Democratic caucus site packed

Posted: Thursday, January 03, 2008 7:43 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Democrats, David Gregory

From NBC's David Gregory and David Gelles
Inside the Westridge elementary school in West Des Moines, this Democratic caucus site is packed. Huge turnout here.

Only 86 showed up in 2004. Tonight, the line is out the door.

It looks like almost 200 here.

Registration is still open.

*** UPDATE *** Per NBC's David Gelles, the official number of participants at this particular Democratic caucus site is 267

Only 86 showed up in 2004.

*** UPDATE II *** Per NBC's David Gregory, this is actually a GOP-leaning area in West Des Moines...

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Comments

Hmmmmmm.....

Who does a BIG TURNOUT favor ?

Stay tuned ;-D

Sierra,SF (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 7:47 PM)

On Hardball, just now

Tim Russert was talking about a conversation he had with someone 'high in the Clinton campaign'

That person mentioned the possibiliby of CLINTON LOSING IOWA, NEW HAMPSHIRE AND SOUTH CAROLINA !!!

Are they starting to spin Hillary's 'death throes' ?

Sierra,SF (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 7:49 PM)

Tonight is going to mark the beginning of the end of the Clinton campaign.

Brandon H, Chicago, IL (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 7:54 PM)

Fired Up! Ready to go!

nadeem, Canada (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 7:56 PM)

obama will win iowa, new hampshire, south carolina, nevada, illinois, south dakota, georgia, maryland, vermont, massachusetts, conneticut and north carolina.

change is coming (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 7:58 PM)

Iowa is a red herring.The candidates were chosen in June,and there is not one thing that America can do about this arcane system.Good luck Mr. and Mrs.America,we get the leftovers again.One percent of the voting public decides who you vote for,but this is the "New American Democracy".Maybe our next illegal,immoral invasion should be Iowa.What a load.

docrock,tx (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:01 PM)

Sen. Hillary Clinton has taken an early lead in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, even before voters make their voices heard in the first-in-the-nation presidential contests in Iowa and New Hampshire.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/03/superdelegates/index.html

jef (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:02 PM)

Sierra: get out your hankie and be ready to wipe those tears away when HILLARY becomes our next President!!!! Iowa is just one state...that she'll probably win!!! Even if she doesn't, she will still win the presidency...have your "death throes" started yet??? Hillary '08

Cathy, Upstate NY (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:02 PM)

president barack obama will win easily tonight and in new hampshire and south carolina!

arsben dennis jennings fort wayne, indiana (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:03 PM)

Looks like a big turnout for all the dems, change equals a dem in the White House!!!!!
We all are fired up, Go Dems, Go America!

John Alexander,Edinboro,PA (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:03 PM)

president barack obama will win easily tonight and in new hampshire and south carolina!

arsben dennis jennings fort wayne, indiana (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:04 PM)

just announced on msnbc that bill richardson has asked his supporters that if he is not viable he would like them to support obama. announced at 8:05 p.m.

change is coming (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:06 PM)

It's all happening! 150% of 2004 turnout, very exciting. This is the start of a national trend, the power of inspiration that transcends party lines.
Obama '08

Mitchell Feldman, Vestal, NY (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:07 PM)

OK ! OBAMA WINS ! nottttttttttttttttttttttttttttt !

jESSIE jAMES (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:11 PM)

I'LL BE RIGHT OVER. hillaryclinton.com

Bill C. (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:13 PM)

big turnout favors who?

change is coming (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:16 PM)

I remember a time when the U.S. pressed for supervised elections in other countries to ensure that they were trully democratic. Who's watching us? A caucus is a crockus! Let's spread some real democracy in the world, and start with our corner of it

Brad, Seattle, WA (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:16 PM)

Don't count your chickens before they vote. Russert is also saying the huge crowds have a lot of women, independents and young people, and added they don't have clear information on how much of each group.

Conventional wisdom earlier today was that bigger crowds support Obama but Russert is obviously implying a huge number of women over younger independents would mean that Clinton has brought the impressive numbers out.

The other implication is, either way, it looks like a terrible night for Edwards.

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:16 PM)

ER, First Read please double check your information.

The school you listed was the site of one precinct in 04, which has been combined into 2 precincts tonight.
In other words, they closed one location that was used in 04, and are only using the school for 08.

Sierramist,Texas (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:17 PM)

Whoops, that should be 250% of the 2004 turnout. That's embarrassing. But the error in calculation makes the result even better.
Obama '08

Mitchell Feldman, Vestal, NY (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:17 PM)

A main focus for many reporters was a story that appeared in the Iowa Independent Thursday morning and floated among various blogs throughout the day. The article said that Richardson had struck a deal with Obama's campaign to have his supporters support Obama in caucuses where Richardson does not reach the 15 percent viability.

Richardson dismissed the story as a rumor and said no deal has been made. "No, that is absurd, my supporters, are going for Bill Richardson. Iowa voters are very independent. Iowa voters are some of the most sophisticated voters I have seen. There are no deals, these rumors come up at the last minute," Richardson told journalists.

It is on Abcnews.
So stop lying

Change start with no lying (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:21 PM)

Sierra...Get that hanky ready for tears of JOY!!!
You notice how Cathy is now hedging her previous MULTIPLE posts of confidence for Hillary in Iowa?
"EVEN IF SHE DOESN'T", is a very telling phrase. Don't worry Cathy, I'm sure Carrie(the supposed Biden supporter)will be along to help you take up for Hill soon enough.
OBAMA/BIDEN!!!!

Steven, KDH, N.C. (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:22 PM)

as I reported a few days ago... we can expect 150k + turnout

Also from the underground:

Prognostication is in some sense a waste of time, at least when it comes to showing off.

Truth is, insiders can be wrong too. Sometimes we are better understood as a people by "outsiders" such as in the case of the great 19th century French historian of America, Alexis de Tocqueville. He got it right without consulting ARG.

Insiders are often too close to see the bigger picture, but insiders, if we may call them that, are privy to enormous data resources not available online or in the MSM.

Nonetheless, here is the latest note from the underground:

Democrats:

Obama
Edwards
Clinton
Richardson with a mini-surge. Biden, "better than expected."

Republicans: Huckabee and Romney in a virtual (MOE) tie (Romney fading, so it points to Huck at this hour, but only by a nose)
McCain (strong finish)

There it is... let's check back in the morning and see how far the "polls" and pontificators have been off.

Cheers!

Mark Thieme (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:23 PM)

I'm still undecided, but regardless, I'm not voting on January 29 in the Democratic presidential primary...it won't count, anyway.

When everything is said and done, Senator Clinton will become the nominee for one primary reason that noone has really paid any attention to: The "Superdelegates". These are Democratic officeholders and other party favourites, many of them are traditionalists. With that in mind, a lot of those folks take the attitude that "it's Hillary's time". Remember that these "superdelegates" are appointed and are not bound to any caucus or primary result; they're free agents.

Robert Pickering, Lakeland, Florida (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:24 PM)

IOWA, thank you for letting us Educate ourselves further with your states nominating process. Pretty neat, Huh Everyone?

Barack Obama, the next PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rick,ky (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:27 PM)

Robert,
That is precisely the case. No one else here has mentioned this here. Too many windbags.
Thanks

Obama needs a big win tonight and some are already going there, but not I. Not yet.

Mark Thieme (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:31 PM)

Robert, I've had the same thought. However, if Obama goes into the convention having won more delegates from the states, and yet loses because of the superdelegates, think of the uproar.

The Democrats could fracture as a result, and I don't think the superdelegates would risk it. Additionally, a lot of these superdelegates are up for re-election themselves and I'm guessing most in contested districts would want Obama at the top of the ticket.

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:33 PM)

Why dont they have anyone covering or blogging the republicans? Bias media.

Ron New Port Richey FL (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:36 PM)

Lots of elderly women early on. Hillary still has hope.
50% of delegates re independants. Both bad news for Edwards. I hope the news gets getter for him.

nadeem, Canada (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:37 PM)

Robert Pickering, do YOU honestly beleive that if The People nominate, Barack Obama, Hillary's gonna walk into Denver & Declare herslf the Democrats Presidential candidte? Some have said there's a Revolution about to take place in this country we all love, but it would be nothing compared to what would take place, if your suggestion would happen. Come up North, too much sun down there for You.

Rick,ky (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:41 PM)

I am betting on John Edwards to be the next President of the United States.

He will bring our soldiers home where they belong and help the middle class to be able to live decently.

Rosalie Smith, Quincy, Illinois (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:42 PM)

Are all those who turned out ACTUALLY Iowa residents?

Are they actual DEMOCRATS???

No dirty Chicago Politics Needed in IA (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:47 PM)

If Obama does not win by 5-6 points as the polls indicate, it's a loss for him.

Obama is supposed to win and win BIG!!!!

William D Biggs (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:50 PM)

Steven: no offense, but my MULTIPLE posts were about Hillary winning the nomination and the Presidency, NOT Iowa.I'm happy that you love your candidate so much, but so do I. I strongly believe that Hillary is the best candidate and it is so early...Iowa is just one state, and she leads everywhere else. Hillary will win the nomination regardless of what happens in Iowa!!! Hillary '08

Cathy, Upstate NY (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:50 PM)

Dems have a chance this year to select a candidate who will win, is popular, and non-Democrats can accept as their president. Do we really want the country to remain divided and continue the crazy stuff going on at the Hill?

Barack Obama '08

Julie Lynn, St. Paul MN (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:54 PM)

On CNN they are talking about teens and 20 something voting for Obama.

Lovely...just what our country needs...teen agers picking our next president.

This is the Britney, Paris crowd. OH! HELP!!!

This country with all the dirty politics "elected" (joke, joke) George Bush...twice.

What's wrong with our country??? (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:57 PM)

My final predictions:
Obama 38%, Hillary 30%, Edwards 29%, Richardson 2%, Biden 1%
Obama '08

Mitchell Feldman, Vestal, NY (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 9:17 PM)

66% of the precincts reporting yet only 1300 votes cast where do they get this number of 150k showing up to vote for the democrats?Yet the republicans have more than 40,000 votes cast someone help me please? These numbers just dont seem right.

Ron New Port Richey Fl (Sent Thursday, January 03, 2008 9:25 PM)

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