MARosko's Blog

Are you Caucus-perienced? I wasn't. And I'm still not because my precint joint was jammed. But I tried. I really, really tried.

So, I've lived in a bunch of states, and they all had primaries. (later in the story, you'll see how these go off without a HITCH in these other states.)) Anyway, 4 yrs. ago, I guess I didn't take notice of the "caucus" thing. Maybe I was off doing a grueling sweeps piece that involved taste testing chocolates of different kinds--I don't know. Just don't remember it.

I went to my precint location around 7-ish and found out that since I haven't caucused here before, I need to sign in. At the end of a line, which, as my eye traced it, kept going down the hall and around the bend. I will admit here, I'm fairly impatient, but still...I was pretty motivated to try this "caucusing" thing, as I had talked it up ALL morning long. Realistically, I wasn't sure I'd even get to the front of the auditorium before the thing ended.

My friend Claire in Rochester, N.Y., where they have primaries, open most of the day, walked a few blocks, and spent five minutes voting. Don't get me wrong, I like the dialogue part of MN caucusing. If we could keep that, but have a system for those who want to cruise in and out and cast the "presidential preference" ballot or whatever you guys call it.

And yes, Tom Lyden, good question (tm?)... I did notice a lot of "Obama" signs at my precint. Personally, it didn't bother me--I thought the purpose of this deal was to make sure your arguments/opinions stand up to actual face-to-face discourse, and if you are so inclined, you can try to rally your fellow party members behind your candidate.