Freeper survives sortie to caucus-Here's my report

1-19-04 | me

[Pappy Smear]

As I was bored, I decided to make a sortie to my local D caucus. I just got back, I did the vote, didn't hang around for platform discussion. First some background. I live in a town of 1300 just outside of Ames, Iowa. The county went Gore in 2000, but my precinct is the most R in the county, probably 50% registered R, 25% D, and 25% indy. I was the precinct chair for Forbes in 2000, and we kicked Bush's butt! Lotta good that did tho....

Anyway, in my precinct, there were about 115 voters at the R caucus in 2000. They said tonite that there were 5 voters at the D caucus in 2000, there were 90 there tonite. When it came time to vote, we broke up in groups, in my precinct, a candidate needed to have 14 voters to be viable.

So when we first broke up, here are the approximate totals. Sharpton 0. Nuff said. Lieberman 1 (me!--oh that was lonely). Kucinich, 5. Gephardt 6. Dean 10, Edwards 34, Kerry 35. I chose Joe cause I can at least tolerate him, plus I knew I would have to be courted that way.

So then after everybody had their camps, the horse trading began. Gephardt's folks made a play at me to try to become viable. And they went to others, but they never could get their 14. Kucinich's folks went to Edwards and Dean. As for me, I was the guy that pushed Dean over the edge (no pun intended). I was the 14th guy to make him viable, otherwise, his supporters would have had to disperse to other camps.

My precinct was elgible for 9 delegates, and that is what really counts, and the way the percentages broke, Kerry got 4, Edwards got 4, and Dean got 1. Everybody else got a big 0, so in the end Kucinich=Gephardt=Sharpton=Lieberman. It ended up Edwards 39, Kerry 37 and Dean 14, but again the thing that matters is 4, 4, and 1.

Everybody was shocked at Gephardt not having any support. Early returns seem to match my precinct. Same thing with Dean, that he only managed 1 delegate.

Most of the people there are good people, I know a lot of them. A lot of school teachers. I know some like me were Rs that changed their registrations to vote. I had to listen to some ranting. My mayor about keeled over when he saw me there. He said, "I need a camera, I thought I'd never see the day with you here." He thought I was up to no good, but I behaved myself.

It is a fun and interesting process, but I couldn't take it, to hang around for platform discussions. But in the end, I proudly joined the Dean camp, for all my fellow Freepers.

[veronica]

Interesting!

[Pegita]

Thanks, Pappy ... FReepers are everywhere!

[Lexinom]

Yes thank you. Where can one find a live update online (we don't have many TV options, no cable)? Is there a live thread yet?

[Pappy Smear]

I can't consider this a "Freep" because I was a good boy. I guess it could be considered a social studies experience.

[savedbygrace]

I was wrong about The Browless One. I predicted he'd win by a hair. This is a shocker.

[alley cat]

I hope you took a shower when you got home!

[Pappy Smear]

I guess I am watching on my local Des Moines stations. The percentages they are giving are about 38 Kerry, 35 Edwards, 18 Dean, 16 Gephardt, and then scattering. They also reported that the big union precincts around DSM have already reported, so Gephardt is toast.

[mr.sarcastic]

Looks like Gephardt's getting killed everywhere.

[Welsh Rabbit]

LOL! I was lurking on DU earlier, and they had a thread concerning their fears of "repukes" voting at their caucus. I hope there were many more than you...

[WOSG]

Thanks for the report ... even if it's like a vicar sampling on the goings on in a brothel in order to sermonize about it on Sunday. :-)

[Pappy Smear]

I didn't need a shower, I stayed in the corner. I didn't wade in too far!

[Pappy Smear]

That's me, the vicar in the brothel.

[Lazamataz]

Answer a question for me: I think Clark will be the candidate. How come Clark is not involved in this caucus?

[ladyinred]

I really don't understand what it is you guys do at these things. Totally foreign to me! But I suppose it is interesting? I can't tolerate LIEberman either. I guess we have all forgotten his part in the aftermath of 2000, including the military votes being through out along with the attempted hijack of the constitution. He ain't no good guy!

[bvw]

Why did people vote for Kerry, or gosh golly, Edwards?

[Pappy Smear]

Clark got in late, and since a ground crew is so important in Iowa, he decided to just skip the state, and put no effort in here. Lieberman also decided to put no effort in here. You could have voted for them. I forgot to mention above that no one voted for Clark either. I don't even remember an area for Clark. Even Sharpton had his "area" for people to congregate, though none did.

Iowans are very protective of their caucus, and if you won't come to the coffee shops, and kiss a few pigs, we don't take kindly to that. Because of that, I guarantee Hillary will not carry Iowa if she ends up the nominee.

[Catspaw]

Pappy, I swear these caucuses are some kind of bizarre board game.

[nonliberal]

I wanted to go to a D caucus and vote for Sharpton just to see what would happen. I am on my county Central Committee, so I ended up running caucuses for THREE different precincts.

[Pappy Smear]

Hey NL. How many people were at the R caucuses? I imagine not too big of crowd. I suppose you could go and vote for somebody other than Bush.