One-Legged Two Step....Austin Chronicle

[madfloridian]

I was talking to someone today is going to vote and then stay to caucus in Texas. She is very excited. I found it hard to explain what issues Hillary's campaign was raising about the caucuses. Here is something from the Chronicle:

One-Legged Two Step

Fort Worth Star-Telegram is reporting that Hillary Clinton's campaign may, as a last-minute effort, try to stop the precinct conventions on Tuesday night. Now, this may sound like it's coming out of left-field, but on his stop at the UT Austin campus on Wednesday, Pres. Bill Clinton seems (with hindsight) to have been laying the groundwork.

During the section of his speech about the complicated popular vote/convention combo system in Texas, Clinton said that Hillary could win during the day, and have that victory taken away from her in the evening. Why raise this point at all, unless the campaign is concerned that it can motivate a majority to only turn out once in a two-stage process.

On the back of the Clinton campaign trying to get the Florida and Michigan delegates re-instated, plus Clinton yelling over Tim Russert and Brian Williams at the Ohio debate, she seems to be running more against the rule book than against Barack Obama. Plus, the less said about the "and now the '3am phone call'" TV spot (which looks like it came from the same people behind the Bush/Cheney 2004 wolves at the door campaign ad), possibly the better.

That explains it pretty well.

I heard something about trying to slow down the crowds at the caucus, that she was trying to keep them from moving outside to accomodate the crowds. Did anyone hear this? That would be a shame to squelch enthusiasm.

[Pirate Smile]

1. I saw something in the rules that lets them change the location such as

if the room is too small then you move it to the parking lot (they did that in Nebraska or Maine I vaguely remember).

They don't want the caucuses to be able to accommodate large numbers that may show up? That is really slimy. Why am I not surprised.

[madfloridian]

3. I can't find it right now....it was in a blog discussion I think.

But it does fit with this sort of. Still looking.

[madfloridian]

6. I heard from someone in TX...but I can't find a source to post.

I did see it in a blog..still searching.

[sonias]

9. Burnt Orange Report blog

BOR blog by Glen Smith
Threatening the Texas Primary/Caucus
(post by Phillip Martin in the thread)

A quick note, also -- you can move the location of the caucus, but not until everyone has been able to sign in and you've done the voting math. So everyone has to be counted first and foremost -- which is the important part.

Phillip does know his stuff. His father was once the executive director of the Texas Democratic Party and Phillip is one of the main editors of this blog.


Sonia

[madfloridian]

11. Ok, I found this from an AP post....about the moving for crowds.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iNxTApa2sQRu0Xx99P3jt2bEXw7gD8V49IM80

"
Texas party warns against legal action

LAREDO, Texas (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign has raised the possibility of a challenge to Texas' primary and caucus rules just days before the contest, drawing a warning against legal action from the state's Democratic Party.

Top strategists for Democratic rival Barack Obama said Friday they supported the party's action, suggesting the Clinton campaign was trying to block the reporting of caucus results.

Clinton aides said earlier this week they were alarmed at the lack of clarity about many of the caucus rules and expressed their concerns on a conference call with Obama's staff and state party officials. Texas has a two-step voting process, with a primary and then caucuses shortly after the polls close

Specifically, Clinton aides questioned a provision allowing caucus attendees to vote to move the location if they choose to do so, and whether people who had cast so-called "provisional ballots" in the primary would have their votes counted in the caucus."

That is not the original thing I heard...still looking.

[madfloridian]

13. Good post from Burnt Orange. Love that site. They want to cast doubt...

on the Texas results. Then then want to contest FL and MI....did you see the Florida lawsuit against the DNC is being heard on appeal?

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1864

Amazing timing...

[sonias]

14. Harold Cook who consults for the Texas Democratic Party

Had a good line on one of those posts:

A Pox on the House of the Campaign
...that sues TDP over the same primary and caucus process that have been in place for years, under which each campaign's supporters have operated on for years, and under which each campaign's supporters have at times helped craft.

And a pox on the house of the campaign that sues TDP over the implementation of the process, which TDP staff and officers have never ever put as much effort and expense into ensuring as smooth of an implementation as humanly possible.
(snip)

If they don't (win), I guess the real meaning of the "Texas Two-Step" slogan commonly used right now is:

Step one: try to win.
Step two: if you can't win, sue somebody.

:applause: for Harold!

Sonia

[madfloridian]

16. That's great. And someone needs to make the FL lawsuit end.

Before it just keeps on.

Suing to win is not winning.

:hi:

[sonias]

19. Well the one thing that can end these lawsuits

Is a decisive win next Tuesday for Obama in both Texas and Ohio. Let's hope for that. Yes we can!

:hi: madfloridian

Sonia

[madfloridian]

20. Fingers crossed.

:hi:

[Yael]

10. Washington State caucused in parking lots and tennis courts

according to DUers who were part of the process there.

No clue as to Texas rules, but wanted to add that. The imagery blew my mind at the time.

[lligrd]

2. Her Campaign Has Tried Some Bizarre Stunts

but they keep outdoing themselves.

[blogslut]

4. Incredible voter turnout and enthusiam in Texas

And she suddenly wants to close the doors on the masses.

Pool's closed, indeed.

[AtomicKitten]

5. Nothing pisses me off more than voter suppression used as a strategic tactic in an election.

It is the EPITOME of UNDemocratic. I call bullshit on it and I hope Democrats are taking notes.
We are better than this.

K&R

[BrightKnight]

15. A small politically active group of Repugs and Democrats should decide all Democratic elections.

The electorate doesn't know anything. Whose Country is this anyway?

Holding the "Primary Election" was funny. Average people should have a say as long as it is not the DECIDING say.

[TexasObserver]

7. The lesson here is that neither Bill nor Hillary has any idea what a real legal issue is.

That's what happens to people who get a law degree 40 years ago and never really practice law. Bill never has, and Hillary only played corporate lawyer, which has nothing to do with lawsuits for equitable relief or to raise constitutional issues.

They are not going to stop the caucuses from happening, and anyone who actually understands how courts look at the party convention processes knows this already. What they may do is file something that gets tossed out within hours, but gives them a chance to say "we wuz robbed!"

They aren't even going to win the popular vote in Texas, and they sure aren't going to win the delegate allocation.

This is one more faked injury that the Clintons are claiming, all to explain why losing Texas is UNFAIR, IT'S UNFAIR TO HILLARY!!

Maybe the answer is you suck, Hillary, the only place you can win is one of your rallies.

[Yael]

12. Post script to your (well written) screed

Texas doesn't matter.

Rhode Island and Puerto Rico matter.

This is just for show....

[sandnsea]

8. People who keep saying she is a good person

are clearly not reading all of the news.

[cooolandrew]

17. I can't see them going this route too controversial even with everything we've seen so far.

[pop goes the weasel]

18. good grief

Why the whinging about the precinct conventions? I don't remember any whining about the Iowa caucus system; in fact, we constantly were told that the Iowa caucus was some sort of wonderful distillation of real democracy. But have a caucus system in which people who can't get to the caucus still have a voice, and suddenly the candidates have a problem?

I usually hit the precinct convention. I'm disappointed that work concerns prevent me from doing it this year. But I am pleased I still get some say. And in my experience, a precinct convention is a pretty close reflection of the overall precinct vote.