Democratic Caucuses in Idaho

News from the most Republican State in the United States is that the closets in Idaho have become much larger. You know the favorite joke of the state's Republicans is that when the county Democrats have a meeting they just have to find a closet somewhere. Or, when the Idaho Democrats are driving to a State Convention, they just rent a Volkswagon.

Well, Barak Obama has shaken the Republican foundation around here. He visited Boise last Saturday, and drew 14,100 to the Taco Bell Arena on the BSU campus. Media reports say there were a thousand outside that could not get in. I talked to one of my students at the high school who was in line at 6:15 A.M. (speech started at 8:30) The line wound all the way out to Broadway Avenue. She said that to her it looked like a whole lot more than 1,000 standing outside when the fire marshalls closed the doors. Now, this girl had to drive from Fruitland on bad roads to be there by 6:15. I have to tell you the poor girl still looked awfully tired when I talked to her Tuesday morning. She was aglow when I asked her what she thought of seeing Barak Obama. I think she had a going-to-the-mountain experience. Another junior boy and his mother had gone to the speech. They were afire having witnessed the charisma Obama exuded. The mother has never been politically involved (always votes), but now vows to work to help Obama win in Idaho should he be the party's nominee. Winning in Idaho is a big chore for any Democrat. Lyndon Johnson was the last to win our Electoral Votes in 1964.

After being introduced by Cecil Andrus, Obama looked all aroud the lareg arena and quipped, "And they told me Idaho does not have any Democrats." Of course he got huge ovation. I thought he should have said, "You Idahoans surely have the largest closet I have ever seen."

Ada County Democrats, who had a record attendance of 2,000 at the caucus, felt the growing grass roots movement for Obama and rented Qwest Arena that could hold 6,500. On a brutal blizzardly night, 8,800 showed up. 2,300 people never got inside. They were handed the registration forms on which they could write their choice and then had to go home. This was the largest caucus ever held in the United States. Pretty amazing for the most Republican State in the Union. Seventeen of the eighteen committed delegates will be committed to Obama, Hmmmm, did Obama light a fire in Idaho with his Saturday morning visit?

Duh

In our small county of Washingon 165 people showed up to caucus. George Bush has really vitalized the Democratic Party in Idaho. Eight years ago we had a number in the upper twenties for our caucus. Four years ago we had seventy-two. We were overwhelmed. We even had to open the doors of the library meeting room and spill out into the main library. This year we had our hopes up and made arrangements for the main library. Good thing! We about filled the room.

I was honored to chair the Obama caucus for the purpose of selecting our one delegate and alternate to the State Convention. Yeah, we are a small county. My wife caucused for Hillary Clinton. I like Hillary Clinton, but I don't think she can beat McCain and I do think that Obama can beat McCain.

I have been asked to chair a police officer's (H.B.) campaign for county sheriff. He will be attempting to oust the sitting sheriff who is a Republican. H.B. is a Christian Conservative Republican. I told him that I would certainly support him, (he is a friend and he is a very good SRO at the high school I teach at) but that I could not in good conscience run his campaign as a Democrat. He thought it over. We talked about the values of the Democratic Party and guess what--he decided to run as a Democrat. He is taking some heat from his heavily Republican neighbors in Midvale, but he is well liked in the Upper Country. If Obama heads the ticket this year, I think candidates like H.B. running on the same ticket will enjoy some coattails effects. The young voters who come out to support Obama are not likely to vote for Republican candidates, even on the local level. At least that is my theory for now.

The odd thing about H.B. running Democrat, being that he has always identified himself as Republican, is that we have all sorts of local office holders at the county level and even one in the State legislature who are Democrats, but have ran on the Republican ticket because of the impossibility of winning while running as a Democrat. If H.B. should win and upset the sitting Republican sheriff, it truly would be an earth shaking event at our local level.