Although everyone on KOS is well familiar with the facts, rules and regulations of our Democratic nominating process, I have a more personal tale of angst that I simply have to get off my chest. It is about my formerly Republican, 82 year old mother, her views on this entire process, her dismay at the idea that her vote might not count, and her conversion to being a registered Democrat, because of Barack Obama.
GOBAMA, GOMAMA!
First, to explain the former Republicaness of my 82 year old mother, I have to give you a little history. All of my life she has refused to tell anyone who she voted for. She says, "ballots are secret, you aren't supposed to tell". Years ago my father actively campaigned for Goldwater and she appeared to go along with him like a good wife. I always secretly hoped that she was voting for the Democrat behind his back, but I never really thought that was the case. He had her pretty convinced that small government was the only way to exist. His favorite saying was "Democrats told me, 'Vote for Goldwater and you'll end up in Vietnam.' Funny, they were right! I did vote for Goldwater, and we did end up in Vietnam!" That was the only time the word Democrat was used in our house - that joke.
Fast forward, to about 8 years ago. My older brother, who is a daily Rush Limbaugh listener, decided to carry on the paternal inclination, although my brother has no humor to his Republican bent, only vitriol. This may be sociological proof that propagandist rhetoric is stronger than familial associations. Some kind of sick right-wing version of nature vs nuture. If Rush is what nutures you... well, you get the idea. My brother, however nastily, developed his own favorite little joke. Every election he would call me up and say "Hey, guess what I did today - I cancelled out your vote!" At my mother's weekly phone call she would hear me going off about my brother, and then I would ask her who she voted for. She would give her stock answer "ballots are secret..." I got really pissed at her in 2000 and said I was tired of this excuse, I just wanted an answer. And she finally answered me. "I voted Republican, the way I have done my entire life." BUT IT WAS GEORGE BUSH! I got nowhere.
Fast forward to about 4 years ago. My brother called me up that first Tuesday in November with his idiotic line, and as I hung up I thought to myself, at least I was there to cancel out his vote. Then my mother called. "Guess what I did today?" she sounded mighty pleased with herself. "What?" I queried. "I made sure your brother didn't cancel out your vote!" I was stunned. I asked her why and she answered "Well, I just don't think Bush is very intelligent." Did I also mention that my mom is a great judge of character? That was the only political statement I had ever heard from her.
Fast forward to this year. My mother has had to sell her property because of hip replacements and too big a yard, and now lives with me in Kirkland, WA. So naturally, she has put up with my geeky pre-occupation with all things political. It turns out she was actually worried about it, because she hates politics. She has said it over and over again. Her reason is always the same, because people don't agree, and "I don't like conflict". Well, who can argue the accuracy of that? But this year, something amazing happened. My mother started paying attention.
Every time I had a debate on the tube she would watch a little, and then go play mahjong on the computer. She didn't like the conflict. So, I started DVRing Obama's speeches on C-SPAN so we didn't have to listen to disagreeable pundits. She started watching them. Then she started watching Meet The Press, every Sunday. I couldn't believe it. Every time she heard Obama's voice coming from the TV, she would walk away from the computer. I would watch her watching him, and she was always smiling. Ocasionally she would say "You know, he is really special." One night, after the last debate, I asked her what she thought. "Well, he is a real gentleman, that's why I'm going to vote for him." Did I mention that my mom is a great judge of character?
As I was gearing up for our local caucus - you know, phone calls and the like - my mother asked me something that I never thought I would hear. "Do you think I could go to the caucus? Do you think I could watch?" I asked her how she felt about Obama. She said "Well, I want him to be President." So I asked her to go with me, and vote. She grinned from ear to ear and said "O.K. I will!"
My mother and I were proud participants in our local caucus. The level of attendance went from 46 people to over 700. We voted 68% for Barack Obama, this was a neighborhood event. My 82 year old mother had never been to a caucus. She had heard that there were discussions at caucuses, and she didn't want to hear arguments. She not only attended the caucus, but registered as a Democrat. She didn't have to, because it was an open caucus. She wanted to, because of Barack Obama. She not only attended the caucus, but volunteered, at 82, to be the caucus secretary because she wanted to make sure that things were documented thoroughly. She didn't talk, but she participated on the most engaged level she possibly could, because of Barack Obama. She stood up, and was not only counted, but took the responsibility of helping to count everyone else, because of Barack Obama. I have never been more proud of her in my life.
Fast forward to today. My mother wants to know why Hillary Clinton keeps saying she can win when Obama has the most delegates. I have had to explain that the metric now being imposed on everyone from her campaign is about a popular vote. Well, she is no dummy and she has been paying attention. She was the one signing up the caucus delegates. She gets it "But we voted," she said "we voted in a caucus. I've never put in so much time before, why is that worth less?" I've had to explain that according to Hillary, she doesn't count because her vote wasn't on a ballot. "But I was the one recording the votes!" I cannot tell you how carefully she did that, it was a work of paranoid, don't want anyone to question anything, art - remember, no conflicts. My mother is completely insulted. The first time she puts herself out there, and this is the thanks she gets. And don't ask her what she thinks of someone who wants to count votes in a state where Obama wasn't even on the ballot. Did I forget to mention that my mom is a great judge of character?
Caucuses, for those of you who don't know, are full of people like my mother. Obama got her engaged in politics because she hates the negativity that is normally expressed, and his candicacy is the first political campaign that hasn't turned her off. He has her interested in issues, and she now regularly watches the debates, primary coverage, and reporting that doesn't involve yelling (sorry Pat Buchanan, but you make her go right to the computer to play mahjong). For the first time in her life she is a fully informed citizen, because of Barack Obama.
It is high time that people proposing caucuses as places filled with political insiders and activists, took responsibility for those falsehoods. These are Clinton talking points, and you have either been lied to, or are consciously lieing. Caucuses are not about activist participation, they are about neighborhood involvement on the deepest levels of our democracy. Your candidate has thrown this propaganda in your face in order to push the concept of a popular vote. The only way to propose that is to discredit caucuses. If she had taken the entire process seriously from the beginning she might have understood these truths, rather than trying to come up with slick ways of discounting hundreds of thousands of people.
You are talking about my Mama!