Not Much Drama at 2012 Democratic Caucus at Madrona K-8 in Edmonds

With President Barack Obama assured as the Democratic candidate for president in November 2012, it was no surprise that the number of participants at Democratic caucuses on Sunday in the 32nd District, which includes Edmonds, was way down from 2008.

At Madrona K-8 School in Edmonds, a little more than 50 people showed up, representing 31 districts, according to Marilyn Dower, Precinct Committee Organizer for Edmonds 15. Dee Williams, an active Democrat in Edmonds, says more than 300 attended the caucus in 2008, held at Westgate Elementary.

It was much livelier in 2008 as well, Williams said, when candidates Obama and Hillary Clinton drew a spirited crowd and also members of the Green and Socialist parties.

“He’s a man of great intelligence,” said Williams about Obama. “We haven’t seen anything like it since Thomas Jefferson.”

Sunday’s caucus at Madrona elected 31 delegates and, as expected, Obama was the winner when all district tallies were added up. Delegates and alternates can be selected to attend the next tier of conventions, including the Washington State Democratic Convention June 1-3 in Seattle.

Before the Madrona caucus officially began, state Sen. Maralyn Chase (D-Edmonds) spoke to partipants before heading off to three other caucus locations. She talked about her frustration with the state budget, the weakening of the public safety net and the importance of Democrats to stay
politically active.

Among the Democratic platforms spelled out at Madrona were those on foreign policy, education, immigration, labor, corporate power, environment and energy, law and justice, military, transportation and tribal relations.