Joe like that after the precinct captain defected. Good for you. And thanks so much for reporting to us. I'm really sorry for how it worked out for you, but I am also grateful for your help for Obama. Very grateful.

and didn't want to see him take second to Edwards. Edwards is a fine candidate, but I like Obama better. It's the little bit of good that could come out of tonight since my Joe got knocked out.

I'm really sorry about Biden. I can't imagine how disappointing it is to deal with that. But at least your second choice did well and we can all thank you for that too. The youth vote sure seemed to make a difference in some other precincts though.

and it does really suck about Biden..but at least we still have him on our team in the Senate.

and the very best news is that there is a real chance of first lady Michelle Obama. I really admire her.

I wish I got to participate. :yourock:

used some sound logic in your choices and gave a good summary of what was happening. Interesting about the 'youth vote' comment. And no Edwards base from 2004 too. wonder what that means. Saw Obama's speech tonight and it brought me back to the Dem convention speech that raised the roof. I could easily support Obama as i see an opportunity for something incredible to happen. its like in our darkest time something incredible can still happen in this place. Great things are still possible after 7 years of neofascism and scaring the rest of the world that all was lost out here. I still really support Edwards but I may be moving over soon.

I hope your experience was singular. How could your precinct captain abandon you? How do these people get their position, if they're not going to take it seriously?

I thank you for taking this caucus seriously.

Small rural precinct?

The fact that Obama did well in a precinct like that shows why he won by 8 points.

And thank you for standing for Obama! :yourock:

:donut:

disappointment for me. Thanks for caucusing anyway, and thanks for getting back to us.

Seriously?

I'll bet we'll see them showing up on ebay in a few days...

I think Obama's team was on the ball to have the nifty bead counters that they wore..

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I'm in a fairly large precinct, and the organizers brought 500 index cards for the partcipants, thinking it would be more than enough. They had to scramble when 555 people showed up!!!

The initial numbers were

Obama 267
Hillary 112
Edwards 91
Dodd 13
Biden 9
Richardson 9
Kucinich 7

After the first realignment, I'd estimate 80%+ of the bottom 4 supporters joined us in supporting Edwards, pushing him slightly past Hillary to grab 2nd place, although nowhere near where Obama ended up.

Unlike your precinct, my thoughts when looking over at the HUGE Obama group was, "Are these people old enough to vote?" :rofl: I know a lot of it is my own insecurity with aging (I'm 43), and realizing that many of them could have been my kids, but was heartened at the same time, to see them all willing to be part of the process when the "slacker generation" has always been the most apathetic by far in terms of voter participation...

I had a sandwich (I hadn't eaten all day) and I was feeling pretty funky last night. I'm still kind of queasy.Actually I'm sure it's NOT food poisoning. It's probably just a stomach bug, but it's more fun to blame Clinton...I'm feeling very republican today! LOL!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/4/15520/78965/953/430265



Thanks for your story. The caucus process sounds a bit odd to me.

Edit: direct link to CNN:

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/epolls/index.html#IADEM

The youth were 22% of the caucus goers, and here is how voters aged 17 - 29 voted:

Biden 3%

Clinton 11%

Dodd 2%

Edwards 14%

Gravel 0%

Kucinich 2%

Obama 57%

Richardson 10%


Interesting that Richardson did so well in this age group.

just not at my tiny precinct. My county's demographics show that it's residents are older than the national average...even the state average. Lot's of old farts around here. I don't want to give the impression that I'm negating the youth vote for Obama...I think my point is more how EVERYONE seemed to go for him. At my precinct there was no "mostly" in Obama's group, as opposed to Clinton's group that was made up of mostly older women, and Richardsons group of mostly 50-somethings. it says a lot about Obama's appeal.

And I truly hoped Joe Biden would make the top three list.