After reading about the Clark County Democratic caucus clusterf&%k on the front page I thought that I would try and offer some defense for the state party.
First some background information, I chaired my precinct caucus, and was elected an Obama delegate from there. The precinct caucuses were nothing short of chaotic, but that is to be expected given Nevada's relatively little experience in the presidential selection process. However, there were ample training opportunities offered for caucus volunteers, mock caucuses were held by both the Obama and Clinton campaigns, as well as the local party, and to register as a chair one had to undergo numerous trainings with the local party. I believe that the main problem the arose from the caucuses at the precinct level was that a large group of caucus goers had absolutely no idea what precinct they were in.
All told though, before one disparages the state for our lack of preparedness, we were dealing with a situation where 1 out of every 3 registered democrats showed up to caucus, a truly amazing feat when one considers that in the 2004 cycle we had a turnout of less then 10% that size.
Now off to the county convention...
I attended the Washoe county Democratic convention today as an Obama delegate, and if chaos is the word that best described what happened in Clark county today, my convention could not have been more different. The precincts associated with my county elected roughly 1800 delegates, turnout at the convention was a little over 2100 delegates and alternates. If one had preregistered there was no line to cast a ballot, and if one hadn't there was at most a ten minute wait.
I saw in a previous diary (maybe front page post?) that someone had wondered where Harry Reid was during all of this, and I am happy to report that he did manage to show up for my county convention, and was heckled by a delegate about not impeaching Bush. He did respond to this (jokingly, sadly) by saying that they were waiting until Novemember to get started.
Also in attendance at my convention was Jill Derby, a Northern Nevada native who ran a close race with Dean Heller in 2006 for the NV-02 district, who announced that she wanted a rematch.
The delegate counts were timely (requiring only one thirty minute extension for the second alignment), there was ample seating for everyone, and we had several other statewide officials, elected and otherwise, in attendance. Personally I think that the person most responsible for the excellent way that my event was conducted is Brian Hutchison our N. Nevada field director, who is not only an amazing speaker, but who worked his ass off getting the all of the Northern Nevada caucuses, precinct and otherwise, set up.
Thanks for reading and I just thought that I would let everyone know that Clark County's convention today seems to be the exception and not the rule...
P.S. If you're interested in how the delegates broke down it was 685-C, 990-0, which translates into a roughly 3-2 ratio for the state convention come May.