Ten years ago tonight I was in Urbandale Iowa for the Iowa Caucuses.
I got there 1 hour early - I was for Edwards. Precinct captains met the field staff in the afternoon. I was handed a packet and a list of supporters. It had 55 names on the list. I was to periodically check and I had two people assigned with me call those who had not checked in. The estimate was for an absurd turnout - as high as 120 - up 50% from 2004
When I got the precinct (a local school gym) the Clinton people had claimed the bleachers. They sat in a row, waiting. They had done this before.
And to this day I looked at them and thought not one could have been under 55. It was scary - there were at least 50.
Slowly our supporters checked in - mostly between 40 and 55 but really of all ages.
In the far corner stood 3 young people - all under 25 - and they hung their posters. Hope. Change. I swear I had to stifle a laugh.
20 minutes until the caucus. We had nearly as many as Clinton. The Obama corner was now fuller - maybe 20. I thought their campaign had all been a mirage.
And then one of the people assigned came back from the check-in desk. And told me about the line. It stretched from the school lobby, down one complete hallway and down another.
It was all youngish people - all under 40.
And 90% were for Obama.
They waited patiently. The caucus would be late - 45 minutes late.
By the time everyone was checked in there would be over 250 in a precinct that had had 80 four years before. Obama would blow through 130, and would beat both Edwards and Clinton combined.
There was anger in that room. At a War started on a lie. But oh was there hope. New people had been brought into the process — they WANTED to participate and help bring change. And in the next two elections they would support Obama in a serious way.
I threw some of our delegates to Richardson - and as a result Obama won the precinct only 3-2-2-1. Had Richardson not been viable it would have been 4-2-2.
The caucuses surely need change, because it is absurd that such machinations are allowed.
But on that night I saw physically the generational divide of American politics. 8 years later I would see the same thing in a precinct little more than 3 miles from there. Once again the Clinton people would be early. Once again they knew to take the gym bleachers. Once again it would look like a blowout. And once again the young would show up, and they would support Sanders this time.
In 2016 my precincts (I was responsible for more than 1) split 10-10.
It is sad in retrospect. Obama had such promise. He would confront a crisis he did not create, and would do his best. But I think in 2008 we hoped for more.
Anyway - 10 years ago tonight.