Hey everyone!  I am going to be live blogging from the Iowa Caucuses.

Right now I am in Grinnell, IA home of Grinnell College in the caucus which interestingly has the single largest number of delegates awarded in the entire state of Iowa.

Amber Goodwin and Paul Tran (from Texas Young Democrats) are with me and we are going to try to get some video and photos, in addition to general comments on how we view things.

Two Things to Watch:

The Live Blog:

  • 6:29pm: We are in a multi-purpose room that almost looks like a middle school gym/auditorium that is on campus.  A huge portion of the young people here are students, but it would be wrong to say (at this point) that I know they are a majority.  The buzz in the room is definately for Obama - but less so than it was back in the PEC where the Grinnell students are sleeping tonight.

  • 6:33pm: The temporary chair of the caucus has called it to order.  The microphone isn't working so he has to use his "natural voice".
  • 6:35pm: "I now am going to pass around an envelope so you can donate to the Iowa Democratic Party."
  • 6:36pm: I am uploading a video to youtube.  Right now they are going to elect a permanent chair to the caucus.  The temporary chair has been nominated and elected permanent chair.  People are in really good cheer.
  • 6:37pm: Now in recess for 20 minutes.  I think this is when the real convincing starts to happen.
  • 6:40pm: People are talking about how many people are here changing from Republican to Democrat.
  • 6:43pm:  One guy just got called out by the chair in front of everyone for not checking in correctly.  Everyone laughed and then booed him and then laughed again.  The numbers of who is caucusing vs. what they think obviously plays a HUGE role in determining delegates - so I get it.  Hilarious.
  • 6:45pm:  The Edwards campaign just got scolded for having too many signs up by the chair.  People booed.  The rule apparantly is you can only have 1 per candidate.
  • 6:59pm:  It seems that everyone here is under 21 or over 50.  Also, our first photo.

  • 7:00pm:  The doors are now locked.  They are seperating the observers from the actual participants.  Luckily I picked the right place to start.
  • 7:03pm:  Our first video.  This was from us coming in and how it looked at first.  I have no idea what it is like since I haven't watched it yet :)

  • 7:04pm:  There are 483 484 people registered for this caucus.  This means that viability is 73 people.
  • 7:07pm:  They are breaking up into candidate preference groups - Biden first.  No cheer.  Obama just announced and a small cheer.  Someone complained it is not alphabetical.  They are actually leaving into different rooms - it seems we can't go with them.  This sucks.
  • 7:08pm:  It looks like Obama supporters are about HALF of the total roup — maybe more. Some other observers are trying to get a head count.  Also Biden had roughly 35 people - meaning he will not be viable if he doesn't add around 40 more.
  • 7:10pm:  It looks like there are 8 Dodd supporters here.
  • 7:11pm:  Richardson is next it looks like there are about 24.
  • 7:13pm:  "Are there people here for Dennis Kucinich" answer - yes, 12 people.
  • 7:13pm: I can't say for sure, but it looks like there are about 35 or 40 Hillary supporters, but I can't tell.
  • 7:13pm:  There is one Gravel supporter.
  • 7:14pm:  The John Edwards people were just called and they cheered very loudly.  They clearly are the second biggest group here.  When they were told to go on the "left side" of the auditorium — they cheered.
  • 7:19pm:  The uncommitteds just were asked to go to the center of the room.  There is one woman.
  • 7:21PM: CORRECTION - there are only 29 for Biden.  A Biden person just went over to the uncommitted to convince her.  The only do to so.
  • 7:22pm: The undecided just went to Biden.  So there are no uncommitteds and 30 Biden.
  • 7:23pm: "Is any group ready to report a number?" 

    These are the official numbers for the smaller groups:
    Biden - 51
    Gravel - 1
    Richardson - 26
    Dodd - 8
    Kucinich - 13
    Uncomitted - 0
    Clinton - 44

  • 7:28pm:  The other candidates groups (Obama and Edwards) are asked to come back.  People are pissed for some reason.  One guy from Biden just said "we don't want any Obamas."
  • 7:30pm:  The others are filtering back in the room now. I just uploaded more photos — go see the flickr channel.
  • 7:34pm: New numbers on big two:
    Edwards - 102
    Obama - 240
  • 7:36pm:  They now have half an hour to try to be viable.  This is where the REAL "arm twisting" begins.  I'm probably going to stop blogging for a few minutes so I can really soak this in.
  • 7:38pm:  Using a fancy thing on my camera — I took this shot of the room — it is three pics in one

  • 7:39pm:  Amber just told me her mom is coming to read the blog.  Hi!  Is anyone reading this?  If so please comment :)

  • 7:40pm: Grinnell gets 37 delegates … there are 143 not viable caucusers here.  If they ALL went to Edwards - that would be the ONLY way for Obama to not win this caucus.
  • 7:45pm: There is an Obama guy here (staffer?) who is calling their "lawyers" about some concern they have.
  • 7:46pm: It seems that the Richardson people and the Biden people have joined up.  It seems that all of the Richardson people are going to be going to Biden.  This would make Biden viable.
  • 7:48pm:  I have to say — this is absolutely fascinating.
  • 7:52pm:  All the Richarson signs are DOWN.  The Biden people just asked to leave the room to determine if they are viable.  Clearly the deal was made.
  • 7:53pm:  From where I am sitting I can see the Dodd staff and the Edwards staff working out some sort of a deal.
  • 7:54pm:  As an aside, I haven't seen a peformance by a chair this solid since Clinton Bench in 2005 in San Francisco.  The Caucus Chair is awesome.
  • 7:56pm:  A Hillary guy just got up and announced that he wants all the HRC people to go meet in a room.  The chair interrupted saying that is where the Biden people are.  It is unclear if the HRC people are going to meet with Biden about a deal.  This would bump Biden up, presumably, above Edwards.
  • 8:00pm:  Word is starting to trickle through the crowd that Huckabee has been declared the winner in Iowa.
  • 8:01pm:  I just uploaded more photos — and a video is almost done.

  • 8:04pm:  Only five more minutes until they have to regroup.  Amber says hello to everyone who is reading this.
  • 8:06pm:  Early word from CNN entrance polling (I don't have a link this was emailed to me) is that youth is around 25% of the turnout - they are only about 23% of the eligible electorate.  That is huge news - and something organizations like ours has been arguing was possible due to a major generational shift on attitudes about politics.
  • 8:08pm:  Edwards made a deal with Clinton (or proposed one) that if they go over to Edwards, they will give Clinton two of their allotted slots.  Being told he HRC people are voting on this now.
  • 8:09pm:  Obama found out.  The counter-offered.  If Clinton goes to Obama they will give FIVE slots instead.
  • 8:10pm:  "It is time now to break up into the final groups, all which need to be viable."  People have broken up - to do their counts.
  • 8:11pm:  My "floor reporter" Paul is telling me that Clinton has decided to say no to both deals and "go home."  I'm sure some will go to other candidates — but they are all on their own.
  • 8:13pm:  The video we did of them breaking up is now ready on youtube.

  • 8:14pm:  New counts will be coming in shortly.  While groups count off — it is absolutely SILENT in this room for the first time all night.

    The Biden group:

    The Edwards group:  darn — photo was corrupted.

  • 8:22pm:  Final numbers coming in:

       Obama - 263 - 20 21 delegates
       Edwards - 121 - 11  10 delegates
       Biden - 78 - 6 delegates

  • 8:27pm:  NBC is calling Obama the winner of the Iowa Democratic Caucus.  www.msnbc.com

  • 8:33pm:  Amber is convinced that we are the slowest precinct in the entire state of Iowa. This seems to be true.  The numbers are done - this is it … but the process of getting them into the state party seems to not have even begun yet.
  • 8:34pm:  Floor reporter Paul Tran tells me that what is happening now is the groups are electing their delegates.
  • 8:37pm:  Another aside, my mom just commented on this blog and moments earlier friended me on facebook.  Maybe this youth wave is making an impact on more than just voters?

  • 8:46pm:  All of the business of the caucus isn't over, but the exciting stuff is.  Next door a bunch of caucusers tried to turn on the news — but instead the apprentice was on.  This room, largely filled with young people started SCREAMING at the screen angry the caucuses weren't being covered.  All you out there who think young people care more about entertainment than politics may be in for a big shock.