New precedent for black voters

WATERLOO, Iowa — A half hour before the start of the caucus ritual, a parade of headlights cutting a path to East High School signaled that political apathy among African-American voters was about to change.

Gwen Cherry, a grandmother who juggled two mischievous grandchildren, is the kind of voter that the Obama campaign has sought. A Waterloo native, Cherry has never participated in a caucus.

“I have been getting phone calls and invitations and everything for the last two months,” she said, as she grabbed a chair to wait for the long lines to thin out. “I like Obama’s talk. He is straightforward. I like him, and I think he is about change.”

Waterloo has the second-largest concentration of blacks in the state. The 4th Ward — which is 12 percent African-American — is a microcosm of the black voting population found in most urban cities.

“Honestly, more than any other ward, we have one of the most diverse wards,” Councilman and Democratic State Committeeman Quentin Hart noted earlier in the day. “But the percentage of actual African-American voters that get out in that ward is extremely low.”

The situation changed dramatically Thursday. Ten minutes before the doors to the gymnasium were scheduled to be closed, an estimated 300 people were in line to caucus, and dozens more waited outside. Only about 100 people showed up to represent the 1st Precinct during the last caucus in 2004.

Black caucus-goers came in wheelchairs, pushing walkers and leaning on canes. They came cradling babies, chasing after energetic kids, shouldering briefcases, and wearing baggy jeans. Although the caucus-goers were primarily middle-age and seniors, nearly a dozen young black males stood out in the crowd.

When it was all over, Obama had won nine delegates compared with Hillary Clinton’s two.

Caucus organizers were nearly overwhelmed by the massive turnout.

“I personally apologize for this craziness,” Hart told a frustrated crowd still trying to register for the caucus at 7:20 p.m.

By then, first-timer Danette Mallett was heading out the door. Because Mallett recently moved into the ward, there was some issue with her registration.

“We have to go,” Mallett told a caucus worker who was barring the door. “I didn’t know it would take this long.

“But this is a good thing,” she said. “I’m glad to see so many people came out.”

Although blacks make up only 2.3 percent of the population in Iowa, Obama's strategy of reaching out for black voters who traditionally have not participated in the caucus paid off. Despite the initial confusion, caucus-goers held their ground.

“This is more than unusual. This is huge,” said Rick Wade, a national adviser to the Obama campaign. “What's happening here is going on in every one of these rooms. These are African Americans who weren't involved in the political process. This sets a new precedent."

Indeed, Michelle Obama predicted the victorious moment months ago, noting that when it gets down to the wire, African Americans will stand for Obama.

The Iowa caucuses proved her right.