Three Days in Iowa (truthout report from Des Moines)

[WilliamPitt]

Three Days in Iowa
By Scott Galindez
t r u t h o u t | Report

Tuesday 20 January 2004

http://truthout.org/docs_04/012104A.shtml

First of all I suggest moving the Iowa Caucus's up to August. It is just too cold in January. Second, arrange for Kinkos to be open 24 hours during caucus week or move the caucuses to a place where there is at least one internet café. I guess I am being petty. Oh well. I overcame some of the above obstacles and now know to prepare for a state that has not been fully wired yet.

(snip)

Precinct 18

Kucinich and Gephardt supporters didn't reach the 15% threshold to qualify for a delegate to the county convention, so heated negotiations began. The first possibility explored was a combining of Kucinich and Gephardt supporters, but it became clear that they still would have been short. Kerry forces succeeded in convincing Gephardt forces to join them, which appeared to be enough to put Kerry over the top, but when most of the Kucinich supporters and undecided went to Edwards, it was enough to secure an Edwards victory. The Kucinich camp held out until the last minute. Dean supporters were pleading with them. "How can you join a war supporter?" shouted one Dean caucuser. The Kucinich people shouted back, "Dean is not anti-war! Opposing one war does not make someone anti-war!" In the end, Edwards won by 6 votes.

Precinct 49

When the chair announced that 42 supporters were needed to reach the 15 % threshold, a huge roar came from the back corner. Kucinich was viable. Then came the politicking. The undecideds were on the stage. Gephardt, Kucinich, Dean, and Edwards supporters were busy trying to persuade them to join their groups.

The first vote ended in a tie between Edwards and Kerry. Kucinich was third, Dean fourth and Gephardt failed to reach 15%. The campaigning began. Neither side was able to make a deal so right before the second vote, some Gephardt people went to Kerry and some to Edwards. Second count results, still tied. Then the real fun began. Arguments ensued over who would get the extra delegate. Edwards and Kerry each were getting three. Kucinich and Dean got one each. After a lot of arguing, the caucus chair announced that there would be a coin toss for the 9th and final delegate. I was stunned. I was about to witness a delegate decided by a coin toss. Everyone called for quiet while the caucus chair was on the phone with party headquarters. There would be no coin toss. The state party wisely ruled that Kucinich would get the ninth delegate.

...more...

[Zomby Woof]

1. first ZombyKick of the day

:thumbsup:

[VelmaD]

2. Read this last night...

and thought it was good. I really like Scott's "voice". I liked the little touches of humor he brought to the story.

[question everything]

3. I participated in an Iowa caucus in 1988

It was in a suburb, not your traditional blue collar union Democrats. First, it took more than an hour to register half of the participants who were not already registered as Democrats. We were in the auditorium of the local high school.

Gephardt won the Iowa caucus, but he was not even viable at ours. Dukakis and Babbit both came first, so, yes, we did toss a coin and Dukakis won. Jesse Jackson came third.

Imagine my surprise when, as we were driving home late, we heard that Gephardt won and Babbit came fifth, I think.

[Ficus]

4. why couldn't I have lived in precinct 49

73 just couldn't bring enough for Dennis!

[goodhue]

5. great read

Thanks for posting this!

[curse10]

6. This is fascinating!

I had no idea what really went on int a caucus meeting. Kind of wish I could participate in one! :-)

[no name no slogan]

7. Attending a caucus is like making sausage

They can be very ugly and complicated and can be a big turn-off in many ways, but they're still a lot of fun.

They are the essence of grass-roots politics, of give and take, of compromise and wheeler-dealing-- especially with the new "15% rule" this year.