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The Caucus is Coming to Colorado

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Contributed by: Catherine Durkin Robinson on 2/2/2008

I didn't realize Colorado Springs had a ghetto until I drove to the Democratic Headquarters the other night for Caucus Training. Oooh, run-down buildings and not an SUV in sight ... scary.

Not like I expected valet parking or anything. Always keepin' it real, Democrats are the party of the people.

After double-locking my vehicle, saying a few prayers and running inside, I sat down to hear John Morris discuss the workings of a caucus. He did a fine job training us - and by "us" I mean "sadsacks guilted into volunteering as Precinct Chairs." Against our better judgment and instead of watching TV Land that night, we pledged to help run El Paso County's version of Super Tuesday on Feb. 5.

I'm not quite sure how Caucus Day will turn out here in the Springs. I looked around at my fellow trainees who were supposed to leave the room as authorities and - oh, good Lord. These people couldn't grasp the workings of attendance-taking. How will they also complete the Delegate Math Work Sheet, with levels of arithmetic I haven't seen since college, in the allotted time?

Our party expects an answer, gosh darn it, by 9:30 that evening.

Good luck. Good luck to all of us.

Not only are we going to have to work a calculator and take attendance, we will also ask for donations (unlike Republicans we've never *charged* folks to participate in the process), beg for election judge volunteers, elect delegates, take preference polls for Senate and Presidential nominees and, in what promises to be the biggest headache of the night, write down resolutions to be presented to the Platform Committee.

Look, I'm all about grassroots activists. However, in addition to stinking up the room with essential oils and tofu breath, they do ramble on and I've got a life to lead. "Pipe down, Al, no one gives a hoot about your broken street light" will be the mantra of the evening. Guaranteed.

I also plan on announcing: We must keep whereas out of the resolution, folks. Like my Aunt Edna's behind, whereas-es are unnecessary and take up too much room. Got me?

I'm sure that comment alone will win friends. And votes. I am running for Precinct Chair, after all, and must be elected on Tuesday night before any other nonsense can go down.

I haven't run for office since 1987 when I expected to be the first female president of Chamberlain High's Thespian Society back in Tampa. Our sponsor, Ms. Nall, canceled the vote, thereby wrecking the democratic process and chose Mieke Beck instead.

Because Mieke didn't have a "compulsion to argue."

So on Super Tuesday, it's gonna be Hillary, Barack and me.

Your friendly neighborhood agitator.

Good luck. Good luck to all of us.

***for a grown-up version with language that embarrasses my mom and all her friends, visit Out In Left Field***

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Submitted By: Patricia Moore

posted on 2/3/2008 @ 8:50:02 PM

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I love your sense of humor in all of your writings.

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CONTRIBUTOR INFO

Catherine Durkin Robinson

Colorado Springs , CO

Catherine Durkin Robinson has posted 65 stories and 9 comments since joining on 11/8/2007. Catherine Durkin Robinson 's average story rating is 4.

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