Live Blogging from State Central...

I've never been good at this "live blogging thing" and I'm sure it will show, but here goes:

10:04am... Ron Carey is speaking right now. He's defending all his resources that he put into Pawlenty's re-election. Those who introduced him say that he "listens to the grass roots." (Err... if you did, you wouldn't be in the jam that you're in right now, Ron). Says that he's solely responsible for re-electing Pawlenty (although he mentioned nothing about Mark Kennedy's shellacking).

Went on to parrot the red-meat platitudes. A Carey operative is handing out hand-made signs; one that says, "Annoy the Star Tribune--re-elect Ron Carey." Nice touch. Carey absolutely shirked any responsibility for the shellacking that we took as a party, and instead blamed it on the climate.

10:08am. THe DFL whacked us over the head with a 2x4 (under your leadership, Ron).

"Now is not the time for on-the-job training." Talked about his endorsement by Pawlenty, etc.,.

Says he'lll continue to serve with a "servant's attitude". Heh


10:10am---Joe's up.

Lead off with a joke about democrat & republican puppies (the dem puppies hadn't opened their eyes yet--heh.

Volunteered after 9/11--one of only 300 officers chosen.

"Pro life, small governemnt. 30,000 Liberate Iraq signs, 20,000 people on the Capitol Steps. I can motivate people!"

I will start Camp Reagan, to train the Grass Ro"ots, state of the art communications, report cards for legislators--won't put all the eggs in one basket anymore. Will make sure that the State House and Senate return to Republican hands."

Carey has rejected technology; Joe promises modern technology--"I never sent a troop into battle with a slingshot.

You don't duck from responsiblity -- you accept it. It is a badge of honor to accept responsibilities.

He had to command the materiel and personnel for 20,000+ troops in Iraq...."

Joe Repya gave a rousing speech that had a large contingent doing a "standing O" at the end.

10:27a... speeches are done, final seating of delegates is taking place. I'm an alternate, and my SD was taken, so I doubt whether I can be seated at this time. Everythings's kinda screwy, I don't know if the left hand knows what the right hand is doing here.

10:34a... Doing the balloting right now, but I never heard the final credentials report for who is or isn't eligible to be seated, and how many delegates were actually being seated! (There was supposedly a credentials report earlier, but they were still seating ten minutes ago!

10:36am... Now the 3rd CD's ballots needed to be destroyed, since there was apparently one more vote than there were seated delegates.

This is the stuff that the Keystone Cops were made of.

10:42am... Annoucement and understatement: "There seems to be some confusion here."

All the ballots needed to be tossed, since the "At-Large" delegates were seated with their BPOUs rather than in the "At Large" delegate section. So here we go again.

10:45am... In the process of roll-calling and double-checking at-large delegates. Once this process is done, and the At-Large delegates are confirmed to be seated in the correct area, voting will re-commence.

10:53am....Still waiting. When the ballots are cast and counted, I'll be sure and do an on the spot post of the winner.

10:59am... Balloting is about to begin...

11:14am.. scratch that.... like trying to move a graveyard.

11:27am... YAAAAAaaaawwwnnnn... Still waiting.

11:39am... Ballots have been received; 40 spots were identified at large; but 46 votes were received. Right now they've supposedly certified the number of votes. There is a motion on the floor to re-certify the number of possible votes at 46. The vote has been railroaded taken and the new number of At-Large delegates has been revised as being 46.


12:05pm: Ron Carey is re-elected 195-150, with one abstention