Caucuses

The democratic caucus, Saturday morning, was a weird, dreamlike experience. Roughly 70% of the people attending their caucuses in Washington had never been to one before; I'm guessing that in our legislative district it was more like 90%, and it was definitely 100% in our precinct. We all drifted around, following hollered instructions from our big-voiced district officer (in a snappy red, white, and blue tie), eventually ending up at the appropriate tables with the appropriate packets of information.

I was surprised, delighted, and relieved that our little precinct table (19 neighbors) managed to be on its best Seattle Liberal behavior -- not whiny and contentious and bogged down in petty ideology, but pragmatic and respectful and focused on the point.

Several people made quite eloquent speeches in favor of their choices, which we all listened respectfully to; the Dean and Kerry people didn't try to choke each other, which I was a little afraid of; and (most importantly to me) we all agreed that at this point, even a special interest junkie who voted for Bush's tax cuts and his little war will be better than this administration.

I'd have been happier if Dean did better in Washington (30% of the delegates chosen, as opposed to 48% for Kerry), but he did quite well in our precinct, with three delegates for him, and one for Kerry. The Kerry delegate is married to one of the Dean delegates; I'm married to another one.

As we were leaving, the surrealism of the morning was capped for me by seeing a young woman holding a pile of LaRouche literature passionately trying to explain to a small cluster of people why Kucinich is a total sell-out.