Politics

We here in the US are in the middle of the most interesting presidential election of my lifetime. We have some wonderful candidates to choose from. The primary elections have been very close - and the Democratic primary is still a dead heat.

Yesterday I went to a political rally at which Michelle Obama spoke. Mrs Obama talked for an hour and was extremely effective. Shortly before the Obama rally, Hillary Clinton spoke across town. The candidate drew 675 people and the candidate's wife drew 1,600, capacity crowds at both venues and with hundreds of people turned away from both rallies. We are the Red half of the state here in Spokane and Red States go for Barack Obama.

Today I went to the Democratic caucus for my precinct. This reminded me of the town meetings I went to when I lived in Acushnet, Massachusetts, a small New England town with a town meeting/selectman form of government. Everybody who is registered to vote is entitled to go to these meetings and to speak.

Our precinct had 102 people at the caucus and we voted 76 for Obama, 23 for Clinton, and 3 undecided. Six delegates from our precinct will go to the district caucus in March committed to vote for Barack Obama and three will be committed to vote for Hillary Clinton.

If I had wanted to be one of those delegates I would have had a decent chance of being elected to represent my precinct. Caucuses like these are time-consuming, hot, crowded, noisy, and for much of the time, boring. But they make you feel you are in touch with your fellow citizens, that your vote counts, and that you are an essential part of the democratic process in America.

And you are.

Comments

[Les in NE]

I went to Omaha to see Barack on Thursday evening. Went to the Lied Center here in Lincoln to see Michelle speak. Both were fabulous!! I got some pictures of Michelle, but didn't take my camera to Omaha. :(

We caucused on Saturday night. What a thrill to be with my neighbors, making such a monumental decision. We had 139 at our caucus. 5 delegates to Obama; 1 to Clinton.

I have never felt such enthusiasm for an election. I have never attended rallies. I have never participated in a caucus. I have never donated money to a campaign. Until now!

"Yes We Can!"

[Mary Ronan Drew]

Les,

You capture the feeling of excitement one gets from participating in grass roots level politics during a year when there is real hope for the "change" they keep talking about.

I've attended caucuses over the years (since 1968 when I was a delegate to the NC state convention), volunteered at the DC headquarters of some candidates, given money to various folks. But this year is different - much more exciting.

I'm always hopeful that more people will get involved. What if everybody did? We would have much better, more responsive leaders.

md

[daphne sayed]

Mary, i so wish this was how we elected those who run for PM here in the UK. We have no choice and now a PM who was not even elected!!

[Sarah]

We are finding it interesting to watch the developments here in Australia - it is getting a lot of news coverage.

I must admit though, my husband and I are slightly confused by the whole primaries process because it is nothing like any of the political processes we have here.