So, how was that Texas Precinct Convention?

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March 4th Together!

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uploaded by LeftyJames

"Resolved: Precinct 3289 censures the Tarrant County Democratic Party for poor planning and preparation for the precinct conventions..."

Maybe that gives you an idea of how things went.

There were not enough workers or tools. The workers did all they could, but they were ground troops let down by their commanders at the county, and probably state, levels.

The turnout was tremendous and the precinct conventions cannot start until the voting has finished. At this precinct, voting continued up to more than an hour after the polls closed.

OK, we expected that.

Yes, we expected a wait. However, after another hour, even many of the faithful just had to leave. At that point, the paperwork wasn't even ready. Three precincts, Republican and Democrat, had voted at the same place. HQ only sent one set of precinct convention materials.

Finally, we got to sign in and register our preference - by that time we had lost maybe a quarter of our number. At that point, you could leave and most did. I was carrying a resolution for my parents (who had to leave), and I elected to stay (they would have done the same for me ... maybe, the DID leave).

Shortly before 22:00 (04:00 GMT), we finally got started. The chair, bless her, began the meeting and started by the book. Clinton's people were there and were armed with stern looks to make certain everything went as it should. Obama had supporters there, but no organizers.

That could have been the key to Clinton's victory. Even in my precinct, for which there is no color that is red enough, Clinton had trained people there and Obama did not.

Anyway, the chair started the meeting, with the stern Clinton people looking on.

"I move that everyone who is still here and wants to be a delegate gets to be one," I said.

The motion was seconded and passed. Basically, some very tired, hungry and almost aggravated inmates who had been very patient took over the asylum. Everyone who wanted to be a delegate, got to be a delegate.

There was an attempt to skip the resolutions by the chair, but we had none of it.

After waiting more than three hours, we passed the resolution condemning the local party along with another that called for the state to stop this stupid practice and apportion all the delegates by primary vote.

Stay tuned.