Well, by action I meant doing something. Others are pointing to their records, which you can take as evidence (Ron Paul, for instance, tilting at windmills, or Romney, who makes me think there are lots of seesaws in my home state of Massachusetts, or Clinton, who actually has less time in the White House than others with the same type role she had). Thompson hasn't trotted out a record, that I've seen.

Leaves me wondering. I don't get the sense he wants the job. One question I've asked every political candidate I've met - Why do you want the job? Those who can't answer (and you'd be surprised how many there are, particularly at the local and state levels) don't get my vote.

His record in the Senate is definitely out there, and he discussed it during the debates when appropriate, I though. The 'doesn't really want the job" thing is floated out there, but he's answered it to my satisfaction.

Did you see the full Fred quotes about this in context this week?

He boils it down to wanting to serve the country as president and wanting to be able to do things only the president can do, but thinking that campaigning in the contemporary age is crap, which is really hard to argue with if you ask me.

Wooowwww, Huckabee and Obama projected... I really did not see those coming.

It's impressive Thompson secured 3rd place, and I bet the Clinton camp is more than a little thrown that not only did she not win, but she's in such a tight race for 2nd with Edwards.

WOW! I didn't see these figures coming - in either party!

Ok I am back!
 

Wow...everyone should enjoy the fun at least once in their life...

Iowa Caucus!

If you aren't familiar with the Iowa Caucus process, it is fairly easy to explain.
Everyone comes in and all the voters are counted once. Out of this total the number is calculated to determine "viability" of a candidate.

Our precinct had a record 451 voters turn out! Amazing. so it took 68 to be a viable candidate.

So after that point, it is time to align with your preference group. Which means..."you all go sit with your team and count yourselves and let the chair know".

So everyone gets up, moves and then starts counting. After the first alignment is reported, the viable groups are announced.

In our precinct the only initially viable groups were Obama, Edwards and Clinton. Almost viable was Richardson. Next largest but non-viable was Biden. Poor Dodd and Kucinich had 4 people each. No one showed up for Gravel.

THEN the fun begins, for the next 30 minutes, the non-viable groups are courted, sweet-talked and enticed to join the others. The Dodd and Kucinich groups joined in with the Richardson group immediately. It took some talking and a number of Biden supports moved over to Richardson. But the Richardson group stalled at 61. Not viable. More talking etc.

At the 15 minute mark, it becomes apparent that if the Richardson group can not get viablility those voters will have to align themselves with the other three. At this point, a number of Obama supports come over and sit with the Richardson group to make it viable. This tactic keeps the Richardson from being non-viable and the supporters perhaps going to the Edwards or Clinton groups. Should that happen, potentially Edwards or Clinton would beat Obama. Such backslapping politics at its best.

It ended up in my precinct Obama 172, Edwards 115, Clinton 95, Richardson 69.

The rest of the caucus is boring stuff...delegate elections, central committee elections etc etc etc.

^^^

Thanks for the update, Pam! I must have had the process explained to me I don't know how many times, but you made it really easy to follow this time around!

Thank you! It's really cool to get a first hand account. Greek Chat is so interesting for the diversity of the info. here.

Pretty shrew of the Obama supporters but seeing as Richardson's overall vote is so low, it much not have happen in many precincts.

That is really cool.

ETA: Jinx!

Thanks for the lesson! Without giving away your actual vote if you don't wish, can you share what some of the coaxing and persuasive speeches were like? What kind of things do supporters say to others to convince them to come to their corner? Did any fights break out? (ha!)

Sageofages explained how the Democrats caucus. I wasn't aware that the Republicans (in Iowa) caucused any differently until I was listening to NPR today. I caucused back in 2004 for the Democratic Party when I still lived in Iowa. The Republicans take a vote.

That is right...the republican caucus is OH SO BORING. You should up, you get counted, you cast a secret ballot. You do the other boring stuff, you go home.

The democratic caucus is out in the open, out loud and totally rocking fun!

That's only the Democratic caucus, though. The Republican caucuses are run somewhat differently. Explanation from the Des Moines Register.

We did not caucus tonight. [By my own fault] I am not informed nor passionate about any candidate and really have no feelings on the results.

Mr Sageofages and Sageofages son #1 and son #1's best friend all caucused for Obama. We had many many friends who caucused for Obama. I did not.

After the non-viable groups were announced, the Richardson group leaders went straight to Dodd's guys with a smile and said "join us please"...they did. The Kucinich guys were seated right behind the Richardson group so they didn't even have to get up and move, they just said "count us". The Biden Group was swarmed on by the big 3 right away, but they really didn't budge. After some "speechifying" by Big 3 supporters, a Richardson supporter got up and said "get to know us, help us be viable to give this worthy man a chance to be seen further on the stage". I think at that point about 90% of the Biden folks got up and joined the Richardson group.

Of course there were Obama, Edwards and Clinton guys over there talking trying to get Richardson people to move as well. After it became apparent that many of the Richardson folks were considering going Edwards or Clinton if they weren't viable, Obama group offered up the few were needed to be viable to keep the Richardson group intact.

This is also how the Washington Democrat caucuses do it, too. When I missed it in 2004, I watched one Democrat precinct in Seattle do it on TV and it was so interesting to watch people argue on behalf of their candidate and try to persuade the non-viable candidate folks to join their "side."

I feel the same way about Fred. I think he'll do well in South Carolina and if he can make it to Super Tuesday, he's going to do well in the south. Or maybe I should say that I hope he will.

Not that anyone really cares, but . . .

I hate Huckabee and I think his type of Republicanism is the last thing the county needs. More big government and simplistic moralizing with a good chance of foreign policy incompetence? No thanks.

If he gets the nomination, I'm not going to vote or might vote for Obama if he is in fact the Democratic nominee. I'd probably stay home if Giuliani is the nominee as well, but I don't know that I'd feel like I had to vote against him.

I could happily vote for Romney, McCain, Thompson and I although there's not much chance of it happening, I could even vote for Ron Paul in risking-bringing-on-the-apocalypse-as-a-way-of-getting-a-change kind of thing.