Caucus Crazy

It is not often that Alaskans are party to events happening in the rest of the nation. With our time difference (AK time is one hour behind Pacific time, which means a smacking 4-hour difference from the east coast) most notable events and activities are already over and done by the time we hear about it. But not yesterday.
Even Alaska's vote counted at the first presdential primaries of the open season for potential candidates. I even heard CNN talk about us in their play-by-play, up to the millisecond commentary. Granted, it was while muckey-mucks were waiting to talk about some other place, but we'll take it.
Alaskans turned out in droves to both the Democratic caucuses and Republican polls. The boys and I experienced this phenomenon first hand as we tried in vain to get home after taekwondo practice, once we decided to bag the attempt at seeing a caucus in person. This morning in the newspaper (www.adn.com) I discovered why. There were almost 5,000 people making their way across town to our neck of the neighborhood at 5:00pm to try and make it by 5:30. Start time for the caucus was pushed back until 6pm, then 6:30. Finally, organizers just went ahead and crammed the folk in and did their best to make sure no fire marshalls were in attendance.
Democratic party officials said at the last caucus held in Anchorage, only 200 people showed up. Republican officials watched as ballots ran out of circulation, and had to be copied for the hoardes waiting outside in below zero temperatures, waiting to cast their vote.
I think we are in for some serious change.... just think what will happen when Mayor Begich decides to run against Uncle Ted? I'd walk across town to cast that vote.