Caucus first-timer finds chaos, satisfaction

"I don’t think I need to stay too long," Loop murmured. "Just about everyone signed in as an Obama supporter." But then she got to catching up with her neighbors. "It’s cool to see absolutely everyone here," she said. "Much more of a community." Her neighbor, Maggie Elkon, agreed. "This is like from the horse and buggy days!"

Twenty minutes later, Loop sank into a chair, waiting for whatever was supposed to happen. Another neighbor, Leroy Jenkins, 42, a Microsoft engineer, explained to Loop how the precinct captain would give everyone a chance to speak and change their votes if they wanted. "The Obama Web site had an animated explanation of how it all works," he said.

But the precinct captain had a cold and couldn’t speak above the din. Chapman, Loop’s husband, stepped in to shout out the script, explaining the preliminary tally. He popped in a cough drop so he could continue, and Loop hopped up on a chair to watch. Then it was time for one-minute speeches from anyone wanting to speak in favor of a candidate.

Barbara Laners, 67, an attorney and history teacher at Evergreen College in Olympia, the state capital, spoke first, in favor of Obama. "You don’t get experience just from being married to the president," she noted. "The Constitution only says you have to be at least 35 years old and born in the U.S. It doesn’t say anything about experience." Later, she laughed: "I love the caucus process —

I get to talk smack!"

The next and last speaker was architect Ann Beeman, one of a handful of middle-aged Caucasian women who supported Hillary Clinton. "Hillary will enjoy wearing the pants in the White House!" she urged.

Scattered applause erupted from various corners of the room as the different precincts’ results were tallied. Obama balloons floated in the air. Jeff Lee, 48, a physician, couldn’t believe the crowd was almost as thick even after an hour after the caucus began. "I heard the turnout four years ago was really low," he said. Citing a desire for change, he said his candidate was Obama too.

Finally, time for the tally
Finally, Loop’s precinct tallied votes and asked for volunteers to act as delegates as the long and convoluted process wends its way to the state legislative and then congressional districts. The huddled group of Hillary supporters got 12 votes for a total of one delegate. The more effervescent band of Obama supporters gleaned 59 votes for a total of four delegates to move forward.

Loop seemed satisfied. After an hour and a quarter, she and her family were ready to go home, having participated as fully as they could in their democracy. All in all, a good experience. "This is way better than voting!" she said. "It’s less efficient, and hotter, but more fun.

"Besides, it’s very humanizing to be able to talk to people who might not agree with you. We need more of that."

Picking the president: The candidates Click to visit that candidate's MSNBC page or click the XML symbol for an RSS feed. John McCain                Barack Obama

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