Democratic Caucuses Explained

MELISSA BLOCK, Host:

The Democratic caucuses in Iowa require patience, stamina and math.

JOE LOEBACH: We got calculators and we got telephone numbers.

BLOCK: To call if you need some help?

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LOEBACH: Yes.

BLOCK: That's Joe Loebach who'll be hosting a Democratic caucus tonight in his home in Burt, Iowa, population about 500, near the top of the state. He says he's hoping for 30 caucus-goers. He has chairs for 50. Joe Loebach has hosted a caucus for at least six election cycles. So we asked him to help explain how it works.

LOEBACH: We get a computer sheet that comes out from the state. And when you come in, you're supposed to mark who you're supporting.

BLOCK: I see. As they come in, and then you steer them to the right part of the house?

LOEBACH: Well, we just steer them to a chair. And when 7:00 gets here and we say, okay, we're going to start. And we announce the people that's running and point to wherever. And that's where they should go.

BLOCK: Okay. And this is where this all gets tricky. How many total delegates for your precinct?

LOEBACH: I have two delegates for the precinct.

BLOCK: Two delegates?

LOEBACH: Yes.

BLOCK: Okay. And so this is where the math and that calculator are going to come in handy, right?

LOEBACH: Correct.

BLOCK: Because if I read this right, according to the rules, each candidate would need - since you have two delegates - would need to get 25 percent of the people at that caucus supporting them to be viable. So they would need, say if you've got 30 people, they would need eight people in their group. If there's a group that doesn't have enough, it doesn't get to that number eight, they have to move around to a different part of the house to a different candidate or they can leave?

LOEBACH: Well, yes. I'd much rather have moved to a different candidate or go to undecided. Now, I have, we have an undecided chair, too.

BLOCK: Mr. Loebach, have you ever really done this before, and you've done it a lot of times now, it sounds like, have you ever gotten totally stuck, confused about something, a rule that didn't make sense or you didn't know what to do?

LOEBACH: Always get confused. We try to work it out ahead of time. But, yeah, there are times when you wonder what the heck you're going to do.

BLOCK: Now, when you finally figure out a result from your caucus there in your house tonight, what do you do? How do you get that number out?

LOEBACH: We have a telephone number. And we call that number and it's automated. And we put in a code and that is supposedly instantaneous on the board in Des Moines. And we'll be on television here. We can sit here and watch it come up if we want to.

BLOCK: Mr. Loebach, who are you supporting tonight?

LOEBACH: I was afraid you're going to ask that question. I have been particularly interested in John Edwards. Now, I don't know Obama and Clinton have had a lot of press. And they've had - and I just cannot do it with them. And they might be, you know, overall, they might get it. And then I'm going to wonder what I should do when it comes to election this fall.

BLOCK: Mm-hmm. You have a little while to think about that.

LOEBACH: Yes, I do.

BLOCK: Well, Joe Loebach, have a great caucus tonight. Good to talk to you.

LOEBACH: Well, thank you very much.

BLOCK: Joe Loebach talking with us from Burt, Iowa where he's hosting a Democratic caucus tonight. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.