January 2nd, 2008
I just have this hunch that Mike Huckabee is going to win the Republican caucuses because I don’t think evangelicals will vote in large numbers for Mitt Romney because he’s a Mormon, a religion many of them consider a cult. That may not be fair to Romney, but those are the breaks.
Huckabee is a former Baptist minister who talks the language of evangelicalism. He’s from a state just two down from Iowa — Arkansas — and is a fellow midwesterner. Huckabee may not have a national organization the scope of Romney or Rudy Giuliani, but he’s doing well in Iowa. After that, who knows? There’s no discernable “Huck-a-boom” in New Hampshire, which has the nation’s first primary on Jan. 8.
My partner in political coverage, Aaron Chambers of our statehouse bureau in Springfield, is covering the Republican caucuses in Des Moines while I tackle the Democrats. Read his blog by clicking on his name in red.
January 2nd, 2008
Hi, Chuck Sweeny here, and welcome to my blog. During 2008 I’ll be using this site to update you with my thoughts, rants, raves and — I hope — insights about the presidential race and the state and local political scenes as we get ready to vote.
The Illinois primary is on Feb. 5, but the real fun gets underway Thursday, Jan. 3, in Iowa, with the Republican and Democratic caucuses.
As I did in 2000 and 2004, I’ll head over to Des Moines to report from the 8 7th precinct Democratic caucus. It’ll be at the Italian American Society, 1801 SW McKinley Ave., which is near the Des Moines airport.
As he has done in the past, Des Moines public school teacher Max Knauer will be the ringmaster. Max says he’s been extra busy this year, what with all the interest from all around the world. In fact, Italian National Television (RAI) will also be covering the 87th precinct caucus for its program Ballero, which, I’m told, is the Italian equivalent of “60 Minutes.”
It’s not only Italian TV, but networks and newspapers from around the world have sent batallions of reporters and technical people in the Hawkeye State to give their readers and viewers a window to the action. Des Moines in January of 2008 resembles a national capital, complete with motorcades, legions of satellite trucks and network anchors reporting from shopping malls, churches and gas stations about the “mood of Iowa.”
I plan on getting to Des Moines around noon, then going around town to catch the mood of voters. The weather should be cold, but we don’t expect snow, so that should favor a heavy turnout of voters.
Remember, caucusing is not the same as voting in an election. People will have to show up physically to participate. For the Democrats, they’ll have to go to the caucus site between 6 and 7 p.m. At 7 sharp, the doors will be locked.
Democratic caucusing is weird. There’s no secret ballot — those are for Republicans. Democrats have to walk to a spot in the caucus room designated for their candidate. A head count is taken and candidates don’t get 15 percent of those in attendance are ruled out. Then, the supporters of the candidates still in the running make bids for the supporters of the candidates that didn’t make 15 percent.
When that’s done, a second head count is taken. And that’s it. The results are called into party headquarters. But the state Democratic Party never does release the vote totals, only the number of delegates each candidates wins.
Pretty complicated, and not too democratic. But that’s the way they do it.
