Politics in the Raw
I attended my first political caucus today. From what I gathered, and I believe this was the case at least throughout the Seattle area, this caucus featured a record-breaking and unprecedented turnout of voters. Doubtless visits from Obama, Clinton, and McCain in the last week and in the case of the candidates that matter the remarkably close race are factors.
As a natural introvert and non-joiner, I attended with some trepidation. Local media noted the likelihood of "in-your-face" politics, and the limited research I did had my few remaining hairs standing up over potential need for speech-giving and outcome of electing "delegates" for the "next round." I was glad I went early, signing in with the first five or so when there was still elbow-room and something like calm - albeit with some crackling in the air.
But shame on the Seattle Times for their yellow-journalish "in-your-face" business. This was not a time to be dissuading the cautious. There was nothing I observed that warranted that fear-mongering. That is the bush administration trademark, and pitiful to have a major newspaper down there in george's personal sewer.
As foreshadowed in a prior gumbo-post, I went in committed to offer up John Edwards as my candidate, if that was at all possible. It was, and I did.
To my consternation and surprise, I was the only person in our precinct to name Edwards as Presedential preference. I wandered over to the designated Edwards-supporter area, and found myself alley-ed between a rabid Clinton claque and the backside of the adjoining precinct group. Once I verified my uniqueness, I snugged up with the four Uncommiteds. They had some dialogue going, detailing the obvious concerns about the Big Two (e.g., "devisive," "inexperienced"). I decided I'd better at least attempt to justify my existence as this strange and abberant creature. I expressed my concern that Edwards has been the only candidate to make a serious attempt to address the diabolical conversion of our government from representing the citizenry to representing and subsidizing the corporatocracy.
I converted none of the Uncommiteds, but the O and C speakers did apparently galvanize several of them, to the point where the initial delegate assigned to "Uncommited" was absorbed by the popular candidates (appropriately evoking unpleasant memories of highschool). Eventually I found myself doing an impromptu speech to the gathered mass of 80 or so. I hope I alerted them that Edwards has not terminated his campaign, reminded them that he was key in progressive improvements in the O/C platforms, and that Edwards is the only major candidate who has taken an anti-corporation stance. I closed with a plea that as progressives we must do whatever we can to get more of Edwards' principles into our platform.
Not at all what I was expecting to be doing at my first caucus, but an experienced pol (may that never be me!) might have foreseen it. It was easy to take a minority stance going in. Once in that position, the very reason for it dictated strong defense. While I had no eagerness for future delegate responsibility, I found I was prepared to take on that role if the Uncommiteds would have allowed me to do so, but the escapees from their ranks eliminated that possibility.
I appreciated words of appreciation for my speaking out on behalf of Edwards by at least a half-dozen folks.
Whose bed have your boots been under?
As a natural introvert and non-joiner, I attended with some trepidation. Local media noted the likelihood of "in-your-face" politics, and the limited research I did had my few remaining hairs standing up over potential need for speech-giving and outcome of electing "delegates" for the "next round." I was glad I went early, signing in with the first five or so when there was still elbow-room and something like calm - albeit with some crackling in the air.
But shame on the Seattle Times for their yellow-journalish "in-your-face" business. This was not a time to be dissuading the cautious. There was nothing I observed that warranted that fear-mongering. That is the bush administration trademark, and pitiful to have a major newspaper down there in george's personal sewer.
As foreshadowed in a prior gumbo-post, I went in committed to offer up John Edwards as my candidate, if that was at all possible. It was, and I did.
To my consternation and surprise, I was the only person in our precinct to name Edwards as Presedential preference. I wandered over to the designated Edwards-supporter area, and found myself alley-ed between a rabid Clinton claque and the backside of the adjoining precinct group. Once I verified my uniqueness, I snugged up with the four Uncommiteds. They had some dialogue going, detailing the obvious concerns about the Big Two (e.g., "devisive," "inexperienced"). I decided I'd better at least attempt to justify my existence as this strange and abberant creature. I expressed my concern that Edwards has been the only candidate to make a serious attempt to address the diabolical conversion of our government from representing the citizenry to representing and subsidizing the corporatocracy.
I converted none of the Uncommiteds, but the O and C speakers did apparently galvanize several of them, to the point where the initial delegate assigned to "Uncommited" was absorbed by the popular candidates (appropriately evoking unpleasant memories of highschool). Eventually I found myself doing an impromptu speech to the gathered mass of 80 or so. I hope I alerted them that Edwards has not terminated his campaign, reminded them that he was key in progressive improvements in the O/C platforms, and that Edwards is the only major candidate who has taken an anti-corporation stance. I closed with a plea that as progressives we must do whatever we can to get more of Edwards' principles into our platform.
Not at all what I was expecting to be doing at my first caucus, but an experienced pol (may that never be me!) might have foreseen it. It was easy to take a minority stance going in. Once in that position, the very reason for it dictated strong defense. While I had no eagerness for future delegate responsibility, I found I was prepared to take on that role if the Uncommiteds would have allowed me to do so, but the escapees from their ranks eliminated that possibility.
I appreciated words of appreciation for my speaking out on behalf of Edwards by at least a half-dozen folks.
Whose bed have your boots been under?
posted by Sir Gumbo at 11:23 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home