2008 Woodie Awards
Pitt Staters vie for spots at national convention
Sara Wade
Issue date: 2/14/08 Section: Politics
Two Pitt State persons, a student and a staff member, may represent Kansas at the Democratic National Convention.
Katie Merando, a sophomore in nursing, and Jamie Brooksher, director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action, will first go to the state convention on Saturday, April 15, in Topeka, to compete for a Kansas spot at the national convention Aug. 25-28 in Denver.
Merando, who supports Barack Obama, and Brooksher, who supports Hillary Clinton, attended the Democratic caucus on Tuesday, Feb. 5, in Franklin.
Brooksher says that she spent a long time in the cold waiting to get in. More than 700 people were there.
"It was neat to see that many Democrats in one place talking about how ready they are for change," Brooksher said. "There were many PSU students there, too."
Merando, who is a member of Campus Democrats, says that her interest in politics inspired her to be a delegate.
"I am estatic that I get to represent a voice of the younger people of Kansas," Merando said.
Brooksher, too, says she is excited.
"It is such a historic election because of Clinton being the first woman to run," Brooksher said.
After the doors of the Franklin Community Center closed, supporters of each candidate were separated into groups and their votes counted.
"The vote was split in half, so each candidate received half of the delegates that came from Franklin," Brooksher said.
Merando says that those who wanted to be delegates to the state convention were asked to stay after voting. Twelve positions were available from Franklin - six for Obama and six for Clinton. For each of those six, three had to be male and three female.
Brooksher says that delegate candidates gave a short speech about themselves and why they supported either Clinton or Obama. People who stayed to watch voted for whom they wanted as a delegate.
"Someone would point at you and those watching would raise hands to show that they wanted you," Brooksher said. "It was kind of nerve-racking."
Brooksher says that all delegates will have to make a speech in Topeka about why they should be chosen for the national convention.
"A delegate could change their mind, and one thing you have to do is promise that you will vote for the person you are representing," Brooksher said. "Those voting for you have to trust you. If they don't, they can pull you off of it."
Katie Merando, a sophomore in nursing, and Jamie Brooksher, director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action, will first go to the state convention on Saturday, April 15, in Topeka, to compete for a Kansas spot at the national convention Aug. 25-28 in Denver.
Merando, who supports Barack Obama, and Brooksher, who supports Hillary Clinton, attended the Democratic caucus on Tuesday, Feb. 5, in Franklin.
Brooksher says that she spent a long time in the cold waiting to get in. More than 700 people were there.
"It was neat to see that many Democrats in one place talking about how ready they are for change," Brooksher said. "There were many PSU students there, too."
Merando, who is a member of Campus Democrats, says that her interest in politics inspired her to be a delegate.
"I am estatic that I get to represent a voice of the younger people of Kansas," Merando said.
Brooksher, too, says she is excited.
"It is such a historic election because of Clinton being the first woman to run," Brooksher said.
After the doors of the Franklin Community Center closed, supporters of each candidate were separated into groups and their votes counted.
"The vote was split in half, so each candidate received half of the delegates that came from Franklin," Brooksher said.
Merando says that those who wanted to be delegates to the state convention were asked to stay after voting. Twelve positions were available from Franklin - six for Obama and six for Clinton. For each of those six, three had to be male and three female.
Brooksher says that delegate candidates gave a short speech about themselves and why they supported either Clinton or Obama. People who stayed to watch voted for whom they wanted as a delegate.
"Someone would point at you and those watching would raise hands to show that they wanted you," Brooksher said. "It was kind of nerve-racking."
Brooksher says that all delegates will have to make a speech in Topeka about why they should be chosen for the national convention.
"A delegate could change their mind, and one thing you have to do is promise that you will vote for the person you are representing," Brooksher said. "Those voting for you have to trust you. If they don't, they can pull you off of it."
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