A clean sweep for Obama in Iowa - 54 pledged delegates!

[UrbScotty]

http://www.thegreenpapers.com/P12/IA-D#0103

Meanwhile, Iowa Democratic Party Chair Sue Dvorsky said this:

“Tonight’s caucus successfully brought our supporters together, and we’re overwhelmed that more than 25,000 Iowans turned out to talk about the President’s record and vision for an economy that restores security for the middle class. We not only saw how excited Iowans are to support President Obama, but to also work for his reelection. The Iowa caucus was a great opportunity to test our campaign organization and expand our volunteer base as we move toward November. In a strong show of support, more than 7,500 Iowans tonight pledged to volunteer for the campaign over the course of the next year, underscoring their commitment to continuing the change the country has seen under President Obama’s leadership.”

http://www.iowademocrats.org/2012/01/statement-from-idp-chairwoman-sue-dvorsky-on-tonights-iowa-democratic-caucuses/

[ellisonz]

1. Re-elect Michelle Obama's Husband!

[WonderGrunion]

2. Suck on that Cenk! Uncommitted couldn't even muster 15%

I guess liberal democrats really do support the President by 86% or more.

[girl gone mad]

3. Suck on that Occupy Iowa!

Fuck you douchebag losers! LULZ!1!

[WonderGrunion]

5. Why make this about the Occupy movement?

If they consist of Democratic voters they could have made their presence known at the caucus. I assume they caucused for President Obama considering uncommitted got less than 15% of the vote. Cenk was campaigning for "uncommitted" on his show which is why i called him out. I don't think the Occupy movement is as anti-Obama as some of its' members want it to be.

[girl gone mad]

7. Cenk got the idea from Occupy Iowa.

It was their plan, not his.

By trashing him for promoting their idea, you are trashing them.

Way to kick people when they are down, btw. Stay classy, Obama peeps.

[WonderGrunion]

8. I didn't think the Occupy Movement was about anything specific yet

I think Occupy Iowa caucused for President Obama.

[girl gone mad]

10. No.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dave-murphy/occupy-iowa-caucus-a-demo_b_1181722.html

Occupy Iowa endorses no political candidate or political party. #ows #occupycaucus #iacaucus

[WonderGrunion]

19. As an organization, probably not. I'm saying rank and file Occupiers caucused for Obama

Or are you suggesting that the Occupy movement is so insignificant that it doesn't represent even 15% turnout in any district of Iowa to get delegates for "Uncommitted"

Heck, even Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter got less votes than "Uncommitted" in Iowa.

[girl gone mad]

22. There were several uncommitted delegates.

Like I said, Occupy switched tactics.

Obama made hundreds of thousands of robocalls and went all out to get people to the caucuses and to stifle any potential dissent. I have no idea what things were like when Carter and Clinton were running or what their respective strategies were, so can't really offer any analysis.

[joshcryer]

24. Obama got all the delegates, are you using delegates differently here?

I think it'd be big news if one of the delegates was uncommitted!

Also, GOTV should never be considered "stifling any potential dissent."

[girl gone mad]

25. Try to follow along.

It gets tiring trying to have a discussion with people who won't even bother making a minimal effort to inform themselves about the topics on which they are commenting.

http://www.bleedingheartland.com/diary/5203/iowa-democrats-stack-deck-against-uncommitted-caucusgoers

[WonderGrunion]

29. So rallying enough of your own supporters to increase the amount needed to get 15% is stifling?

Maybe if the rank and file of Occupy Iowa actually supported this suggestion on the website, they would have had more than enough to get at least 1 uncommitted delegate in all of Iowa.

This leaves three scenarios:

A) The rank and file of Occupy Iowa do not hate Obama and caucused for him.

B) There aren't really that many supporters of Occupy Iowa, at least not enough to get 15% to remain viable.

C) Being a leaderless movement, there was not enough organization to rally Occupy Iowa to get them to the Caucus.

[joshcryer]

33. They appear to have got around 2% if you count "other delegates" as "uncommitted."

http://iowademocrats.org/caucus/hPressVt76HujI/

(1% state, 1% county)

This is much lower than I expected, a DUer posted that at their caucus they got 7.5% and I thought it'd be closer to 10%.

All that getting people to come caucus must've stifled dissent.

[joshcryer]

30. You don't have to be insulting.

I asked a question. It was clear you weren't talking about national delegates.

[Whisp]

38. stifling political dissent?

good gracious!

here, take this I think it belongs to you.

[CakeGrrl]

17. Some here want it to be a referendum on (against) the President.

They're co-opting Occupy as the uprising against Wall St-coddling Obama.

Never mind that Romney is its "friend" for real.

[WonderGrunion]

11. Just found this and I don't want to hide behind a slew of edits

http://www.christianpost.com/news/occupy-iowa-already-has-caucused-and-is-protesting-based-on-results-66131/

As Iowa caucuses begin today, the Occupy movement in the state is acting on their own caucus last week – they met together to decide whom they disliked most and would protest against.

After the various Iowa Occupy groups gathered to decry money politics last week, People’s Caucus organizer Ed Fallon told CSPAN the people broke into groups to sort themselves by the candidates they disliked most and determine whose headquarters they would occupy this week.

The results were, Fallon said, “About 30 percent of the people planned to go to Obama’s headquarters, another 60 percent chose one or more of the Republican candidates and about ten percent said they were uncommitted.”

“For years we have been told that the Iowa caucuses are the essence of American Democracy; that this is where we get to speak our minds and show our support for our favorite candidate, But how can this be a democratic process when candidates we are supposed to choose from have already been pre-selected for us?” Occupy Iowa City member Lisa Bonar questioned at the ODM’s People’s Caucus.

So, it looks like you're wrong about Occupy Iowa. Only 30% of them wanted to actively protest President Obama.

[girl gone mad]

12. I was not wrong.

Read the link I posted. You were wrong. They were not caucusing for Obama.

[WonderGrunion]

15. This is the problem with a leaderless movement

I followed the links through to find all the information on the Occupy Iowa website, there is even detailed instructions on how to attend and participate in both caucuses. But without a specific leader, there is no indication that this push for "Uncommitted" was supported by a majority of Occupy Iowa. The fact that "Uncommitted" couldn't muster 15% at the Iowa caucus seems to be defacto proof that the rank and file of Occupy Iowa didn't support this idea.

Cenk was unabashed in his support.

[girl gone mad]

16. Huh?

"The fact that "Uncommitted" couldn't muster 15% at the Iowa caucus seems to be defacto proof that the rank and file of Occupy Iowa didn't support this idea. "

I think anyone who has had math up to the third grade level can tell you why this statement is utterly false.

[girl gone mad]

20. This is straight from their site, btw..

Fellow 99 percenters:
http://occupyiacaucus.org

Every four years, both major parties begin their Presidential nominating season in Iowa. On the evening of January 3rd, Republicans will go to their local precinct locations to caucus. Democrats will also go to precinct locations to caucus that night. It is a chance for Iowans to have their voices heard on the Presidential candidates and to begin the process that will select delegates to both national party conventions.

Every Iowan who identifies with the 99 percent should caucus on the evening of January 3rd. But after years of foreclosure, bailouts, corruption, warfare, corporate welfare and the erosion of our freedoms we cannot support any of the Presidential candidates. We cannot consent to this broken system any longer. We will join with our neighbors and caucus for “uncommitted.” Uncommitted means we support no candidates and sends a strong message to the leaders of both parties. Link on how to caucus.

After caucusing for “uncommitted” we will select delegates to the county conventions that also reflect our uncommitted views. In turn, those county delegates will select uncommitted delegates to go to the District conventions and to both state Democratic and Republican conventions. At the state conventions, we will select uncommitted delegates to go to both national party conventions.

Find your caucus location, and on January 3rd caucus for “UNCOMMITTED”

Looks like they changed their plans at the last minute, though, because they were unhappy with some of the rules put in place including one that would prevent them from having time to speak.

Jeff Cox points out that the rules of the caucuses will make it difficult for “uncommitted” delegates to win a spot on the state’s delegation to the Democratic National Convention in Raleigh, North Carolina in July. A formula long employed by the Iowa Democratic Party requires delegates to win 15 percent of the vote at their caucus in order to be considered “viable” and win a trip to the county convention.. At the county level, the 15 % threshold must be reached again for an uncommitted delegate to travel to to the national convention.

What’s more, Cox complains, the state party has changed certain rules “so that the Democratic caucuses are taking on a campaign rally feel.”

A video message President Obama that will be shown at each of the caucus locations, he says. The Iowa Democratic Party has also plans to make two announcements for the national media on Tuesday night. The first, consisting mostly of attendance numbers, will be released at roughly the same time Iowa Republicans release the results of their presidential preference poll. Several hours later, Iowa Democrats plan to release their delegate totals, which are figures that have historically been touted by the party.

“The Democratic Party has never reported attendance,” Cox notes. “They’ve always reported delegate results.” The change, he says, “is intended to imply that all the Iowans who attend the Democratic caucuses are in support of President Obama and…. to minimize any uncommitted delegates.”

http://www.salon.com/2012/01/02/occupys_iowa_options_ron_paul_or_uncommitted/

[WonderGrunion]

21. I read that on their website

But how does stuff get up on the Occupy Iowa website? Is it put forth to the members and they vote on it? That's what unions do to determine what views the union will support.

There are no comments on that page to get feedback from the members. That is what most political blogs do. As far as I can tell, the person with access to the website just threw the suggestion up there.

No efforts were made to rally everyone to action or mobilize support. That's what leaders in political parties do.

The person suggesting this idea on behalf of Occupy Iowa couldn't get 15% support in either the Democratic or Republican caucuses.

Cenk only suggested "uncommitted" as a protest to President Obama, which is why i told him to "Suck it"

What you posted shows Occupy Iowa wanted this for both parties. That shows you did indeed co-opt my admonition of Cenk incorrectly to the Occupy movement.

[girl gone mad]

23. You keep shifting the goal post because you refuse to admit you were wrong.

[WonderGrunion]

26. No...YOU shifted the goalposts when you made this about the Occupy movement

I said "Suck it Cenk" who specifically wanted "Uncommitted" votes in the Democratic caucus.

You've internalized my admonition of Cenk, shown me no proof that any rank and file Occupiers supported this movement and insulted my intelligence and/or education. And to what end?

This was never about you or the Occupy movement. That's where you moved the goalposts.

[girl gone mad]

28. Cenk got the idea from Occupy Iowa.

He said so right in the piece he wrote. That's where the idea originated.

When I told you that, you told me I was wrong. I've given you the proof, but now it's not enough for you.

I'm sure you hate the fact that Occupy is a leaderless movement since that means you can't trash talk them the way you trash talked Cenk in this thread.

[WonderGrunion]

31. OK, I went back and read all my responses to you (which I don't edit BTW)

At no point did I say Cenk did not get the idea from Occupy Iowa. I did say you might be wrong about rank and file Occupiers actually caucusing for President Obama.

I think you might be tired from a long night of politics.

[joshcryer]

27. That's unclear. It looks like counties that went for Obama went for Ron Paul:

It's possible that Occupy did have a Ron Paul effect, but I don't know where we could get that data.

(Results image from CNN.)

[alison1979]

36. I'm from Occupy Iowa City

And my precinct went half Obama and half uncommitted.
I AM one of two uncommitted delegates in my precinct, and I know there are more in Iowa City. You won't be hearing about us from the Obama campaign though, now will you?

[Scurrilous]

4. Great news!

[quinnox]

6. congrats, he faced stiff competition

It was a hard fought victory

[UrbScotty]

9. Al Hamburg sure posed quite a threat!

[Earth_First]

13. SPOILER ALERT!!!!!1

Some of us had this on DVR!

[Rex]

18. I expected nothing less.

[joshcryer]

32. Here's the breakdown of the delegates:

http://iowademocrats.org/caucus/hPressVt76HujI/

[WonderGrunion]

34. Thank you for that link

It's nice to see independent confirmation that most Democrats support President Obama.

[joshcryer]

35. An overwhelming majority!

I was honestly surprised, I thought it'd be closer to 85-90% not 98%!

I guess DU skews my perceptions a bit.

[Whisp]

37. that's a lot of deluded pom pommed apologists!