| I just read jimmyjackearl's diary. Good work there.
My experiences were similar, except, we had no great tactical battles over the precinct outcome. It was 9-8 Hillary going in and that made it all very simple, so long as nobody got greedy.
I was amazed with the dogged patience shown by some many first time activists. Our convention was much more chaotic than the precinct one on primary night. I got there at 6:30. I did not get my credentials until about 1:00. We did not even caucus until 4:30. I left at 5:00.
At one point, we started and stopped the calling of the convention to order ( so as to receive the temporary roll from the credentials committee) four times. Parliamentary procedure seemed beyond our leaders at that point. Additionally some 15 plus persons did not get certified through some paper trail error, and they tried to take the fight to the floor.
All that being said, we were 3,000 strong with 1500 or so delegates. Obama took 1,000 + , Clinton took 360 +. The closest we came to dissension was when Shelia Jackson Lee spoke to us. She was roundly booed by the Obama supporters, but the presider asked for civility, to let all voices be heard, and she was heard. Being Shelia Jackson Lee , she proceeded to invoke, mom, apple pie, the flag - all of which was fine. Then she had to remind the crowd that she was Hillary's national co-chair. Stupid move. They knew that, she had been booed because of it, why poke the hornet's nest like that?
Here are the rest of the pictures. I am so much more hopeful now then I was going in . We can work together to win in November. It was Sylvester Turner who gave the best speech. His analogy for our situation went like this: in families the kids squabble, and fight and just can't get along sometimes. Around his mother's table, he was told along with his bothers and sisters, the fighting stops now. We are gathered around the same table, we are family and we will have civility. I hope we can do as well as we head toward November.
The pictures are in order, from the two "long lines outside" shots to the "everybody just sit down" inside shot. This is followed by the " we will call you down to register by precincts shot". Finally, the next shot shows our caucus. The last picture shows me at the very end, just after I was selected as the Obama alternate. I had been there by then for about nine and one half hours.
I literally shed tears when I saw the line in the morning. I was at the last one of these barn raisings and we numbered 300. Upon seeing the 3,000 there on Saturday, I realized I could very well be witnessing a real turning point for my party and my country.
Meanwhile, the S.S.Bushtanic continues to sink. See this site . The last of George's Texas loyalist has left the White House and like his predecessors, he has left in disgrace.... |
