Change We Can Believe In...

Attended the first ever Nebraska Democrats Presidential Caucus today at Norris Middle School. I decided to get their early because I was never contacted back about volunteering to help at the caucus today and figured there may be a need.

At 9:10 I joined a long procession of cars parking in "the field" down hill from the school. The streets were already filled with parked cars and it was 9:10a.m.! The announced registration start time was 9:15. I was WOWed before getting out of my car.

After the chaotic registration process, we slowly began filling the gym. I got in fairly quickly since there was hardly anyone registering with a last name starting in "N-P". Yip skip. I got my blue slip and went into the gym. The Obama side was already 1/2 full and it was only 9:20. Eventually the gym was filled to standing room only and the gym floor almost completely packed with Obama supporters. The atmosphere was festive and even included 3 attempts at the wave on the Obama side. Dueling chants from the supporters of Hillary vs. Obama rocked the rafters of the gym. Some of the people sitting next to me in the Obama section new a few of their neighbors in the "uncommitted" section. They began chanting their names one by one. "Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe" and Joe finally gives in to the pressure and joins the Obama team. The Obama folks roar with approval. Next, "Tom, Tom, Tom" and so on until a hand full had changed sides.

Finally it was time to count the votes. B. Obama 1062 and H. Clinton 326. The counting on the Obama side took quite some time to execute. The folks in the bleachers made the most fun during the count. Starting at the top row and far facing right side the first person started the count "one". As the count proceeded people began shouting and standing as the announced their number. As the husky voice announce "100!" the crowd erupted in cheers. The count continued, "200! (cheers), "300!!" (cheers), "400!!!" (cheers) right on down to the end somewhere around 450 in the bleachers.

At about that time a lady slipped in the side door next to my end of the bleachers. She had on a pink head band with a large plastic pink gem off to one side. She started in about 'Obama being a Muslim and Muslims blew up the World Trade Towers on 9 11' blah blah blah believe everything you read on the internet. The crowd started chanting "shut up, shut up, shut up." I yelled down to the people by the door to "kick her out if she is not registered!" I don't think they heard me. One guy then stood up and yelled, "be quiet while we be AMERICANS". Then last but not least a slim young female hipster appears from the crowd wearing a pink t shirt . On it is printed "CODE PINK". She shoves the woman through the doorway that she came in. The woman tries to come back in and is stopped by "Code Pink". Code Pink then slams the door in her face and holds it shut. The crowd erupts in cheers! The evil doer has been defeated by a member of the Hall of Justice. Way to go.

The first round counting wrapped up, one more chance was given to the undecided to join another group of voters, then the count finalized, delegates elected and as we all left we turned in our blue slips as ballots. What an exciting event!