Reply #2: The Minnesota Caucuses were intentionally very different this year [View All]

[Wickerman]

compared to 2006. The idea was, as I understood from precinct captain training, to encourage participation. It certainly worked in my precinct. In 2006, when the caucusing really had no meaning at all, we had 9. This year we had about 70. We combined 5 precincts in one room (many rural with delegates sent to County between 2 and 5) and totaled 100. We've NEVER seen numbers like that. We will also send about 30 of those on to County. In recent years we never had more than 5 go up.

I loved it. It's a caucus - it's certainly as valid as any of the arm twisting and dealing that happened way back when.

The Obama campaign certainly didn't design the system and I certainly don't think, from my experience, there is any evidence either candidate benefited from the system. The DFL as a party made great strides tonight, however.