kos Maine open thread and report

[cali]

Maine Caucus Open Thread, Ayuh!
by FRED in Portland Maine
Sun Feb 10, 2008 at 10:41:25 AM PST
(I'm not sure if lone diarists are allowed to create an open thread but here goes...)

FRED in Portland Maine's diary :: ::
Howdy Folks! Fred in Portland, Maine here! I am not able to make it to the caucus this year (as I did in 2004) so I caucused by absentee ballot. I just got off the phone with a friend attending the caucus in Wells where she says it is jammed packed and they are all out standing in the snow waiting to get in. Now THAT is Democracy in action! (She even said the parking lot was so full the organizers said they couldn't begin until people moved their cars.)

Did you caucus in Maine? How did it go? What happened? How was the turnout? Did you brave the snow too? Was it a wicked good time?

I want to hear from you! Ayuh!

UPDATED: A list of Maine's caucus locations can be found on the Maine Democratic Party's website. Also, many caucuses started around one with a few around the state to begin later this afternoon and not end until 7 and 8PM. Stay tuned!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/2/10/133322/424/621/453996

[fenriswolf]

1. hows the turnout look for the candidates?

is obama gonna sweep maine too?

[mutant80]

2. Kos sold out to the Right Wing. Most of the people posting are Repub Trolls

The blog has no credibility.

[mutant80]

3. Kos has no credibility. His polls are always skewed.

[sniffa]

5. What about his credibility?

[AX10]

6. Kos is as anti-Hillary you can get.

Scumbag.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rodeodance]

15. yes, I have read posters over there--they are as vile as many Obamababies over here.

[cali]

7. most fucking stupid and ridiculous comment of the day

yeah, all the prominent dems who post there are repub troll, little genius. Senator Kennedy is a repuke troll. Donna Edwards is a repuke troll. The scores of progressive dem congressional candidates who post there are repuke trolls. Representative Wexler is a repuke troll. And I am not a repuke troll, cupcake.

Idiotic.

[Quixote1818]

16. Some of these posts are just comical.

Now KOS is run by Fox news and Newt Gingrich and Bill O'Reilly is a regular poster. :rofl:

We are talking about one of the most liberal sites on the net that the Right wing despises with a passion.

[rodeodance]

34. Ha ha--you must not be reading many of the Obamababies posts on DU

[Yael]

32. Pass the bong, please.

[TexasObserver]

4. This is why I prefer caucuses. Real people have to show up.

If a candidate cannot excite, mobilize and turnout energized worker bees in the thousands, they cannot win the race in November. You cannot win the presidency without creating an army of loyal and devoted workers.

Caucuses are party builders, too. This is where our new party leaders and activists are born.

[MADem]

9. Yeah, fuck the elderly, or the poor, who don't have transportation!!

Fuck those in hospital! Fuck those serving in Iraq!! Fuck those who have to WORK!

They don't DESERVE to be represented, because no matter how excited or mobilized they are, if they have to work, they're a bunch of assholes who don't have merit!

Just the people who CAN show up count!!

:eyes:

[CalGator]

13. that sounds exactly like Hillary's caucus meme

"F the people who have to work, we don't caucuses on the strip."

[MADem]

27. Hey, how did that work out for her? Were those caucuses STOPPED?

Hmmmmmm? Come on, now....think hard! Did a judge rule to prevent those strip meetings?

Anyone?

Buehler?

And who did those strip workers turn out for? Se Puede...para CLINTON, if I recall correctly...

:eyes:

Your example ain't too swift, there.

[goodgd_yall]

19. Exactly!

[jpak]

20. ummm that's why we have absentee ballots for our caucus in Maine

More absentee ballots were cast in Maine's Dem caucus than actually voted in the Repug caucus.

17 year olds can also vote in the Dem caucus if they turn 18 by election day.

Mine is in one hour (and it's snowing hard here)

The turnout will be interesting...

[MADem]

21. Ummmmmmm...and that is why Maine is UNIQUE. No others do. NT

[CalGator]

30. not quite true

New Mexico's caucusing is done by ballot, similar to Maine.

[MADem]

33. New Mexico is advertised as a caucus-primary, though.

It's plain that you can vote and leave, like a primary...


Cites: http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2008/jan/29/low-turnout-expected-new-mexico-caucus/

Despite its name, the caucus is run like a primary. Polls will open at noon and voters who are in line at 7 p.m. will still be able to vote. If voters go to the wrong polling place, they will get a provisional ballot.


http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iuTr5I6fctixTRIou3hRY4wjaPyAD8UMPTC00
New Mexico Democrats call their contest a caucus, but it's not like Iowa's caucuses where voters gather in gyms, churches or meeting rooms, divide into groups for each candidate, try to attract more support from other groups, and then count each group. Rather it more closely resembles a "firehall primary" — a primary with shorter voting hours and fewer voting sites than would be found in traditional state primaries.

http://www.nmdemocrats.org/ht/a/GetDocumentAction/i/1118155
How does New Mexico's Caucus compare to Iowa's Caucus?
New Mexico will employ a different type of caucus than the traditional one used
by Iowa. Democratic voters will be able to cast absentee ballots from January
12th to January 28th, 2008. On February 5th, 2008, Caucus sites will be open
from noon until 7:00 PM (voters in line at 7:00 PM will be allowed to vote after the
polls close). Voters will simply cast a ballot at the Caucus site and then leave,
much like voting in a regular election.

[no name no slogan]

43. Minnesota does it too

you can send a letter to the caucus convener, either with a caucusgoer or ahead of the caucus, with your vote. You can also volunteer to be a delegate to the county convention the same way, too. I've seen it happen at a number of caucuses where these people end up as delegates.

[MADem]

44. Wow, that's THREE then that are Primary-Caucus states... nt

[goodgd_yall]

24. But voting by absentee ballot doesn't allow full participation

Now, I'm not sure how Maine does it, but if it's like what I saw in Iowa, once your candidate is determined unviable, you can put your vote behind another candidate. If the absentee vote is for a nonviable candidate, you're stuck with not having your vote count.

[goodgd_yall]

29. As the other post to this thread stated

not all states with caucuses allow absentee ballots.

[skooooo]

23. are you a one note pony, or what??

[MADem]

45. Yeah, how DARE I have an opinion that doesn't match YOURS.

The world revolves around you, and everyone should follow your lead!!! Only YOUR POV counts!!

Hey, look--you don't LIKE my opinion, you don't want to SEE it, you can make that happen for yourself! It's easy!

Instead of worrying about MY opinions, worry about your own....unless you are someone who constantly is compelled to whine and net-nanny everyone who doesn't think the way you do?

Hmmmmmmmm?

[AX10]

10. You and Randi Rhodes (vomit) want caucus's...

so your show pony can win this thing.
Let us have real elections.
Many people don't have many hours to spend on these stupid caucus's.

[rodeodance]

14. a "show pony" full of Glitter--it will fade.

[cali]

17. you better get used to it, bitter one.

Obama is not fading. And your characterization of him shows exactly what you are

[Name removed]

36. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[JackORoses]

12. also most Caucusers are more informed on the Candidates and Issues than the average Primary voter

[no name no slogan]

31. It's not as easy as "drive-by democracy"

It actually gives people a stake in the race and helps build party unity. It's also a lot harder to flood caucuses with fair-weather supporters, like it is an open primary.

It seems that those who most loudly criticize the caucus system have never actually ATTENDED a caucus before, and don't have much of a clue about how they work-- outside of what they've seen on TV.

I know a lot of party leaders who got their starts by attending precinct caucuses. One of them is currenty vice chair of my state's party. I know a number of CD-level officers who got their starts at the caucus, too.

[TexasObserver]

11. Real people. Not stolen ballot boxes or voter caging scams.

[sniffa]

18. Wait a minute! This guy caucused by absentee?

Why haven't other caucus states had this in place so Hillary supporters (i.e. those who work for a living) could have caucused for her. This is bullshit class warfare!

[Tatiana]

26. The librul latte drinking Maine elites have fairer caucuses

than the libral latte drinking Nebraskans.

[Coexist]

22. EARLY RESULTS:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/2/10/14421/2295/569/454040
But, having said that, here's what happened in the caucus in Gardiner, Maine today.
Gardiner is a small city, which means that it is kind of a medium-sized municipality by Maine standards. (We only have three "cities" of any real size: Portland, Bangor, and Lewiston/Auburn). Gardiner is relatively blue-collar with some state workers because it is near the state capitol of Augusta. Somewhat "Clinton country" ordinarily, I would think. High school football is the biggest thing in town. Different Maine towns are holding their caucuses at different times this afternoon. We started our caucus at 1:00 p.m., which was among the earliest that any towns voted. And here's what happened...

twcollier's diary :: ::
It was an Obama blowout! 129 votes for Obama vs. 47 for Clinton, which translates into 10 Obama delegates and 4 Clinton delegates to the state convention. There was a big turnout and it was quite crowded even though they changed the caucus site a couple of days ago in anticipation of a large turnout. The caucus moderator, our state rep. (who was supporting Hillary -- as is our Governor and some other high-profile Dems) said that it was the largest turnout he'd ever seen for a caucus.
The Obama crowd was large and diverse. Many had been up to Bangor for the Obama rally yesterday and were still talking excitedly about it. There were only two uncommitted votes from the entire caucus. People had made up their minds, either for Obama or Clinton, and no persuading remained to be done. It was civil and friendly -- and Obama took it "bigtime," as his cousin Dick Cheney might say!

[TexasObserver]

25. It was an Obama blowout!

[cali]

28. Wow! He got almost 3x times the number of votes she did.

Here's the thing though- communities in the south may go for Hillary. We'll find out soon.

[K Gardner]

37. "Relatively blue collar" ??? I don't get it. Do they at least sip latte?

[eShirl]

42. only at the Dunkin' Donuts

[rodeodance]

35. Rumford, Dixfield, Mexico, and Byron caucuses go for Clinton

http://www.politickerme.com/rumford-dixfield-mexico-and-byron-caucuses-go-clinton-823

February 10, 2008 - 3:21pm
Rumford, Dixfield, Mexico, and Byron caucuses go for Clinton
By Editor
Tags: Maine Democratic caucuses, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama

The reporting of PolitickerME.com’s Danny Reiter shows Hillary Clinton winning the support of a majority of delegates allotted in the Rumford, Dixfield, Mexico, and Byron caucuses.

90 voters showed up for the caucus in Rumford, with 52 voters breaking for Clinton and 37 voters breaking for Obama. 1 person was undecided. Clinton picked up 12 delegates and Obama picked up 8.

30 voters attended the Dixfield caucus. 16 voters went for Clinton and 14 voters went for Obama. Clinton and Obama picked up 3 delegates each.

In Hanover, 8 voters attended, with 6 going for Obama and 2 going for Clinton. Obama picked up 1 delegate and received none.

43 voters attended the caucus in the town of Mexico. 16 voters selected Obama and 27 voters chose Clinton. Clinton picked up 6 delegates and Obama picked up 4 delegates.

In the Byron caucus, Hillary Clinton received the support of the one voter that attended. She and Obama received no delegates.

[SoxFan]

38. York County

Hillary narrowly wins Old orchard beach.

Obama wins big in the town of York.

Still no numbers from Cumberland County (Portland).

[lse7581011]

39. Kittery

doesn't caucus until 5pm!

[SoxFan]

40. A lot of towns in York go late

I was a field organizer for Tsongas in York County back in 1992, and we didn't finish our last caucus (Ogunquit) until well after dark.

[lse7581011]

41. I'm SO Bummed!

I went to change my affiliation from Independent to Dem 2 days late-I can't caucus! Just drove by Traip (the high school in Kittery) and the crowd is phenomenal!

[LowerManhattanite]

46. Slightly Off-Topic...

Note to all...the brooms are coming out.

Tombstones are flying fast and furious tonight. The most egregious are being “handled”.

The “X-Man” in this thread is under a stone header as is a certain Kennedy fella.

Mods are handling their business.

That is all. :)