Caucusing gives insight into local politics

Kyle Nelson Columnist

On Sunday, Feb. 10, Maine held its Democratic political caucus, and Illinois Senator Barack Obama came out on top with a decisive 17 percent victory. When I decided to journey up to Maine with fellow Vassar students Annie Reiner ’09, Jonny Asen ’09 and Daniel Black ’11, however, the result of the caucus was the last thing on my mind. I was more interested in observing some of the intricacies of small-town politics and their interactions with the national presidential election.

Our first stop was at The Maine Elderly Home, where we attended a stump speech by former Governor Joe Brennan, Senator Ted Kennedy and his two Portuguese Water Dogs. The politicians spoke to a crowd of senior citizens and news media about supporting Obama’s health care plan and his interest in taking care of America’s seniors. Kennedy also spoke at length about how a society is defined by the way it treats its elderly.

Asen and I then went to Maine’s “Obama For America” headquarters, where we met State Campaign Director Rob Hill and Asen was briefed on his responsibilities as a Precinct Captain at the Caucus.

Twenty-four hours and eight inches of snow later, we traveled two hours north to Bangor, the latest stop on Obama’s yearlong campaign tour. Obama spoke to a packed house; filled to the brim with 7,000 supporters, 2,000 people waited outside. After a round of introductions headlined by Maine Speaker of the House Glenn Cummings, Obama delivered a speech in which he addressed his competition and described his vision for the future of American politics. He also touched on issues central to Maine families such as health care, subsidized heating oil, education, college expenses and the War in Iraq.

While a common criticism of Obama has been his lack of specifics, he detailed his economic, social and international policy and proved that his vision of hope is far more than merely a populist slogan.

After he finished speaking, the crowd erupted into deafening cheers. Obama then walked around shaking hands and conversing with the crowd. We were in awe; he looked and sounded like the future president of the United States.

We spent the morning of Sunday, Feb. 10 catching up on schoolwork, listening to Governor Mike Huckabee talk about frying squirrels in a popcorn machine and eating them, and trying to find ourselves amidst the television coverage of Obama’s speech.

Sunday was caucus day. While Reiner caucused in South Portland, I accompanied Asen to Portland High School, the site of Maine’s single largest caucus center. We spent the first half of the event collecting signatures to get candidate Michael Brennan on the ballot; Asen’s brother is running his campaign.

Nearly three hours later, people began filling Portland High School’s gymnasium. The room was covered with signs advertising the candidates. On the subject of the War in Iraq, Governor Deval Patrick declared, “[Clinton] voted with the polls; Obama voted with his soul.”

At Reiner’s caucus, Congressman Patrick Kennedy talked to a more moderate audience about how Obama and Clinton’s policies were similar, but that Obama is the candidate to bring true change to Washington.

Finally, just after 6 p.m., the caucus actually began. First, voting districts were escorted into their respective rooms and asked to sit down by one of the party coordinators. Then, amidst much chaos, voters were advised to split into groups according to their preferred candidate. Each group was given time to convince members of other groups to support their candidate. I saw at least 10 people switch sides throughout.

While the caucus initially seemed like democracy at its best, it quickly became tedious. “Karl Rove wouldn’t have been this disorganized,” Asen said in a sarcastic tone. I was immediately reminded of Florida circa 2004.

Party coordinators first counted absentee ballots and then factored them into the voting counts occurring live at the caucus. But because there were so many people attending the caucus, the coordinators were ill prepared and had allowed people to cast their votes, as if in a primary, and leave.

Therefore, there were two separate sets of absentee votes: the legitimate and the illegitimate. Clinton staffers were incensed and the conversation became heated, even elevating to a shouting match when the lead party coordinator became annoyed by a staffer’s comments.

After an hour of debate and mudslinging, the coordinators locked the doors and began to count votes. Despite a daunting process, the vote in Bangor was finally counted: Obama, 516; Clinton, 144. The caucus process, though educational, is the definition of inefficiency, and after sitting through its duration, I am thankful that my home state of North Carolina has a primary.

As we drove back to Vassar, I could not believe the weekend was over. Though Asen, Reiner, and I could not remember the source, the following quote echoed in our heads: “Why study history when you can make it?”