Last week on Project Runway when the loathesome Tim Gunn visited (the now Aufed) Chris, one of "Sissybear's" friends was sporting a tee shirt proclaiming, "I'm hot for Hillary." Mrs. Harrogate was delighted, and given the Harrogate household's plethora of disposable income, will likely be purchasing one of these tee-shirts in the near-distant future. Harrogate, too, went on the record today as "hot for Hillary." For those interested in a ground-level snapshot of Primary Day in South Central Texas Town, this one's for ye.
On the way to his precinct, about a mile away from it actually, Harrogate passed a large roadside gathering of jubilant Mexican-American men and women sporting Clinton banners and soliciting drivers to Honk for Hillary. As Harrogate told Mrs. Harrogate on the phone, this spectacle was interesting to behold after listening for weeks to television pundits talk up Clinton's strength with that demographic. There it was in the flesh, as it were.
At the actual polling site, there were no people celebrating Hillary Clinton. There were small gatherings of Obama partisans, as well as Ron Paul partisans. An Obama guy approached Harrogate and handed him an Obama bumper-sticker as well as a pamphlet. Harrogate cheerfully accepted both. Obama guy asked, are you voting for Obama? Harrogate replieth no, but Harrogate hereby accepts these signifiers, the bumper sticker to be displayed in case Obama wins the nomination. Obama guy laughed good-naturedly,and the two interlocutors take a moment to ventilate themselves about the importance of Republicans losing.
Harrogate proceeded to go inside and get himself on the record as "Hot for Hillary." Afterwards, he logged a complaint to a poll worker about the caucuses. We have a small child, Harrogate whined. Caucusing from 7:15-9:15 is difficult stuff. The poll worker understood, she herself has a small child and will not be attending the caucus, though her husband will.
But then, on returning home, Harrogate and Mrs. Harrogate had a telephone conversation in which they decided they will caucus anyway. It's once every blue moon, they reasoned, and besides, word is if you get there early, you can sign in your choice, and get out of there before the little one gets too cranky about Democracy getting in the way of "Nigh-Nigh" time. So, little Harrogate will make an official appearance at a red-blooded American caucus!
So, solon will get his much-coveted frontline reportage of what happens at the caucus, perhaps from Mrs. Harrogate.
9 comments:
I, too, am "not for hillary."
Thanks for the report.
There is justice in the world....
Though I know the vote will go against my desires, I am happy that someone is taking part of the democratic tradition that I could not .
I am deeply envious of your political positions, especially since I could not vote in the primary this year. To vote, not once, but twice, doubles my jealousy.
However, I will put aside my partisan feelings earnestly in order to read a caucus campaign report from trusted writers at The Rhetorical Situation.
And please, for me, stay to the bitter end. Till all votes are counted and all votes are heard at the caucus.
Democracy must occur!!!!
solon,
Your desires, after all, may not be totally thwarted in the end: for lo, there are other Texans blogging for the Rhetorical Situation, others who may caucus. Harrogate predicts a range to occur in the events of tonight, perhaps this website will wind up treating the Caucus with a Cacophonic Narrative Touch.
Many facets, one Gem.
In the House of M we are still trying to determine if we can make it to the caucus this evening. Given your determination, Harrogate, we well make it ourselves.
m:
That is great and hearty news. But, Harrogate must give credit where credit is due: it was supadiscomama's last-minute surge of determination, that set in motion this bold adventure.
Just a shout out about the rules, for all concerned. People likely already know this, but here it is:
1)Getting there early will be helpful. The Clintonista phonebankers are recommending 6:30, and while that may seem a touch overdoing it, reports from other states indicate that you may wind up in a long, snaky line if you get there at the official start date or after.
If you've got a little one with you, this could perhaps spell trouble. Or conversely, it might be fun....
2)Make sure you vote in the Primary today before the polls close at 7:15. If you don't vote in the Primary you will not be able to Caucus.
3)Both Obama and Clinton have information on their website, linky-links and all that. And, don't hesitate to call your County's Democratic Party Headquarters to ask questions, if you have any.
That's what they are there for.
I am sooooo jealous.
Yeah, I have to say that, in spite of the fact that it favors men, single women, children-free households, the working class, and such, I still think that going to a Caucus is way sexy. (In my head, I'm working on a situation in which child care is provided, they are held earlier and everyone gets the day off!) I would like to go on the record as Cool with Caucusing. I will be awaiting your reports, Situationers, with breath that is bated.
Well, a preliminary report: precisely how the caucus will work is on the confusing side of things, and verily, Situationers have been in discourse with one another throughout the day, attempting to figure out what all it will entail.
At this point Harrogate has:
1)Carefully read the link Solon provided in an earlier thread, to the Texas Observer's layman depiction of what will happen. Harrogate recommends this link for aesthetic reasons as well. In places it is very funny.
2)Spoken to a very tired and riled up worker at Democratic Headquarters.
3)Spoken to a very cheerful volunteer worker at Hillary Clinton's local headquarters.
The gist of all this is, "My friends," is this:
Signing in and stating your preference is not the end of the process.
You need to stay until Caucusers break into separate groups and nominate their delegates. Hell, you yourself might be nominated!!!
Once this has been done, you may leave. Unless you are a real junkie and want to stay for local Party business.
Now. In reference to megs' comment.
Yea, Harrogate admits he is at this pointing catching a bit of a caucus fever, even beginning to think it is a bit sexy. If for no other reason than because he has been thinking about this mysterious stuff so much today. Because he is about to do, and witness, something that he doesn't fully umderstand but thinks is important, for (As Madonna once famously crooned) the very first time.
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