Talkeetna Dems pick 'Change'
Voters statewide swing
overwhemingly for Barack
Obama, Mitt Romney in
packed regional caucuses
overwhemingly for Barack
Obama, Mitt Romney in
packed regional caucuses
By John R. Moses
EDITOR
TALKEETNA — There was no doubt
which candidate was going to take
Talkeetna’s Alaskan Democratic Caucus
vote once the call went out to choose a
side.
Just 12 lonely Hillary Clinton supporters
remained near the entry of Whole Wheat
Radio’s spacious cabin Feb. 5 as 44
Barack Obama supporters gathered across
the room that Tuesday night.
Organizer Sage Probert said 32 of the
57 attendees either registered or changed
parties at the caucus. “It was a lot of fun,”
she said.
The national picture for Democrats
wasn’t clear at press time, with Obama
winning more states than Clinton Tuesday,
13 to Clinton’s eight, but Clinton holding
more delegates by winning in larger states
than those that Obama won. By Feb. 13
the Clinton campaign had lost many
primaries, winning only New Mexico’s
delegates on Feb. 14.
The Clinton campaign must hope for
success in the Feb. 19 Wisconsin primary,
which is after this paper’s press time, and
in Ohio and Texas on March 4.
Pennsylvania’s primary is April 22. The
Democratic side of the contest may be
decided by 792 “super delegates” who are
each free to vote for the candidate of their
choice.
Statewide on Super Tuesday, 74
percent of Alaska Democrats chose Obama
over Clinton that night. Alaska Republicans
got to cast formal ballots at packed Super
Tuesday gatherings and 44 percent chose
conservative Mitt Romney, who dropped
out of the race two days later. Candidate
Mike Huckabee got 22 percent of the
Super Tuesday Alaska vote and Ron Paul
17 percent.
Republican frontrunner John McCain
was the biggest winner of the Super
Tuesday contests and those after, but a
strong showing by Romney nationwide,
and wins by Huckabee meant there was no
“knock out” blow to the other camps.
On Feb. 13 McCain publicly admitted
he’d have an easier time if Huckabee
followed Romney out of the race. Romney
endorsed McCain.
EDITOR
TALKEETNA — There was no doubt
which candidate was going to take
Talkeetna’s Alaskan Democratic Caucus
vote once the call went out to choose a
side.
Just 12 lonely Hillary Clinton supporters
remained near the entry of Whole Wheat
Radio’s spacious cabin Feb. 5 as 44
Barack Obama supporters gathered across
the room that Tuesday night.
Organizer Sage Probert said 32 of the
57 attendees either registered or changed
parties at the caucus. “It was a lot of fun,”
she said.
The national picture for Democrats
wasn’t clear at press time, with Obama
winning more states than Clinton Tuesday,
13 to Clinton’s eight, but Clinton holding
more delegates by winning in larger states
than those that Obama won. By Feb. 13
the Clinton campaign had lost many
primaries, winning only New Mexico’s
delegates on Feb. 14.
The Clinton campaign must hope for
success in the Feb. 19 Wisconsin primary,
which is after this paper’s press time, and
in Ohio and Texas on March 4.
Pennsylvania’s primary is April 22. The
Democratic side of the contest may be
decided by 792 “super delegates” who are
each free to vote for the candidate of their
choice.
Statewide on Super Tuesday, 74
percent of Alaska Democrats chose Obama
over Clinton that night. Alaska Republicans
got to cast formal ballots at packed Super
Tuesday gatherings and 44 percent chose
conservative Mitt Romney, who dropped
out of the race two days later. Candidate
Mike Huckabee got 22 percent of the
Super Tuesday Alaska vote and Ron Paul
17 percent.
Republican frontrunner John McCain
was the biggest winner of the Super
Tuesday contests and those after, but a
strong showing by Romney nationwide,
and wins by Huckabee meant there was no
“knock out” blow to the other camps.
On Feb. 13 McCain publicly admitted
he’d have an easier time if Huckabee
followed Romney out of the race. Romney
endorsed McCain.
| PHOTOS BY JOHN R. MOSES When the time came to choose, 44 of 57 Democratic voters (ABOVE) lined up to support Barack Obama in the 2008 Alaskan Democratic Caucus inside Whole Wheat Radio's E. Birch Creek Boulevard headquarters Tuesday, Jan. 5. |
Voters signed up on the spot if they needed to so they could participate in the caucus. |
BELOW: Concerned voters used laptop
computers to check election returns form
other states while waiting to support their
candidates.
computers to check election returns form
other states while waiting to support their
candidates.
BELOW: Concerned voters used laptop
computers to check election returns form
other states while waiting to support their
candidates.
computers to check election returns form
other states while waiting to support their
candidates.
BELOW: Concerned voters used laptop
computers to check election returns form
other states while waiting to support their
candidates.
computers to check election returns form
other states while waiting to support their
candidates.
ABOVE: A projection screen welcomed
participants to the Alaskan Democratic
Caucus.
participants to the Alaskan Democratic
Caucus.