Comments on: My Night at the Caucus

By: Martha

Martha — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 06:13:13 +0000

Great reporting! I too enjoyed reading your first hand account of the events. Organized chaos and no hanging chads. Love the Obamalac!

By: Christine Murcia

Christine Murcia — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:12:06 +0000

Iowa caucus is crazy. I think it’s better than voting in November, but I’m biased as well, especially since my guy ended up on top. I live in a nice little “old” neighborhood where “Pray for Our Troops” and “Protect the Ten Commandments” signs only get moved when the riding mowers come out early on Saturday mornings, rolling out perfectly matched strips, connecting each yard with John Deere tractor love and harmony. Last time, my precinct had 90 people total at the Democratic caucus, and our expectations were to have 45 Obama supporters at this one. We packed the gym at the local elementary school, counting 284 people right off the bat – 137 for Obama, 49 for Edwards, 44 for Clinton, and 43 for Biden and the rest went to the other people that we all know and don’t need to name here (with all due respect to them). We Obama people were asked to go in the hall to count and the rest of the group realligned while we were in the hall, but we ended up with 4 of the 7 delegates with one each going to Clinton, Edwards, and Biden. There were people there who i didn’t expect to see – my kids teachers who I thought were right-wing religious freaks, doctors’ wives, old people who I figured were conservative, and tons of young people – I wondered where they came from because our neighborhood is mostly old families who have been there forever. Anyway, it was exciting. The Obama group was a mishmash of all kinds of people – young, old, rich, poor, black & white (which I never knew there were any black people in our neighborhood…very cool…), college kids, college profs, teachers, doctors, unemployed people, and lowly social workers and county employees like me and my husband, etc… The Hillary group all looked like angry housewives over the age of 50 (sorry, but that was my observation) and they had taken up half the gym floor with their graciously spaced chairs. The Obama people were smashed up in the back – they had organized the gym early on to give Clinton and Edwards their own corners and the rest of us were supposed to space out along the back wall. That obviously wasn’t good planning. Anyway, it was fun and exciting. Fired up! Ready to Go!

By: Neil

Neil — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 13:45:55 +0000

Stacy,

Excellent post. I am glad that you had the opportunity to post this to Mental Floss.

I had just started hearing about the Iowa caucus process this year, but this was so much more helpful in understanding what happens. I would’ve loved to have been a part of it.

By: stacy

stacy — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 15:00:32 +0000

I wonder if the privacy thing (or lack thereof) is just something that we’re used to here because of the focus on the caucuses… most of us don’t really have a problem sharing what candidate we’re for. We had a discussion about it at work the morning of the caucuses -all very civil, mind you. None of us bashed on anyone else for their choices. We just shared who we were voting for, out of curiosity. I know who my boss was caucusing for and it was a completely different party than me, but I don’t think it has any impact on our working relationship.

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 14:49:32 +0000

The biggest concern for me with the caucus set up is the lack of privacy. I know my political views are very different from my dad.

It must have been very intimidating for young voters or those who saw their boss or minister go to a different corner.

I like the secret ballot.

By: John P

John P — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 02:48:48 +0000

A very ineresting post. It sounds more entertaining then the boring old primaries in Pensylvania, and they’re on April 22. What a rip off. Although Mike Huckabee won in the Republican camp because of his strong conservitism, it couldn’t have hurt that his name is fun to say. Just try saying Huckabee without smiling.

By: CMart

CMart — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 19:36:16 +0000

I’ve never caucused undecided, but I almost did this time. There are a couple of reasons for it, and there’s a strategy to it that’s more interesting than going to a primary. If you actually support one of the big 3 candidates, but have other favorites who you think won’t be viable, you can walk in “undecided” and let people either convince you to support their candidate, or choose one that you think should be made viable. Because we caucus in Iowa, it’s like a mini- electoral college with only the final representative delegates counted, which means that a lot of candidates don’t get any representation at all. While this actually mirrors what happens nationally, it also means there is room for bargaining between the campaigns and generosity in giving a candidate who’s almost viable a few more people.

It’s more complicated than a primary (and extremely confusing for first-time caucus-goers, especially since the caucus locations are not the same as your voting or polling locations) so I don’t blame Stacy for not making it to the right place the first time. A lot of people had that trouble this time around since the majority of people who caucused this year were first-timers, and that in itself is extremely exciting for Iowa. While it’s true that some people in Iowa stay home because they feel that your choice of candidate should be a private matter, it’s also the only way of voting in this country where you actually get to stand up and be counted for your candidate. If you’re passionate about your choice, that is a very empowering way to vote.

Loved the post, Stacy.

By: erin

erin — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 08:36:34 +0000

Considering that more people in America appear to be interested in submitting votes for talentless singers on reality television than participating in the political election process, maybe it’s not so bad that the caucuses really stir people up.

I loved this post. Makes me wish I lived in Iowa (and that doesn’t often happen).

By: jen

jen — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 07:13:12 +0000

In my precinct (Des Moines 68 – not too far from Stacy), there were far far more Democrats than Republicans. Ron Paul won my precinct by a fair amount, followed by Romney, then Huckabee. Obama, Edwards, then Clinton on the Democrat side. It was an interesting experience, my favorite caucus so far.

By: kani

kani — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 06:22:18 +0000

Honestly, are you choosing a President or voting for an American Idol?