Sign of the Times at a Texas Caucus

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/03/05/sign-of-the-times-at-a-texas-caucus/

by Seth Michaels, Mar 5, 2008

Ed Sills, director of Communications for the Texas AFL-CIO, sends us this report from the Precinct 331 convention in Travis County. Texas Democrats held caucuses after primary voting and will distribute delegates from primary and caucus votes.

I have been present at this convention since 1994, sometimes alone. At my first precinct convention, I walked into a room full of 30 Republicans, told them I was a Democrat and received the precinct packet for my trouble. The high-water mark for the precinct since then was 15 after the 2000 presidential primary. The 2006 precinct convention consisted of Brother Michael Murphy of IBEW, Mrs. Murphy and me.



Today, we had 308 sign-ins, including scores of friendly faces who have had children or have taught in Caraway Elementary School. If there’s a war going on between the Clinton and Obama camps, it did not occur in Precinct 331. Both sides easily agreed on procedures for getting everyone counted and there was plenty of amazement on both ends as we filled an elementary school cafeteria with what had to be the largest precinct convention ever for an area that was mainly deer and squirrels in the last era when voter turnout was this fervent.

Barack Obama got about 70 percent of the caucus votes, for a 28-11 advantage in senatorial convention delegates. The Obama and Clinton organizers did an outstanding job of moving the convention along with no serious difficulties. The good feeling was so strong that by acclamation we simply passed all resolutions without comment up the chain to the senatorial convention.

In 1994, this precinct was about 2–1 Republican. It has changed gradually, and by 2006 we were giving state Rep. Mark Strama, a Democrat, a healthy margin. If we can bottle what happened tonight, our precinct may be turning from purple to blue as surely as Texas may be going from red to purple.

[ORDagnabbit]

1. are caucusus only for democrats or do republicans go too?

[TexasProgresive]

2. InTexas only Dems caucus

[ORDagnabbit]

7. If thats the case then I think Obama won the caucus because people are

seeing a difference between Obama and Clinton now.


Like I've said I'm a kucinich guy and considered both clinton and obama corporate tools.

over the last couple of weeks Clinton has outshone herself as a corporate tool who will stop at nothing (attack ads, lies and nefarious means) to take down her opponent and her own party.

I am tired of her type of politics and I'm tired of her

[txaslftist]

9. I think a lot of people are tired of her brand of politics.

[txaslftist]

3. You have to have voted in the Democratic Primary, which is open.

So, in your heart of hearts you could be an evil republican, but you have to vote for a democrat to get in the door and sign the sheet and caucus.

[txaslftist]

4. Thanks for the post. This was my experience also.

I chaired my caucus (only 50 people, but hey, this is Lubbock) and it was a great experience.

[yellerpup]

5. Love your sig line.

thanks for your work for the Democratic PARTY. :hi:

[txaslftist]

6. Thanks. Believe it or not, some folks don't think it's ironic...

[yellerpup]

8. Gotta have at least two functioning brain cells to recognize irony. n/t