POLITICS

I’M AN ACTIVE DEMOCRAT AGAIN.  My last plunge into working in politics was during Adlai Stevenson’s campaign at the l952 Convention.  I was so utterly devastated by his loss in the Presidential race that I never did it again until now.  I was inspired from two sources.  Living in Nevada affords opportunities I never expected.  Las Vegas is like a small town.  Important people, places and events are easily accessible.  I’ve made an effort to be at public events where I know interesting people will be in attendance.  It’s been fun.  My first season in NV I went to a Democratic rally to see Senator Kerry.  It kind of infused a lost interest.  More recently, my childhood friend, Phyllis, who moved to northern Nevada, has become active in the Democratic Party.  Through Phyllis I learned about what’s going on politically.  Everyone in Nevada is excited about becoming an early Caucus State. We’ve come to be in the national spotlight.   The Democratic Convention is going to be in Reno.  Lucky her!!  When I moved here I registered as a Democrat and have since received a lot of solicitation mail and more recently a call to see if I’d like to volunteer as a Caucus Temporary Chair.  I accepted the offer.  To my surprise it opened doors to meet some interesting people and an opportunity to go to the CNN Democratic Debate.  It was last Thursday.  Just standing in line I met interesting people who are movers and shakers in their field of endeavor.  And got to sit next to a young woman who spent a number of years in DC working in the White House during the Clinton years and for others.  She was like a tour guide for the faces that paraded before us.  How lucky for me.  Unfortunately, my short memory prevents me from telling so many details.  But I remember that she was working in the same department as Monica Lewinski.  She said that she believed the President’s story ‘till the very end, but also that Monica probably had her own agenda in all of this.  Needless to say she was devastated to learn the truth.  She was also with the Richardson entourage at some point in her career.  She had lunch with Mrs. Richardson earlier in the day.  The woman behind me, a worker at the local Democratic headquarters was interviewed for two and a half hours by the Japanese CNN.  They came to her home, etc.   I’m beginning to sound like a groupie, but since I know so few people here, it’s good to get out and talk to folks who have something interesting to talk about.

 

Yesterday, I went to the Democratic Caucus Training session.  I will facilitate my precinct caucus.  It too was interesting and a new learning experience.  Caucus is an interesting process.  I guess it can get quite noisy during the  “candidate grouping” process where folks are urging each other to come to their group.  The numbers of supporters in each group determine the number of delegates for that candidate.   Someone did the math some time back that makes the process work fairly.  Not necessary to give details here.  It will be work buta lotof fun also.  Delegates go to another level and do the same thing, in the county, and then state and then to the Convention.  During each caucus, new delegates are chosen from their groups.  The end result should be a consensus for one or two candidates.

 

Between my art, Tenya teachings, getting back into insurance and now politics, I’m busy. 

Most important I’m going to be in Chicago for the Thanksgiving Holiday with my family and that will be the full circle I yearn for.