How Caucuses Work #
Salon’s political reporters have done a great job giving a feeling for what really went on in Democratic caucuses yesterday in Iowa — Republican caucuses there are much simpler. The chaos, and complicated calculations, make one wonder why the Democrats still do it this way:
By the end of the night, what was a solid Edwards precinct in 2004 had nearly sent half its delegates to Obama. But caucus math made the outcome a de facto tie between the two candidates. Though Obama had support from 72 people, and Edwards only 49, they each wound up with two delegates. Clinton, stuck on 40 people, was left with one delegate. And Richardson slid into viability without any room to spare, winding up with 28 people and one delegate — thanks entirely to support from people who had come in the door supporting Biden. The two had been dueling for a fourth-place finish statewide when the evening’s voting started.