Time for my caucus story...

I got a cup of tea with a nice stiff shot in it..I got my snot rags for when I start crying again, I think I'm ready.

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, potato salad, 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. I had four other people lined up to caucus for Biden, Two of them ended up with car trouble, one has the flu and the other one ended up having to work late-that left mr. youthere and I. If they had all shown up Biden would have been viable.
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. :wow:
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.
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 :grr: 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. I had brought Gately's list with me and went on 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. Edwards people start again...I counter with the fact that Edwards has SHOWN he is not electable because of 2004 and he did not deliver ONE SINGLE STATE and that Edwards CO SPONSORED the Iraq war resolution...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 a couple of things.
Hillary's people said NOTHING. They tried to grab NO ONE. Neither did Obama's folks.
I think I convinced the Gravel dude over to the Obama side...or rather..I convinced him against Edwards.
And finally...I'm not against Edwards...I just like him LESS than the other candidates. 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 undecided. No one was uncommitted. There was no Obama youth vote. There was no soft Hillary support. There was no Edwards "base" from 2004. No hard pushing staffers. WEIRDEST.CAUCUS.EVER.

I'm just baffled -- where did all the Biden supporters go? Sheesh!

We were watching C-Span, they had some precinct on.

It was sickening. There was this pushy lady from Richardson's group that was trying to get the Biden supporters over to him.
Biden started out with 25, but it quickly went to 10.
Then some guy from the Biden group said he liked Edwards and left. Some younger woman said she would just leave, she wasn't going to go to anyone else, but they told her she had to. I don't know where the rest went.

It was heartbreaking to watch, and must have been even harder to be there.

Dammit.

I will probably go with Obama, but it will take a long time until I can get "Fired-up".
I just can't forgive Hillary for her vote for Kyl/Lieberman. And I can't deal with the Bush/Clinton/Bush/Clinton thing.

My god - I really don't like anyone but Biden

and I did notice one other thing. All the Richardson folks were enormously fat..What the hell does that mean?