MINNESOTA: Caucus Update

Diana -

Thanks for this informative piece.

Thanks for the update!

Thank you Diana - ! Salud.

Well, this was the first caucus Janie and I had ever been to, and like most new participants we went with the candidate who got us out.

Hmm...interesting....Huckabee did better than I would have thought.

I've heard that some of the Minnesota caucuses were nuts, but ours was orderly - although extremely well-attended. This was my first time convening and - the room got pretty hot!

Lyndon - I'll send you a note.
Liz - OK!

Janet - Huckabee continues to surprise people all over the country!

Hey, I know the guy that voted for Keyes!

Amazing turn out tonight! Thanks for posting this.

So - anyone we know, Clark?

Charli - yes, it was inspiring!

Gee, I know the guy that knows the guy that voted for Keyes!

AND, I knew Famous Amos before he was famous. (clever fellow)

Thanks for the info. I'm from MN and most of my family is still there.

Fascinating. Romney, Obama. who would have thunk THAT combo?

I'm so glad folks are voting. Thanks for reporting this information.

Glad to hear about the tremendous turnout. The American people are the real winners (though I am happy about Obama's win here).

Now we know.

I guess that Minnesota would pick the farthest on the left, and the farthest on the right is not too astonishing.

It does make for a good climate for a centrist, Independence party to grow.

Diana,
Do you think if Clinton had made an appearance in the state that it would have made a difference?

Terry, sure an appearance by Clinton would have made a difference. Maybe she thought she'd do better than she did so she let this state take a pass at a personal visit.

thanks for the update~

Glad Obama won!
Thanks

Thanks for the report, Dianna.

I'm wondering about your final statement. You said that turn out this year was five times that of 2006; does the second part of that sentence state that 2006 was five times the turnout of 2004, or that 2008 was five times the turnout of 2004?

I'm just wondering if your crowds are continuing to increase, or if they increased in 2006 and just stayed at that level.

Peace -

Bill - the crowds are continuing to increase. We had more in 2006 for mid-terms than we had in 2004. Now in 2008 we had even more.

I spoke to more than 81 people at my caucus this year. In 2006 there were about 17 or so in attendance.

The party chairman is actually talking about switching Minnesota from a caucus state to a primary state - although there are no plans to do so at the present moment.

(P.S. I'm a word person, not a math person!)

Kathryn, my hunch is that there were three notable factors working against McCain in Minnesota:

• Embracing the Iraq war cost him votes to Ron Paul (whose 15% showing in Minnesota was triple what he'd gotten in prior states). The war will not help McCain here in Feingold country, either.
• McCain'sdenunciation of Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell in 2000 as "agents of intolerance" may not be fondly remembered by some, who opted for Huckabee instead.
• This time of year here in the north country, having a full head of hair is, if not admired, at least envied.

The pundits are going to have a field day trying to figure all the ways Huckabee and Paul will be spoilers between McCain and Romney.

"So - anyone we know, Clark?"

You might know him or know of him. He's not been low profile, although hardly a statewide celeb, by any means. He was Keye's campaign manager in 1996 (I think that was the year...boy, that one worked out well too, huh?), and ran against a state rep (the hmong woman, whose name currently escapes me) in 2000 or 2002.

He's written a few books, and has had a radio program on a local Christian AM station, off and on over the years. He's a great guy...one of the very few "real" Christians that I've ever known. But, he's really confused, politically. It's all because of his pro-life (he's also one of the only REAL pro-lifers I know personally) stance. He's allowed himself to be completely immersed in the extreme, radical right wing, because of his pro-life position.

Some years ago, he confided in me his deep sadness and displeasure over the fact that his early-20's age daughter announced that she was gay. I wrote back to him, explaining that it isn't anything to be distraught over, and that God made her just as He created everything and everyone else, and in that sense, she was a perfect creation. He wrote back saying that he and his wife were convinced that, with enough prayer, she would "get through this phase." Sad.




"I guess that Minnesota would pick the farthest on the left, and the farthest on the right is not too astonishing. "

??? Which candidate was "far left" and which was "far right?" Obama is hardly what I'd call a flaming lib, and Huckabee is certainly not what many would call "far right." In some ways, Huckabee is probably more liberal than Obama, in fact!

Huckabee didn't win the Minnesota caucus, Romney did.

Hillary is my centrist of choice, so that is just my opinion. No one really knows...

Hillary DID make an appearance in MN. She was here for the Super Bowl.

The jury may still be out on Big Government, but this election, Big Hair has not fared well.

{chuckle}

If this country gets lucky, Obama will be the next President.

thanks for the info.

Thanks, Diana.

We had at least 54 people caucusing in our precinct alone. We usually feel lucky to get 10. And Red Wing is a small town!

Well, Diana, I got here two weeks late ==I´ve been offline and traveling==but it´s good to see that you are doing your best to keep us updated from your bird´s eye view in Minneapolis.
I wonder what you think about the contest now. From Spain, it looks more like Obama than ever. I initially wanted Hilary, and totally bought into the Clinton two for one deal, but Barack is looking better with each passing day.
And you are so right about the turnout.....this is an energized Demo party.