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DFL: A sense of something special
In St. Paul, the big draw for thousands was message of unity. In Duluth, voters want to be a part of the change they feel is possible.
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For the vast majority of young DFLers turning out Tuesday at a precinct caucus at Macalester College's Kagin Commons, the spark of participation wasn't so much about Republican shortcomings or campaign talking points.
It was about inspiration, they said -- and, in turn, Barack Obama.
Of 945 presidential-preference votes cast in St. Paul's Third Ward DFL precinct, Obama captured 748, compared with 177 for Hillary Clinton.
His supporters, many new to the caucus process, said they see in Obama a unifying force, a leader who speaks of " 'we' instead of 'I,' " said Katie Clarkson, 23, who lives in the Mac-Groveland neighborhood.
Local DFL leaders, sensing Macalester students would turn out in big numbers, opted in advance to move the precinct caucus to Macalester from nearby Ramsey Junior High School.
Still, at 7:20 p.m., 20 minutes after the caucus was scheduled to begin, the line to enter Kagin Commons stretched out the building and to Grand Avenue, nearly half a city block.
"Astounding," convener Don Arnosti said of the turnout.
Of the presidential candidates, only Obama motivated students to form a campus student organization, said Zac Farber, 20, a sophomore studying political science.
But there was loud applause, too, for Al Franken, whose U.S. Senate candidacy was touted by a student who cited Franken's book "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them" as the reason he was a political science major.
It was Obama's night, however, and Libby Arnosti, 16, a caucusgoer too young to vote, summed up why: "He has the charisma," she said, "to unite people in a common goal."
Anthony Lonetree • 651-298-1545
DULUTH
Dave Jorde, a 37-year-old Duluth physician, attended his first-ever precinct caucus Tuesday night, wearing a Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer sticker on his shirt.
He said Nelson-Pallmeyer, who is seeking the DFL nomination to challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, is one of an "inspirational" group of candidates who make meaningful change seem possible. Another is Barack Obama, he said.
"I'm just excited for the elections this year," said Jorde, at precinct caucuses at Woodland Middle School. He said he's been troubled that so much money is being spent on the war in Iraq -- money that he said could be "put to better use here at home, on health care and for the needy."
He added: "I'm ready for change ...and I want to be part of the process."
William Willische, 18, said he's ready for change, too. The University of Minnesota Duluth student supports Obama, but his choice for DFL Senate candidate was Al Franken.
"I think [Franken] can relate better to the younger voters, and the younger voters will be important in this election," he said. "I think we have to build a base of people who are interested, and I think he'll help with that."
Willische and other young voters packed the school library for the meeting of Precinct 10, 98 percent of which is UMD students. Officials had to use scratch paper to make extra ballots and registration forms.
Obama captured the precinct's binding presidential preference ballot, with 266 votes to 47 for Hillary Clinton. Attendees also took a straw vote on the DFL Senate race. Franken received 28 votes, Nelson-Pallmeyer had 10 and Mike Ciresi got three.
Larry Oakes • 1-218-727-7344
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