Here's a hot off-the-presses report from my friend Jason, who caucused in Seattle, WA today:
I just caucused for the first time ever today, and apparently I wasn't the only caucus virgin there. The place was a madhouse -- the school gym in the photo was just one of several rooms used for the various Green Lake neighborhood precinct caucuses.
(more on the flip)
Votes were tallied for "Clinton", "Obama", and "Undecided", and each group elected a speaker. The "undecided" guy made a pitch for sending undecided delegates, which seemed a little odd to me. His argument was that undecided elected delegates would blunt the influence of the super-delegates, but I think that voting for someone in particular does as much in that regard. The initial assignment of our 5 precinct delegates went 3 for Obama, 1 for Clinton, & 1 undecided. The undecideds were below the minimum threshold, though, so they had to switch votes, and we netted out at 4 Obama delegates and 1 Clinton delegate. (These are just precinct delegates, who will go on to a subsequent caucus that elects the actual convention delegates.)
After delegate selection, resolutions were proposed, and most of them had to do with our voting systems. A lot of anger was directed at the undemocratic nature of the super-delegates.
All in all, it was quite an uplifting experience. I had the unfamiliar sensation of living in a democracy.
And from Casey, who sent me this communique just before the WA caucus:
Even though it means wasting a Saturday in some small-town elementary school gymnasium, I have already decided to deliver the great state of Washington to President-Elect Obama.
THIS SHALL BE OUR YEAR!
His comment after the caucus was over:
I gave a speech and everything.
Thanks to Jason, Casey, and all the other first-time WA caucusers who put Obama over the top today!