Postblogging the Iowa Caucus
Blame Grinnell College, whose ‘guest’ internet connection only supports Macs.
The caucus was truly a weird process. There were more caucus goers than expected (I read somewhere that attendance was up 86% statewide) - 484 in my particular gymnasium.
Teh New Hampshires is going on right now, so enjoy my nearly week old notes from the Iowa caucus. I’m thinking about renaming this blog Completely Relevant.
6:50 - Richardson supporters get yelled at for having too many signs
7:02 - 484 people means 73 supporters to be viable.
7:10 - About half the electorate leaves for the theater when Obama’s name is called. [Actual count: 240. The larger groups were put in the theater for ease of counting.]
7:11 - After the Obama storm, Dodd supporters are called to their corner and eight sad souls move to the left.
7:11:30 - The one Mike Gravel supporter (and good on her for resisting peer pressure) is called to come to the center of the gym. The chair admonishes the crowd for laughing, reminds them they are all Democrats and that this is a process.
7:12 - About 30 HRC supporters leave for the theater. [Actual count 44]
7:15 - Obama supporters fill the center section of the theater, and the Biden supporters are asked to come back into the gym.
7:16 - Hillary supporters are assigned the right side of the theater, with Obama in the center, and Edwards on the left. This is quietly hilarious.
7:16 - The one uncommitted is given the Gravel treatment. She looks uncomfortable.
7:24 - Numbers are asked from each group. Richardson 26, Kucinich 13, the Uncommitted went to Biden 0, Obama 240 (49.5%), hillary 44 (9%), Biden 51, 102 Edwards, Dodd 8 .
7:29 - Richardson supporter (or Biden) is worried about Obama people coming back in the room. “We don’t want any Obamas in here”. Leader reminds them that we are all Democrats to applause in the room.
7:35 - Edwards declared viable and cheer goes up.
7:36 - The crowd is admonished again: “We’re all together, this is not a Jefferson Jackson day dinner”
7:40: Groups given a half an hour to regroup.
7:42 Candidate field reps are allowed into the crowd to advise their own groups but are admonished against trying to persuade other caucuses.
7;52 - The Bidens think they’re viable and leave the room to count their numbers in the theater. They’d been chatting with the Obama people, but Richardson’s sign was floating around there as well. Richardson sign goes with the Bidens.
7:54 - Dodd people leave, followed by the Clinton people, presumably to join the Bidens.
7:56 - Confusion as it appears the Clinton people were just moving, not joining the Biden group. Clinton people and Biden people meeting as separate groups or perhaps a conglomerate group to figure out what they’re doing. Chair doesn’t want to allow viable groups out of the gym if they’re meeting on their own, but since they’re figuring things out, delegates from Obama and Edwards can go there as well. Um, just confusion.
8:00 - Unanimous decision NOT to extend; this will be the final reorganization.
8:10 - Bidens declare that they’re viable.
8:12 - We’re all counting again.
8:16 - Final numbers: Edwards 121. Biden 78. Obama 263. Edwards gets 10 delegates, Biden 6 delegates, Obama 21 delegates.
8:20 - The action winds down as most people stream out of the room, not waiting for the resolution portion of the caucus.
8:22 - Jenny and I debate the age of the cutie Edwards organizer.
8:28 - I get bored of openly staring at the Edwards guy and we leave.
There it is! Wow. If only Grinnell’s interwebs would have let me on, you could have lived the excitement as it happened.
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