Just attended an amazing exercise in real democracy in Washington!

[Truth2Tell]

I just spent a nine hour day as an area caucus coordinator in Washington State. What a day! Turnout was more than twice what we expected, not just in my location, but all across our LD and all over the State! The place was swarming with new, young Democrats and the excitement was palpable. And unquestionably, Obama ruled the day.

Personally, I caucused uncommitted and managed to get myself elected as an uncommitted delegate. I know a number of other former Edwards supporters in my LD and Congressional District who were able to do the same. I had to speak in favor of the uncommitted position and convince a few people to switch from actual candidates, but it wasn't too tough to find others who were uninspired by our choices. We'll have to see how this plays out here as we move forward.

I will tell you who WAS enthused: the Obama people. The turnout among young and minority voters in my area was astonishing. And inspiring. And thanks to the new dynamics of the crowd, the actual caucus discussions were refreshing and robust, unlike many of the stale meetings of previous presidential cycles. It's all academic when you hear about this phenomenon in the media, but when you see it in action it can really move you. We need these people in our Party - not just this November, but in the years going forward. Taking back our country is going to be a long march well beyond the next corporate war presidency and the people I met today could be the foot soldiers of the battle.

Some people don't like or don't understand the confusing delegate allocation process in Washington. But believe me, at the end of the day the proportion of delegates statewide matches the candidate support to within .01%. The process is fair and very transparent.

Caucuses have their flaws, but I really don't want to get into the old caucuses vs primaries argument here and now. Just let me say this: the caucuses today were empowering to many many new participants in our democracy here today - in a way that a primary never could be - and for that I am excited and encouraged about our future.

It's been a long day and I'm off to sleep. Peace.

[VolcanoJen]

1. Thank you for this wonderful report!

And especially for your hard work. :-)

Very nice news about the youth and minority Obama supporters.

[K Gardner]

2. Kudos for your hard work, thank you for the wonderful post, and have blessed dreams !

[Truth2Tell]

3. Thanks! nt

[DesertFlower]

4. thanks for your hard work. nt

[regnaD kciN]

5. Agreed. There's a HUGE difference...

...between reading about "Obamamania," or even watching television footage of big crowds at his campaign appearances, and seeing a group caucus location that, in other years, was generally half-full at best, this time crammed like the floor of the NYSE, and then to see your own precinct with more than twice the usual turnout, almost all of it nervous but excited young people who had come here specifically to vote for Obama.

I had expected there would be a large attendance this year, simply because Washington state wasn't meeting after the nomination had already been sewn up for once, but I was expecting a larger-than-usual turnout on behalf of both candidates. I was wrong...the turnout crush was about as one-sided as you could get. In my own particular precinct, Hillary only had a trio of supporters (one of whom challenged Obama backers by asking them "does it bother you that your candidate has ties to Muslims?" :eyes: ), who were swamped by fifteen Obama supporters and a lone Edwards backer, who switched to Obama during the re-polling. Results from the other precincts meeting in that location indicated similar results from them as well. For the first time since moving here, I'm not a delegate to the next level...and I couldn't be happier about it. Usually, I got tagged because no one else was willing to fill the needed spots. This time, there were enough volunteers (once again, including a bloc of 18- to 25-year-olds) that we had no trouble filling not only all the delegate spots, but all the alternate positions as well.

Folks, we ignore this at our peril. I've been to many caucuses in this state over the past quarter-century, and they have usually been business-as-usual events with the same faces, and same laid-back tone, as the ones before. This was a whole new experience, of intensity, enthusiasm, and near-euphoria. This is a whole new wave sweeping into the Democratic Party. We can embrace it, or we can drive it away...but don't expect the same chance to come again.

[Truth2Tell]

6. ignore it at our peril. amen! nt

[FightingIrish]

7. My sister caucused in Vancouver

She called me when she got home because she was so excited. Her husband came away as an Obama delegate. When they got home they put Obama stickers on their cars which brought on a tirade from their neighbor who raged that this is Hillary's time.

[Truth2Tell]

8. Most of the Clintonistas

in my area were pretty quiet yesterday. I think they were a bit overwhelmed. Reality can be quite a face slap sometimes.

[Yael]

9. I have really been enjoying all of the caucus stories this season!

It is going to be a huge let down when we vote in our April primary -- we won't get to see the excitement and the newly energized youth vote. It will simply be numbers on the chalkboard after the votes are counted.

[Truth2Tell]

10. Although it might not be over by then.

Wouldn't that be wacky!

[Yael]

11. That would energize people -- just not the same as a crowd can!