That might make it worth it

Even better if you can take the time to wrap them in ....BACON!

caucus. That's done by the Ward 6 organization. All 14 precincts meet at the same location. However, the 5-8 club has a large assortment of bar food available. I can ask if they will prepare those delicious bacon-wrapped mini-sausages for the after caucus crowd. They ARE a Minnesota specialty. I know they'll also have deep-fried cheese curds and mini-Juicy Lucy burgers available.

taken to the next level

See, many people refuse to believe that I'm supporting Bernie Sanders, so I wanted to issue this invitation to those skeptics.

Maybe we'll run into each other at one of the conventions.

can probably become a delegate to the senate district or county convention. I know we never fill the 13 or 14 delegate openings at our caucus. If you can become a delegate, I really encourage you to do it. It's a great opportunity to meet candidates at the convention. Many will show up and are happy to chat. Besides, it's very interesting. Minnesota's walking caucuses are a fascinating piece of political history. It's fun and educational.

I'm sad to say that turnout at our precinct caucus meetings is pretty low, by the time that delegate selection is done. Pretty much everyone who attends can be a delegate, and most of them show up at the convention.

Good luck to you.

I especially like being a delegate to the conventions.

I was an Obama delegate at our state convention in 2008.

the state convention, but probably won't be elected. I'm not well enough known, really, and there are tons of hard-working people in our Congressional District organization who really deserve to go. We'll see.

Shake hands and mill around as much as you can.

you probably can. Just put your name forward and go for it. Also, since the Minnesota DFL is super conscious of balancing delegates between men and women, that can help, too. If you show strong interest, people will vote for you. We're a friendly bunch, to be sure.

By the time you get to the CD convention, though, the number of long-time party folks makes it a little more difficult. I'll be trying, though, and I'm getting better known each time.

Both my oldest son and I had the Obama campaign's backing.

My sub-caucus just wasn't large enough to be viable, so I had to join with another, where a senior party officer led the sub-caucus. I was an alternate, but decided not to attend that year.

I helped run a Caucus site for Hillary in Nevada in 2008. It's a completely different experience from voting in a Primary.

Minnesota's caucuses were a surprise to me. I love the participatory nature of the system. I got involved right away here, when I moved to MN. I had to miss the 2004 events, though, since I arrived in June of that year.

I don't live there, but even if I was close, I'd decline.

on seeing you, then.

and the drive is long anyway.

Good luck.

Probably not worth it, really. Still, Minnesota's a great place to visit. I'd suggest some other month than March, though. There's likely to be a lot of snow around.

right now going over SCOTUS decisions. I prefer to read these things myself. Kennedy authored the majority on this one.

You are helping so many, including myself.

Campaigning for that person, too.

see a caucus in action. Like you a CA lifer now in Oregon, I've never seen the process and it fascinates me.

convention I attended for the first time. Participatory democracy in action. I learned quite a bit and have learned more each time. It's really old fashioned and traditional. Robert's Rules of Order and everything. The walking sub-caucus thing is so complicated as a means of selecting delegates to the next level that I was completely flummoxed the first time.

In 2008, I finally had it figured out, though. I've increased my participation each year and have gotten to know lots of people who have been involved for decades. It's a completely different thing than the system in California, where I was also involved. It's an amazing, but functional process. I love it, and look forward to this every election cycle.

Best of all, the candidate show up at these things. Not only are they accessible, they actively seek out delegates for conversations. I've met just about everyone at these conventions, often one-on-one in the hallways. It's been extremely interesting. You get invitations to most functions, too, during the campaigns.

Much more fun than California Democratic politics, in my experience.