lizzielou.com

`What IS a Caucus-race?’ said Alice; not that she wanted much to know, but the Dodo had paused as if it thought that SOMEBODY ought to speak, and no one else seemed inclined to say anything.

`Why,’ said the Dodo, `the best way to explain it is to do it.’ (And, as you might like to try the thing yourself, some winter day, I will tell you how the Dodo managed it.)

First it marked out a race-course, in a sort of circle, (`the exact shape doesn’t matter,’ it said,) and then all the party were placed along the course, here and there. There was no `One, two, three, and away,’ but they began running when they liked, and left off when they liked, so that it was not easy to know when the race was over. However, when they had been running half an hour or so, and were quite dry again, the Dodo suddenly called out `The race is over!’ and they all crowded round it, panting, and asking, `But who has won?’

This question the Dodo could not answer without a great deal of thought, and it sat for a long time with one finger pressed upon its forehead (the position in which you usually see Shakespeare, in the pictures of him), while the rest waited in silence. At last the Dodo said, `EVERYBODY has won, and all must have prizes.’

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On Saturday, afflicted with a cough that sounds like tuberculosis, I toddled forth with Lolly to our neighborhood caucus site. Just within the last week or so did I make up my mind to go stand for HRClinton. It was pretty obvious that Seattle would go for Obama; although I’m not opposed to that, I couldn’t not support My First Lady Candidate. Our precinct went 4 to 1 for Obama; there wasn’t any HRClinton campaign representation so the few us on the HRC side of the room were left to muddle through. We held onto our few peeps and got one delegate to go to the next caucus in April. (I’m her alternate and she had me promise that I would go too.)

It was my first time doing something for a political process besides casting a vote (and displaying a sign) and it was kinda fun and interesting — kinda annoying at times and hot and stuffy as well, but worth enduring and getting into the spirit of the thing. Had I not been diseased and prone to violent coughing fits, I may have even talked a little more. As a bonus, it was entertaining to meet a few more neighbors, some of which I recognized from riding the bus. People introduced themselves by describing their homes: “We’re the brick tudor on the corner.” and “We’re the pink house with the weird bushes in the front.” and “We have that narrow walled driveway and the dogs.” Everyone made efforts to be very polite. So, all-in-all caucusing wasn’t that bad which is good because it seems I’ve got to go do it again.

I hope Hillary sends me a bumper sticker or something.