Reply #218: Just got home around 11:30ish from SD 12

[MagickMuffin]

A shoddy sound system and widespread uncertainty about the process left many of the more than 2,000 delegates at the Gaylord Convention Center frustrated.

“I understand this is supposed to build community but I mean this is all kind of a joke if you ask me,” said Tim Bialek, an Obama supporter from North Richland Hills. “It’s like how many Democrats does it take to screw in a light bulb? That’s what everyone is waiting in line for.”

Tensions flared around noon over how to handle precinct caucus results that were challenged. There were 87 challenges to precinct caucus results from senate district 12. The majority of the challenges came from the Clinton campaign.

Rather than waiting for a credentials committee to make recommendations on each challenge, convention leaders suggested splitting the challenged precincts evenly for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

The crowd roared a definitive “no” at the initial suggestion. A second vote on the idea failed. Organizers warned the caucus may go until midnight if each challenge has to be heard individually. Several Obama supporters suggested the effort was an attempt by the Clinton campaign to steal delegates.

“We will caucus until midnight to get our man in office,” said Obama supporter Mindy Barton of Fort Worth.
Around 3 p.m., the delegates addressed all 87 challenges in one vote, accepting the recommendations of the credentials committee.

Despite the early drama, the convention appeared to go more smoothly than many other large conventions in North Texas. Most attendees left by 6 p.m. after they caucused for their candidate.

Results were not available by 9 p.m.

More on SD 9 & SD 10

http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/551746.html

Please forgive me MODS: for breaking the 4 paragraph limit but the article states the frustration so much better than me and I am tired.

I received a phone call Thursday night explaining that my precinct had been challenged. I went over what happened and the kind woman said that it had been resolved. Whew, glad I won't have to deal with that matter come Saturday.

We were suppose to pick up a Obama delegate, I called before we left and found out she stayed over her boyfriends house and wasn't there. Luckily my sweetie was an alternate. We get there between 8:30 and 9:00. We proceed to get in the line and and snake our way through the very long line to find out we still had the exact same challenge against us. We are told that our precinct has to get out of the line and wait. As the article above states the sound system was so shoddy we couldn't understand any of the speakers.

After waiting several hours we finally get the credentials committee lady to tell us why we were being challenged. I told her we had spoke on the phone Thursday and that I thought everything had been resolved. She explained that is what she thought as well, but the rest of the credentials committee decided to challenge everyone anyway:shrug:
I told her I wouldn't hold it against her:loveya:

We get to go to a special sign in area, and everyone signs in. Sweetie makes his claim to take the spot of the Obama delegate who decided not to show up. There was one rude woman who started giving him some shit, he whips out the RULE BOOK, and reads it to her, she said the delegation chair has to rule in his favor. The delegation chair just so happened to be me. "Let him have the delegate badge!"

{{{Our precinct originally had 7 Clinton delegates and no alternates, and 3 Obama delegates and 2 alternates. I called everyone on Monday telling them where the convention was to be held. All of them said they would be there. I called everyone again Friday night letting them know about the parking fee, to bring food, water and that it could take as long as 10 hours.}}}

There ended up being only 3 Clinton delegates, and 3 Obama delegates. Another Clinton delegate showed up while one who had been there left before the vote. Two of the Clinton delegates were husband and wife. Before the wife arrived, Sweetie had already talked to the husband and let him know that I really had my heart set on going, and he said he would vote for me. After the wife arrived I saw my chances slipping away by a coin toss.

When we went to vote the late Clinton delegate wanted to be a state delegate and her friend and former neighbor nominated her. She gave a speech and then my Sweetie nominated me, and gave a fabulous speech why I should be elected to the state convention, after all my hard work before and during the primary convention, and how I was FAIR to both camps.

Husband had a discussion with his wife and they decided she would take the alternates slot.:loveya:

So, I AM NOW A DELEGATE TO STATE FOR OBAMA:woohoo:

SD 12 went to Obama, he won our convention 56% to Clinton's 44%.

If I heard them correctly Obama will be sending 108, Clinton 59 delegates to state.

I'll have to check the numbers out from a more reliable source since I couldn't hear the exact numbers.


I was unable to do live blogging since their free WiFi, wasn't really Free.

Sorry about the long post but that is pretty much everything there is to report at this time. I just hope it makes some sort of sense, since I'm sleep deprived.

Going to bed.