I got to my precinct location around 6 PM when the caucus was to begin at 7. I was a precinct captain for Joe Biden in my township of Keokuk. We had 65 people show up to the caucus in our township alone (a township is a precinct in rural areas). In order for Biden to be viable, we needed 15% (which is the constant formula for finding viability), so 15% of 65 was rounded up to ten caucus-goers. However, when we got there, and looked for others who want to take our side, there was only ONE undecided voter out of all of them (who ended up joining her daughter in Edwards' preference group). Even if we were to get her to join us, we would still need another six people to gain just viability alone. After the first count of how many in each preference group, the big three: Obama, Edwards, and Clinton pulled in the most people, as Dodd had two (a firefighter and his wife), and Biden had three (my parents and I). When the count was taken and Biden was counted as not enough for viability, my parents basically abandoned me, then again, it was kind of a lost cause. They asked me where I would go, and I chose Obama. So although we signed in as Biden supporters, his lack of viability caused Obama to receive our caucus votes.

Edwards had an overwhelming majority in my township, and in other precincts who met at our location. It didn't really surprise me, as I knew Edwards would do well in Ottumwa, as his blue-collared appeal has won over many voters in my industrial town (population around 26,000).

Basically, my parents and I saw the caucus as an attempt to support Biden, and if that didn't work, an attempt to not support Clinton. We didn't chose Obama blindly, however, as we went to some of his events in Ottumwa (I even worked in his campaign office at one time and canvassed for him), my mother got her picture taken with him at one event, and he signed my copy of "Audacity of Hope".

Now it should be interesting to see how the candidates do in New Hampshire, especially Giuliani who pratically ignored Iowa believing he could get the nomination without winning the caucuses. It was nice to see Ron Paul get a decent place, as he landed in fourth behind Thompson and ahead of Giuliani. Maybe the strong independent parties of New Hampshire will help boost Paul furthermore.

The GOP's way of handling the Iowa Caucus I much prefer over the democrats' way. They basically show up and vote. They don't do it in accordance to their precinct, but all of the registered Republicans in Ottumwa met at the high school, whereas the democrats scattered like cock-a-roaches (I caucused at Agassiz Elementary). And if you vote for somebody in the GOP caucus who wouldn't be viable in a democratic caucus, it can still count. That's what frustrates me about the democratic caucus, a lot of these underdogs like Richardson, Dodd, and Biden had no voice when viability spoke. In a way it contradicts the essential meaning of the democratic party, and that's a voice for the underdog along with a voice for the people.