March 4, 2008

Pictures from the Texas caucus — at the Red River Church in Austin, Texas.

My son John was there, and it looked like this:

The Texas Caucus

Lots of people! And a little religion:

The Texas Caucus

They turned out in suits and in Earth Shoes:

The Texas Caucus

This is what caucusing looks like:

The Texas Caucus

Like voting, but with peeking.

ADDED: My other son also went to the caucus, but didn't take pictures. I've added his description at the end of the long live-blog post. Unlike John, Chris thought the caucus process was terribly chaotic.

IN THE COMMENTS: A third report from the caucuses in Austin, from my ex-husband Richard Cohen:
Ah, Red River and 45th, my old territory. Now my polling place is Blanton Elementary on the east side, where the caucus was equally well-attended but by a much more racially integrated crowd. Blanton's voters were predominantly middle-aged, though, with relatively few of the kind of 20ish citizens we see in John's photos. Lots of middle-aged black couples. Not many Hispanics, though my neighborhood is about equally brown, black, and white. I saw one young black man in baggy pants and a hat with earflaps; he laughed hysterically to himself when an official announced that the Democratic Party wanted us to check off our race and sexual preference on the signup sheet. The grandmotherly black woman sitting next to me turned out to be my neighbor across the street, whom I hadn't met before; we talked about home renovations, the housing market, and the cycles of white flight. I saw a good number of middle-aged white women in pairs or trios. And felt a communal quiet excitement at participating in a moment in American history we could feel good about, a moment, no matter what the result, when the wheel revolves forward.
Or backward!

22 comments:

Unknown said...

I love these pictures of our great democracy in action. It gives me hope. If only we could elect those people to run the country....

Unknown said...

Oops, I should not have italicized "people" in the previous comment.

I apologize to the community.

Meade said...

On behalf of the entire community, Verso, I accept your apology. Now run along and try to behave yourself.

Peter V. Bella said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
stylinchicxoxo said...

at first sight these pictures do give me hope..if only our votes mattered as much as each person in those pictures thinks they do

Peter V. Bella said...

I have finally come to the conclusion that Democrats are the dumbest people in the world. Anyone who would vote for Hillary Clinton has to be lacking in real intelligence. A woman with no documented or verified record, no achievement, no accomplishment, and her only claim to fame is marrying a politician.

She is not vetted, she is not tested- except personally- she has no real experience, and the only reason she is a senator iws because Giuliani dropped out due to health reasons.

Oh, she did not win Florida and Michigan, as she claims. They were rogue elections against the rules. I hope she goes down in the flames of total humiliation. She is a disgrace.

How come the media do not ask Hillary Clinton about Anthony Pellicano, the private investigator, associate of organized crime figures, and set to go on trial for illegal wire tapping in a massive Hollywood trial. Mr. Pellicano was one of the private investigators the Clintons used to go after their enemies during their rein if terror in the White House. Going after enemies. Hmmm, reminds me of a president who did something similar and had to resign. Nixon. That is why they are called the Clinton crime family.

Palladian said...

I like that there's apparently one black guy there. But of course simply voting for a black guy (well, partially black) almost makes you honorarily black, doesn't it?

This looks like the audience for a live taping of an NPR show- maybe "Whaddya Know?".

Chip Ahoy said...

I'm do believe I'm officially insane. Please send help.

Eli Blake said...

mcg:

That is why they are called the Clinton crime family.

By which immature right wing talk show toad?

I'm no Hillary supporter, but all I'd say is if you are really worried about 'crime families,' check out McCain's inlaws. They're the real deal. His father-in-law was Kemper Marley's right hand man.

Simon said...

Middle Class Guy said...
"Democrats are the dumbest people in the world. Anyone who would vote for Hillary Clinton has to be lacking in real intelligence. A woman with no documented or verified record, no achievement, no accomplishment...."

At risk of endangering my recusal, and stipulating those claims to be true, arguendo, explain to us all how that is any different to Obama.

Eli Blake said...

Texas.

Earth shoes.

I'll have to chew on that for awhile. I wonder if any of the voters in Vermont today went to the polls wearing snakeskin boots?

Chip Ahoy said...

I used to swim in the Red River when my dad was stationed at Barksdale AFB in Shreveport, a giant B-52 base. Had a tree house in an old pecan tree on a run down plantation, slave quarters, stables, levee and everything. Way Southern. Our swimming was quite illegal, I think, it felt so anyway, and we carried on until we saw our first condom floating by. It freaked us out and we put an end to it.

Chip Ahoy said...

Chew on Earth shoes. Ick.

Trooper York said...

Don't people in Texas wear cowboy hats and big boots with shit on them?
And big belt buckles from the rodeo?

Except for Tony Romo. He always a nice shirt, with a choker collar. Just sayn"
(Sorry Lawgiver I couldn't resist)

Richard Lawrence Cohen said...

Ah, Red River and 45th, my old territory. Now my polling place is Blanton Elementary on the east side, where the caucus was equally well-attended but by a much more racially integrated crowd. Blanton's voters were predominantly middle-aged, though, with relatively few of the kind of 20ish citizens we see in John's photos. Lots of middle-aged black couples. Not many Hispanics, though my neighborhood is about equally brown, black, and white. I saw one young black man in baggy pants and a hat with earflaps; he laughed hysterically to himself when an official announced that the Democratic Party wanted us to check off our race and sexual preference on the signup sheet. The grandmotherly black woman sitting next to me turned out to be my neighbor across the street, whom I hadn't met before; we talked about home renovations, the housing market, and the cycles of white flight. I saw a good number of middle-aged white women in pairs or trios. And felt a communal quiet excitement at participating in a moment in American history we could feel good about, a moment, no matter what the result, when the wheel revolves forward.

rhhardin said...

their rein of terror in the White House

That's the horse's head in the bed.

knox said...

Looking at that audience made me depressed. It really does look like a bunch of dorky NPR enthusiasts.

If only we could elect those people

?! I don't really see that crowd as a source of excitement or inspiration, but anyway...

MadisonMan said...

I look at that church and think: I wouldn't want to be there in a severe weather event. What is holding up the roof? The will of God?

Laura Reynolds said...

Now if the rest of Texas, and the US for that matter, could be as enligthened as the good folks in Austin, what a fine world it would be.

Roger J. said...

Those are the least texas looking texans I have ever seen--fleece vests and birkies are NOT texas.

blake said...

I confess to being ignorant of what "earth shoes" but I recognize that footwear. Those are Birkenstock. (Or a clone.)

Are they the same? A casual Google suggests not.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful! I like the pictures showing democracy really cool.try to check my link ==> exotic shoes