• Flickr set
  
• Iowa Caucus Trip 1/1/08 Part I


• Iowa Caucus Trip 1/1/08 Part II


• Iowa Caucus Trip 1/2/08 Part I


• Iowa Caucus Trip 1/3/08 Part I


• Iowa Caucus Trip 1/3/08 Part II


• Iowa Caucus Trip 1/4/08

We came back with a high from meeting Obama. Tonight would be our alumni reception so we got dressed up in our finest business casual. Business casual which apparently includes jeans and t-shirts in some people's minds. Maybe I'm too old and grumpy but come on, your mama raised you better than that. Apparently some folks completely skipped it. These are our future leaders? I get waitlisted for this University and these slackers get in?

I'm overreacting, of course. Many of them looked very professional and ready to hobnob. Dinner was absolutely carboriffic. I'm not into this anti-carb culture but when I comment on the number of carbs, well, you know it's a lot. We listened to a faculty member talk about polls and the caucus process. It was more interesting than it sounds; there's a lot to the process. I found the "second choice" polls the most interesting part of the process.

If you don't understand the caucus process, here's a quick overview: in the democratic caucuses people move into groups according to the candidate they prefer. A count is taken and if the group doesn't represent 15% or more of the total number of people in the precinct then that group must convince enough people to come over so they can remain viable for a delegate OR must move to another candidate's group. This is where the second choice thing comes into play. Let's say candidate Z leads candidates Y, X, U, T in the polls. However, in reality U and T don't have enough people to be viable. Those people have to either leave or go to a second choice. while Z may lead in polls, Z may not get many of U or T's folks and these people may choose to go over and stand with Y instead. Y ends up winning the most delegates. Confused? That's ok, it's a lot of information. Let's get back to the fun stuff.

I was signed up for an Obama event at a nearby high school but decided to go check out Clinton instead. My mom and my boss are Hill fans and I'd already heard Edwards speak before (plus his event was a ticketed Mellencamp concert and I didn't have a ticket). It was in a local museum and was hot as all get out. I was getting disgusted with the crew I was travelling with. As I mentioned before I was about ten years older than the other travellers, ten years younger than the faculty/staff that attended, and the Organizer regarded me with thinly veiled irritation. Once we got in I tried to keep tabs on everyone involved. I followed the Faculty Men and ended up on some stairs with a nice view into the backstage area. Here you may see Madeline Albright, Wes Clark, Ted Danson, and maybe Mary Steenburgen:



I was in a group of a few women with whom I chatted with a little. They held my place with a few of the stage and I stepped a few over and let them know when someone cool appeared in the backstage area so they could get a photograph. I ended up emailing my pictures to one of the ladies. This is my favorite backstage picture; it's Bill and Chelsea:



She gave a good speech, and I warmed to her a little. I didn't get to shake her hand but that's cool. It was cold and flu season after all. Afterwards I met up with some of the folks including the guy who reminded me of Kenneth from 30 Rock! As you know, I love Jack McBrayer so this guy's very presence made me smile. I followed the crowd to a street corner where the hotel shuttle was supposed to meet us. Jaded was wearing a simple hooded jacket; temperature was likely in the single digits, tweens at the warmest. Several of them bitched about the cold, but come on--we're in Iowa in January! It's cold! I was wearing my thermals and my hiking socks so I was wicked warm.

There were too many of us to fit on the shuttle but pseudo-Kenneth convinced me to take a seat anyway; the rest would get a cab. I got back to find out that the Obama folks got more handshakes. It was cool, though. Tomorrow was another day!

Labels: iowa, politics