Live-blogging Super Tuesday with the Democrats Abroad in Sydney, Australia
Tue Feb 05, 2008 at 04:38:49 PM PDT
My husband Mike and I are on a good long vacation, thanks to my five week sabbatical (a reward from my employer for ten years' service, then every five years thereafter). We've been in Australia for about two and a half weeks so far (a week in Melbourne, 9 days in Sydney) and we're having a blast. But when we were planning the trip we were both a little dismayed to figure out that we'd have to be far away from home (Portland, Oregon) on Super Tuesday.
We are both active Democrats and although Oregon won't vote till May 20 (yeah, I know, pathetic), we were looking forward to watching the returns with friends. But this trip required a change of plans. I went online to Democrats Abroad, found the local chapter in New South Wales, Australia, and fired off emails to a couple of the officers to ask about Super Tuesday. Never mind that 19 hour time difference! Within hours I had heard back. They were delighted to hear from me and welcomed us to their Super Tuesday viewing party (locally Wednesday at 11 am).
So here we are in the Agincourt Hotel (Australia's first carbon neutral pub) in the central business district of Sydney, Australia, surrounded by friendly Democrats thousands of miles from home. Over the next few hours I'll be live-blogging the events of Super Tuesday as filtered through this very interesting gathering of Democrats, far away from home.
Hope you can stay with me for awhile.
UPDATE 12 noon local time
I've polled the room. Lots of Obamania, a few stalwarts for Hillary, and a lot of determined looking people saying, "Whoever can win!"
We had a moment of excitement a few minutes ago when the CNN signal went out and instead we saw a few seconds of cricket! But after the moaning and wailing we found the CNN signal again and normalcy returned.
UPDATE 12:15 pm local time
My husband (a New Hampshire native) just said, "I'm so sick of these Georgia numbers! That's what you get for closing your polls too early! Georgia is the Hart's Location of Super Tuesday!"
UPDATE 12:25 pm local time
A dispute is raging as to whether Mitt Romney or Ron Paul is the preferred Republican opponent!
UPDATE 2:00 pm local time
We've had some lunch (fish & chips, thank you, this is a PUB, after all) and we've been moving around the crowd talking to people.
We've met a woman whose late husband was a member of the Australian Parliament from Perth, and another whose first husband back in Virginia once ran against John Warner. We've met several voters from back in Oregon and told them all about our friend US Senate candidate Steve Novick.
So far there don't seem to be any big surprises. What do the tea leaves say about Hillary winning NY bigger than Barack won Illinois? Who knows?
Back to the chaos.
More later.
There must be 40 or 50 people here.
UPDATE 2:05 pm local time
People are still showing up! Only a few people have left and I think there are more people here now than there were at noon. It's so loud you can't hear yourself think! It's a great crowd.
UPDATE 2:07 pm local time
Loud outburst of semi-non-ironic applause for the CNN headline "Obama Wins North Dakota."
UPDATE 2:35 pm local time
How much of this is actually "news?"
Huckabee wins Alabama
Romney wins Utah
I've been talking to a very young woman (25) who came to Australia at 17 to attend college and stayed. She describes herself as "weak Obama, whoever can win." I told her my issues with Obama's kumbaya talk. She really believes that America is ready for less partisanship, that the past 8 years have tired ordinary people and they are ready for something different. I hope so!
UPDATE 3:00 pm local time
Hillary's talking. The room goes respectfully silent. She gets some cheers in the room, especially when she mentions health care and taking care of veterans. Big cheers for reaching out to our allies (naturally!).
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