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The Idaho Caucuses: Group LiveBlog Here at NewWest.Net/Boise
By Jill Kuraitis, 2-05-08
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Some of Idaho’s most experienced political bloggers will write about the Super Tuesday caucuses right here on New West today, and readers are invited to join in.
Blogging will appear in the Comments section under this article. (Hit “more” at the end of this piece to see what’s been posted so far.) As bloggers begin to contribute, I’ll post a short introduction to each person and a link to their blog. If you have a blog and would like to participate tonight, use the Comments function after this piece and simply start writing. If you don’t have a blog, write anyway. Everyone is welcome.
If there are any technical problems or questions, email me at . Good luck, everyone. Let’s tell the world what’s happening in Idaho tonight.
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Comments
I *hate* making phone calls... it is NOT my comfort zone and I feel intrusive...
HOWEVER... everyone I've spoken to has been excited... about the energy and involvement of our fellow Idahoans and about their candidate of choice. They are excited about being part of the process! They have been friendly as well!
I'm looking forward to meeting them tonight!!
I blog over at http://wehavefailed.blogspot.com/... I live in Gooding and our caucus tonight will take place at Sally's Office Supply and Deli on Main Street.
Our county includes Gooding, Wendell, Hagerman, and Bliss.
We are in District #25 and are fortunate to have Senator Clint Stennett, Rep. Wendy Jaquet, and Rep. Donna Pence (all Ds) as our representatives in Boise.
I want to have our next caucus at an 'Office Supply and Deli'. Sounds like a helluva of business setup. I'm in CD2 (gotta remember that!), District 16: Langhorst, uh, ...... crap, I see their little faces.... Henbest, and Bock. All Democrats.
I am the founder of Red State Rebels, http://www.redstaterebels.net, one of Idaho's oldest political blogs, going strong since 2003. Once I leave for the arena in a half-hour or so, I actually won't be anywhere near a computer until late tonight, but I look forward to catching up here later on.
Meanwhile, RSR has a thread up to discuss the national results as they come in. I hope many of you can join us over there, too.
http://redstaterebels.typepad.com/redstaterebelsnet/2008/02/super-tuesday-n.html
Whit, there are actually only about 6,000 seats at Qwest, but we should be able to pack people in - we have the floor as well as the usual seats. Many of the folks who turned out Saturday a.m. aren't old enough to vote; many others came from all over Idaho and beyond, so we should be OK.
Happy caucusing to one and all!
We hope to see EVERY Obama supporter at their caucus tonight!
See ya'll soon!
I'm outta here!!
However... the "Stinkin' Lincoln" (if you've ever had a night out on the town in Gooding, you know where I mean) may be still open afterward!!! It's right across the street!
http://mountaingoatreport.typepad.com/
The Canyon County caucus is at the Nampa Civic Center. The doors there open at 6 pm and close at 7 pm but they say if you're in line by 7 you'll get in. Not sure what kind of turnout to expect. I'm told music starts at 6:30 and there will be concessions (not sure if that includes adult beverages) and a silent auction. Oughta be fun.
I won't be blogging from the caucus but will participate here and at MGR later this evening.
I blog here at New West as 6degrees Astroblog:
http://www.newwest.net/6degrees
Mostly focus on astronomy and science related issues, but occasionally write an op-ed piece like this one on immigration:
http://www.newwest.net/main/article/we_are_a_nation_of_immigrants/
I wish I could join the crowd at Quest tonight, but I'll be down the road at the Discovery Center attending the monthly board meeting of the Boise Astronomical Society. I'd consider skipping it, but as the newly elected President of the group, I don't think that would be the most responsible action on my part.
I will have my laptop with me (along with my new Clearwire wireless modem) so I hope to be able to follow the events nationwide and perhaps post a comment here later this evening to give folks at Quest (and elsewhere) an update on what is happening nationwide.
Go Obama and Clinton! :-)
Where's the press box? I'm underneath the Idaho Women for Obama signage, near an ATM.
I'll be heading down here in about an hour or so, I'll try to have to have some pics up on my site when I return.
http://www.unequivocalnotion.com/
http://garyogrimm.blogspot.com
We will be at the caucus and write more later.
Did you vote already?
I ran into some officials from the national Dems. Will find out what they're up.
Nathaniel Hoffman is bouncing around with a microphone, Sen. Elliot Werk is doing commentary for KBOI, and the TV stations are everywhere. Sharon and I are in the press room, which is perched high above the crowd. Great view.
The PA is playing "King of the Road" - hmmmnnn,,,,,
They are predicting Obama winning the state, but can't project a winner between the three Republicans at this time. No vote tallies yet mentioned for either race.
In 2004, both Howard Dean and Dennis Kucinich got bit by this – they achieved 15% in some counties, but not statewide, so delegates chosen for those two candidates basically milled around at the state convention and didn’t get to do anything. There was discussion at the time about changing the rules for 2008, but according to Idaho State Democratic Party Communications Director Chuck Oxley, that didn’t happen.
Standing here with me is Chuck Oxley, spokesman for the Idaho Democratic Party, who is fumbling with his phone headset, but game to talk to us. Questions for Chuck?
Jill: There have been years with no Dem caucus?
Chuck: Used to be about two-thirds of the counties had D caucuses, because there was not enough interest from Democrats to put on a caucus, especially in the east - Madison, Oneida, Clark counties....those were tough. But tonight we're 44.
Is that due to the large LDS population?
Barack Obama struck an early blow on "Super Tuesday" with an easy win over rival Hillary Clinton in Georgia, the first of two dozen showdowns that could help pick the presidential nominees of both parties.
we found that answer.
Plans for overflow? Anybody who is in line before 7 pm gets a ballot. If they join the line after 7 pm they don't.
What's the TV station from Germany. I read Der Spiegel daily.
According to researcher Nassim Nicholas Taleb, a “black swan” is a large-impact, hard-to-predict, and rare event beyond the realm of normal expectations. The term black swan comes from the ancient Western conception that all swans were white. In that context, a black swan was a metaphor for something that could not exist. The 17th Century discovery of black swans in Australia metamorphosed the term to connote that the perceived impossibility actually came to pass. (In other words, the black swan is *itself* a black swan.)
“Black swans” have three characteristics, Taleb says: “First, it is an outlier, as it lies outside the realm of regular expectations, because nothing in the past can convincingly point to its possibility. Second, it carries an extreme impact. Third, in spite of its outlier status, human nature makes us concoct explanations for its occurrence after the fact, making it explainable and predictable.”
Examples of black swans include 9/11 and the Internet, and cause unexpected radical change.
“Isn't it strange to see an event happening precisely because it was not supposed to happen?” according to Taleb.
Can someone describe the scene? Noisy? Crowded? People voting and leaving, or everyone staying? How's it working? Looking forward to some pix as well.
Good luck to all and have fun.
Go Obama!
Parking is... nil.
This is pretty insane.
Yeah, that's the line George Bush campaigned on in the 2000 election. For many years, I scoffed at what seemed to be incredible irony, or outright fraud.
But now, by god, I realize he was right. He has united the Democrats and most of the country against him. The Idaho caucuses are proof. So, despite all the damage he's done to this country, there is a silver lining.
Bush; uniting Democrats since Y2K!
Roark said there are now caucuses going on in every one of Idaho's 44 counties, calling tonight the "return to relevancy" for Idaho Democrats.
"Jim Risch, Bill Sali, Larry Craig -- take a look around," Roark said. "We're going to beat these Republicans and make them like it."
He's asking people to go to http://www.idaho-democrats.org and sign up.
He's asking whether people are ready to take back the White House after eight years of deceit, and reminding people that, like preachers say at Christmas and Easter, the Idaho Democratic Party is here year-round, not just at caucus time.
While the first-round votes are being counted -- and there's still a lot of people outside, he said -- he's explaining the rules.
A collection bucket is being passed around the room.
She is talking about how lucky we are that there are so many qualified Democrats running for President of the United States.
"We have always known that women had a major role in the opening of the West," she said. "Women's suffrage was accepted earlier here than in other parts of the country. Now we are seeing women achieve in every walk of life."
Clinton has the experience to help us deliver real change in our country, she said.
Despite the large amount of support Obama was said to have (and he does), Clinton has a large and enthusiastic cheering section as well.
Church just brought up 'universal health care' to loud cheers, and is pointing out that she is on the Armed Services Committee, giving her experience with the military.
She's getting a standing ovation.
There had been a request that, on the first ballot, people vote for Edwards out of respect.
Holzer just said that he may need to change on a second ballot, and that he is voting for Obama. Big cheer.
However, he will remain a "John Edwards Democrat," Holzer said. "John Edwards' voice drove this campaign. He spoke for the voiceless."
Holzer is putting out one hell of a speech for Edwards, hitting on Katrina, homeless veterans, unions, and how Edwards was the one who made universal health care a factor in this campaign.
(There's a big union presence here tonight, compared to other Democratic events I've seen in Idaho in the past few years.)
The place was packed. Two huge lines for Obama stretched out the east and west doors and around the building when we got there at 6:30. They were still filing in and registering when Judy Ferro, CC Dem Chair, announced that we were reaching the building capacity of 1600. She asked those that had registered, who were committed and didn't want to vote on delegates to leave if they wished so they could fit more people in the building.
That's it for now. As I said I'll have a more detailed write up at MGR.
ROARK: Since I was last truly active at the state level in 2002, this blogging phenomenon has reach maturity, and I'm delighted we have great progressive bloggers and what good writers you are. This aproach is very exciting to me - we can communicate with peole in this new and great way - so a shout-out to you bloggers - keep it up, you're providing a helluva service to the state.
There are in excess of 8,000 people here tonight, fired up, enthusiastic.
KURAITIS: What are the Rs talking about tonight?
ROARK: Some of them are laughing it off, sayingit's a passing fad, but some are looking at this and saying what's disturbing is the number of young people participating at the Obama rally on Saturday and now here.
I was amazed in the 80s that Reagan was able to attract and hold young voters and that helped a generation stick to the Republicans - now - look around tonight and see the young faces - they think they can make a difference, and they can.
Idaho has been for altogether too long, a one-party state. It hurts the way government is done in this state. There are some Rs who probably would welcome a revitalized Democratic party, for the health of the state.
KURAITIS: Obama or Hillary?
ROARK: - I am not officially endorsing. Let's look at Hillary - Other than Al Gore in 2000 and the first President Bush in 1988, there hasn't been a candidate as well qualified as Hillary - anyone who doubts her intelligence, abilities, etc is making a real mistake.
But speaking as the party chair, I am very concerned about our legislative candidates trying to run with Hillary on the ticket. In this state in particular she is very polarizing and I think we give up a significant number of votes in nonpresidential races with Hillary. She and her husband are intensely disliked in many many parts of the state - it would be wonderful to run WITH someone rather than run away from someone. I would prefer an Obama candidacy.
"John Edwards' voice made a difference in how they will govern," Holzer said.
"O-BA-MA! O-BA-MA!"
Bieter: "Ladies and gentlemen, isn't it nice to be *among friends!*" with a growl.
Dig at the Republicans' efforts to close primaries. "You are *all* welcome here!"
"I'm here to stand up proudly for the man I believe will be the next President of the United States: Barack Obama!"
Volunteers took everybody's card and they said the vote would count, but everybody outside the Arena had to leave.
Exciting night for everybody and some were very disappointed. Finally, however, there seems to be a high level of interest for Democrats in idaho.
No, just kidding. But he might as well be, to judge from the crowd's reaction.
He's hitting all the standard Obama talking points -- getting out of Iraq, the politics of hope, "we are not red states, we are not blue states, we are the United States."
He's going to end with "something you don't hear in New Hampshire, and something you don't hear in South Carolina, and something you don't hear in the other Idaho, Iowa."
He's talking about a uniquely Idaho cheer that he hasn't done since the Fiesta Bowl.
He's teaching us a Basque cheer: "Gora" and we're supposed to say 'GORA OBAMA' "loud enough to hear in the 'other' Idaho."
I don't know if they heard it in Iowa, but it was damn loud.
"We will listen intently to all groups," Whaling promised. "We may not make a decision tonight," but when they do, they will feel strongly in their hearts that they have chosen the right one, he said.
I'll come back when they announce results.
the line was ALL the way around the block at 7 pm . they locked the doors and gave us paper ballots , we filled them in and got outa the bone-chilling cold , I caucused 4 Obama.
I'll bet it was HOT 'n Wild inside tho...
WAT TO GO , , , IDAHO !
http://maps.google.com/maps/mpl?moduleurl=http://www.google.com/mapfiles/mapplets/elections/2008/primary/primaries.xml&utm_campaign=en&utm_source=en-ha-na-us-google-mp&utm_term=decision2008
So why have it at all?
Because state law requires it, said Idaho Democratic Party spokesman Chuck Oxley. But the Democratic National Committee isn’t required to use it, and they are free to set up caucuses in any state to pick the actual delegates.
It may be a long night...
I saw beach balls tucked into the backs of some seats earlier, and they're coming out now.
for up to the minute Idaho Democratic Party Caucus results , go to:
http://www.intoxination.net/elections/21.html
Powered by IntoxiNation and Crooks and Liars
it seems a bit early for that tho,,,
both CDs: 8,280 ballots
CD 1 -- Clinton 364 votes, 11.9% (not viable)
Edwards 46 1.5%
Obama 2,526 82.2%
Uncommitted
CD 2 -- Clinton
Edwards
Obama
Uncommitted
Edwards 78 1.5
Obama 4,449 85.3%
Uncommitted
FIRST CD ONLY:
Clinton: 364 votes 11.9%
Edwards: 4.6 votes, 1.5%
Obama: 2, 3526 votes or 82.2%
Clinton: 508 votes, 9.7%
Edwards: 78 votes, 1.5%
Obama: 4449 votes, 85.3%
See photos at:
http://garyogrimm.blogspot.com
Second list in my post above is the Second Congressional District.
"At this time you have one more opportunity to change your vote or attempt to reach the 15% threshold to recruit others in your group, if you wish to," Cronin said.
In other words, Clinton would need to gain approximately 100 votes in CD 1, and approximately 250 in CD 2, to gain viability.
Cronin is explaining that if you don't want to change your vote, you can go home -- and a hell of a lot of the Obama supporters appear to be doing just that.
I read about the DividedWeFail earlier today:
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/all-hail-bipartisanship-by-digby-so-i.html
Digby says this is another one of those nominally "bipartisan" groups meant to get Democrats negotiating with themselves before the specter of universal health care looms too large.
Is true.
I looked on their website at who is pledging "bipartisan" support for their tepid healthcare position. There is barely nominal Republican support for their bland and centrist stand on healthcare. All the Dems will sign this pledge, and then have to edge farther even right to meet the Republican demands for the corporate welfare, "free market" solutions. Plus a bunch of people who can't get ever get real jobs will rake in consulting fees.
And healthcare will still suck.
“With the kind of effort Obama has made in Idaho and the organizational effort he has made, it doesn’t surprise me he’s done well tonight,” Weatherby said.
Nationally, Weatherby noted that Obama had done particularly well in caucus states. “That has paid off well for him, I think. Obama is also doing well in overall delegate counts, meaning “the context will go on for several more weeks,” perhaps into March and April, he said.
Obama’s victory energizes the Idaho Democratic Party and Democrats, Weatherby said, making it “more socially acceptable to be a Democrat” and providing good timing for recruitment of candidates and getting people interested in the primary as well as in the general election.
“Certainly when 7,000 people show up in Ada County and declare they’re Democrats – that’s significant right there,” Weatherby said.
Attendance: Just over 1,400, and we had to set up and use an overflow room. 4 years ago, we had around 500.
Here in Bannock County, it's looking like Obama took the caucus with 73%.
As with other caucai throughout the state, Bannock County had to start late because we had so many people waiting in line to come in. Yowza!
If you happen to be an Idaho Wingnut Repub, don't forget: relief is spelled R-O-L-A-I-D-S. Hopefully, that's the only succor you'll receive.
A good, good night. Shiny.
If Clinton's 364 and 508 votes in CD 1 and CD 2, respectively, had been 15% of the total, then the total would have been 5,813.
But the huge number of Obama voters who showed up made the number of votes Clinton had to get to achieve 15% of the vote much higher, because the overall total was so high.
What did it look like inside ?
Michele Whatever on ch.6 just said some crap like "...many Democratic voters disenfranchised because they couldn't get in to vote..."
Sloppy and ignorant so-called news reporting .
I didn't get in , BUT I voted !
Tick,Tick,Tock
Obama wins Alabama, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Utah & North Dakota
Clinton wins Arkansas, Arizona, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee & Oklahoma
McCain wins Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, New Jersey, New York & Oklahoma
Huckabee wins Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, West Virginia & Arkansas
Romney wins Utah, North Dakota, Montana, Colorado, Massachusetts & Minnesota
Both races in California are still too close to call, but Clinton appears to have a large early lead in the reported numbers.
“I think this went off really well, considering we’d never done it before,” Oxley said. “We’re used to the Frank Church banquet where we get 800 people.” Few of the organizers and volunteers had worked on such a big event before, though they had been going to mock caucuses for the last four to six weeks, he said.
In fact, after Senator Barack Obama drew 14,000 people at Boise State University, organizers considered moving the caucus to the Taco Bell Arena – at a projected cost of $20,000 – but because the event had been advertised as being at Qwest Arena for several weeks, organizers decided to keep it where it was. “With two days left, we could not change horses in midstream.”
Instead, organizers “tried to make sure everyone was enfranchised and could participate in the first round” by taking ballots to the couple of hundred people still outside at 7:10, Oxley said.
In terms of results, Oxley said he didn’t expect Hillary Clinton to be “aced out in Ada County,” but noting that Obama had 20 hired people, five offices, and brought the candidate to town, “I guess, considering that, I’m not that surprised.”
Clinton - 399 votes - 13%
Edwards - 14 votes - 0.5%
Obama - 2,584 votes - 84%
Uncommitted 78votes - 2.5%
56 delegates all go to Obama from the 1st Congressional District
Clinton 533 votes - 10.2%
Edwards 34 votes - .07%
Obama 4,553 - 87.3%
Uncommitted 95 votes - 1.8%
65 delegates all go to Obama from the 2nd Congressional District
These are delegates to the Idaho STATE Democratic Convention, where the delegates to the National Convention in Denver will be elected.
They're picking up the chairs....
Night all
We came in 2/3 Obama and 1/3 Clinton...
Per Times-News (http://www.magicvalley.com)
Twin Falls County Democrats give Obama big win
Idaho Democrats resoundingly endorsed Illinois Sen. Barack Obama for president in one of the largest Democratic caucuses in memory.
More than five times more voters caucused on Super Tuesday than in 2004 in Twin Falls County, where Democrats supported Obama over New York Sen. Hillary Clinton by about a 3-1 margin.
Final tallies showed 763 Democrats caucused in Twin Falls -- the most since the Depression, said several old-time party members. Obama received support from 564 people, and 175 supported Clinton.
Almost an hour before the caucus began at the Twin Falls Senior Center, which holds 350 people, party officials opened spillover caucus locations at Pandora's, where Democrats squeezed into two small rooms in the old brewery.
Before the counting began, supporters for each candidate chanted and shouted in the hot, cramped spaces, and the groups whooped in unison, perhaps surprised by their own numbers.
"I think it may be a wakeup call for people who think there are no Democrats here," said Deborah Silver, the county's party chair.
Blaine County bands together behind Obama
Blaine County was a mess, with nearly 1,200 people clogging streets and the auditorium and halls of the Hailey Community Campus. Despite the occasional plea from a few Clinton supporters, most of the county's Democrats banded together behind Obama, and all 11 delegates went to him in the evening's first vote. Only 300 voters chose Clinton, Edwards or were undecided.
Clinton supporters seemed disappointed, yet encouraged by what they described as two very strong candidates for their party to choose from for the fall election. Hailey residents Kaz Thea and D.J. Simms, the latter sporting a "Hillary '08' shirt, said they felt Bill Clinton's presence in the White House would do wonders for international diplomacy.
"I think both candidates are amazingly qualified," Simms said, "but I'm looking for electability in the fall."
The mood in the auditorium, the site of the main caucus debate, wasn't as congenial. A defense of Hillary Clinton's initial vote supporting the Iraq War was drowned out by an overwhelming chorus of boos, and the debate bordered on harsh before the initial results were read, emptying most of the room.
Betty Murphy, Blaine County Democratic Party chairwoman, applauded the surprising number of voters present and answered questions several times about how the process worked.
Obama wins in Jerome Co. Democratic caucus
A spunky crowd of 113 friends and neighbors overwhelmed expectations Tuesday night in Jerome, more than doubling the forecasted turnout, and leading to a win for Sen. Barack Obama in Jerome County Democratic caucus.
The Illinois senator earned 62 votes among caucusing Democrats, with 47 casting votes in favor of Sen. Hillary Clinton. Four people were uncommitted.
The county delegate county was two for Obama and one for Clinton, according to Gib Anderson, chairman of the Jerome County Democratic Central Committee.
"I was dumbfounded," Anderson said of the turnout.
"I'm so inspired by everything he had to say," said Sherry Turner, who was chosen as an Obama delegate for the state convention. "I'm excited."
I will NEVER make that mistake again.
But I am VERY proud of my Obama group... they focused on the positive and promoted their candidate with dignity.
Obama - 81%
Clinton - 17%
About 18000 votes tallied. Missouri still too close to call. Obama up about 4800 votes out of nearly 800,000 counted (98% reported).
Helping people to register to vote is my idea of a Good Time.
Here's what I cobbled up after the fact, with a picture of the
scene:
http://fortboise.org/blog/200802.html#p02050
I received word from d2 and Serephin that Bonneville and Bannock came out big for Obama. Same as Ada.
Thanks for the venue.
New Mexico still remains to be called.
Current state tally: Obama - 13; Clinton - 8.
McCain - 9; Huckabee - 5; Romney - 6.
Big winner tonight: Mike Huckabee.
Big loser: Mitt Romney.
Both Obama and Clinton can claim success tonight as can McCain.
There were a total of 8290 attendees in Ada County, 3075 in the First CD and 5215 in the Second CD. All were counted in the first round and all changes in the second round were counted to my knowledge.
The last I heard, Clinton at best got only 2 of our 23 national delegates. It was possible as of last night that she got completely shutout in Idaho and didn't get any. We'll know later today.