The Mat-Su Democrats were warned by the state office that we might get 300 people for this evening's Presidential Caucus. We conservatively rented a space that would seat almost ten times the number who showed up for the 2004 caucus - the recently built, but soon to be seedy Grandview Hotel on the Parks Highway.As the numbers swelled, the local public safety net went into alert. The entrance to this hotel from the highway is insanely dangerous, and the roads are slippery, the winds today limited visibility. The backup of cars on the Parks Highway drew the Wasilla Police and the Alaska State Troopers. The Fire Marshall managed somehow to get through the jams and into the hotel, where he promptly declared the whole thing what is was - a HAZARD TO THE POWERS THAT BE!
At about 6:05 p.m. we managed to get the sardine-packed crowd moved from the hotel to Wasilla High School, one of the few buildings within 50 miles big enough to accomodate the biggest gathering of Democrats in Valley history.It took about 40 minutes to move the event. When I drove into the WHS parking lot, it looked like a Colony-Wasilla basketball game crowd, from the number of vehicles. We had been told at the Grandview, that we'd locate to the cafeteria. You couldn't even fit the people newly registering as Democrats into the cafeteria.
I was happily surprised to see so many women and men in uniform in the crowds. Diane Benson hadn't encouraged our staff to bring handouts, but I had stuffed a bunch of Veteran for Benson buttons into my thick parka. They rapidly disappeared.
I saw a few people I hadn't seen for a long time. What a rush this whole thing was becoming. Not just to me, but to some jaded party pols from the old days when the Northern Midwest Alaska pioneers and Depression-era colonists dominated local politics in the Valley.
I talked to five friends who I was surprised to see, because they have been perpetual, unrepentant Republicans. But here they were. Most expressed feelings of outrage at what our dominant political party has done to our state. Others, to what the GOP has done to our nation or to the world.
Finally, everyone was signed up, and seated in the gym, in groups based on their state legislative district. Then we were given pep talks by representatives of the five candidates still signed up here - Clinton, Edwards, Gravel, Kucenich and Obama. I spoke up for Mike Gravel, even though I certainly wasn't going to stand for him, because Gravel is an example of why outraged people are motivated to resist this crazy GOP-dominated paradigm destroying the USA.
Then we voted. I went up and sat next to my wife for a while. But I was drawn - throughout the night - at how many people of color were at the caucus. I noticed a USAF E-8 sitting in the next row up, along with his family. He'd nodded to me earlier as I was handing out a Veteran for Benson button to a grizzled WWII Vet. I moved up, sat next to him, and introduced myself.
This Jamaican American was intensely interested in this raucous caucus and all the mayhem we'd been watching, as it gradually calmed to why we were there. I didn't know which candidate he'd chosen, nor he mine.
When I saw the Clinton people raise their hands, I thought, "That's a lot!" Next, they called for people to raise their hands for Barack Obama. My new friend and I raised our hands, along with about 3/4 of our district cohort. We smiled, shook hands.
Update - 11:35 p.m. - Steve at What Do I Know? covers the Anchorage mayhem.
10 comments:
There was caucus mayhem in Fairbanks as well. Despite the -40 temps and the ice fog, the Fire Marshal had to up because the building was packed and the streets were blocked with cars.
That should say "The Fire Marshal had to show up." Oops. I posted some video and pictures.
Almost twelve hundred (1,171 I was told) Democrats registered for the Juneau caucus, who stood 4:1 for Obama. No one spoke out for Gravel, which demonstrates that Juneau's Democrats have a better memory that this blog's host.
Staggering turnout, thanks for your reporting and your support of real democracy in Alaska!
I teleconferenced in from Seldovia to Homer. It sounded chaotic there as well. Here we had some people who were first time registering or voting for Democrats. They wondered about giving the reigns or power to a group that couldn't even run a meeting. 1 person had to leave.
The turn out was great but we gotta do better. We have an extraordinarily inept president and a corrupt local Republican party driving people/"independents" off the fence, but these things will right themselves after a few more indictments and trials and once McCain is in office (I say that to prepare myself.)
We have to be prepared for success.
That was so cool! I have never been to one of those before! I met a couple as we were leaving the hotel saying they were headed back to Anchorage as it looked like they weren't needed out here-- they came to support their friends who where running the event and just be more people there!
It was a lot of fun. I was very disappointed by the people who were booing the people speaking out on the candidate that they were not for. My daughter and I were yelling for everyone no matter what we thought of them-- this is all part of the democratic process. I liked your speech for Gravel.
I spoke with both the WHS vice principal and two custodians about the number of people there. Two said "about 1,000. The third, Mr. McKinley, said "A whole lot - over a thousand."
I counted 232 for District 13, one of the six Districts there.
independent AK - Ouch! I hope your butt gets better. I broke my tailbone once, long ago. It just has to heal itself. You didn't look like you were in pain last night, though. You were smiling pretty wide every time I saw you.
tea n. crumpet - nice to meet you and your child yesterday.
She'll be canceling my normally Republican vote in a couple of months! Ach! Some say that I have raised her right but I say I managed to raise her left!
NICE REPORTING PHIL, THANKS FOR GOING AND MAKING ME FEEL THAT WE HAVE A CHANCE FOR CHANGE..
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