Washington Caucauses

http://www.barackobama.com/index.php


More than 20,000 people showed up to welcome our next President to Seattle today. Key Arena was FULL. The really nice thing Senator Obama did was speak to those supports on the steps with a bull horn. It was raining and miserable today.
But to those of us who believe that "thinking outside the box" will make our nation stronger, Obama is captain of the Ship of Hope. He sailed into our city today! I think he took the breath and heart of the Emerald City today. He has so much support here. I have never been to a caucus but I am going tomorrow and so are a large number of people I know. I hope all over the state registered Democrats turn out to choose Barack Obama as the Washington State Democratic nominee. I supported John Kennedy as a Young Democrat going door to door in my hometown asking people to vote for him. I was too young to vote but I knew greatness when I saw it. I see that same greatness, that same leadership and concern in Obama. I see the same compassion but I see a difference that is pertinent to NOW.
Obama's take on the future is new, not old and not broken. We have to move forward with our nation, to grow is to live. We need change and new ideas. Please if you read this and you're in Washington, go on line to find out where you caucus is and show up. Support the best Democratic candidate, Barack Obama. Don't expect anyone else to do it for you. It's your chance and my chance to be part of the change. Barack Obama has asked US to work with him to change things. So show up at your local caucus before one o'clock.
Don't let him down. The time is now. The time is ours.

Iowa Caucuses

http://www.twincities.com/ci_7747046?source=rss&nclick_check=1

To read more about what is happening in the Iowa election click on the link above: this note about who can and cannot participate.

THE IOWA CAUCUSES

Who: Anyone, whether registered as voters or not, can attend the Iowa caucuses as long as they'll be 18 by Election Day 2008. Attendees can register on caucus night.

When: The caucuses - since 1972 the first major electoral event of the presidential-nominating process - will be held the evening of Jan. 3.

How: Voters and future voters must be in their Democratic or Republican caucus location, which can be a church, school, someone's home or elsewhere, by 7 p.m. Jan. 3. The attendees will be asked to choose a presidential candidate - through a straw poll for Republicans and a variety of means for Democrats, including sometimes standing in a certain area to be counted.

What's next: For Republicans, the straw poll results will be counted and used to send delegates to the state nominating convention.

For Democrats, the results are counted at the caucus to determine whether candidates meet certain viability thresholds - at smaller caucuses the threshold is 25 percent, at larger ones it's 15 percent. If some preferences are considered not viable, voters will be given the chance to pick again. Once viable selections are made, the results will be used to select delegates to county nominating conventions.

The delegates are not bound by the caucus results but tend to stick with the candidate picks that won them selection.

Why it matters: While a presidential candidate can win party nomination without winning Iowa and lose it after winning Iowa, the early support gives candidates important momentum to continue.

Vote for Barack Obama -- for clarity insight reality and on top of the ISSUES. Got to www.BaraclObama.com to learn more.