LIVE from Spokane: Breakout time

There are so many people running for at large delegate (for Barack Obama) that the organizers of the Obama subcaucus have wisely split up all of the would-be delegates into five rooms with several of the already elected delegates to narrow the field down for Round Two. We've just broken off into seperate rooms and the speechifying has begun, moderated by the already elected delegates.

The competition isn't as fierce in the Clinton subcaucus, so they're not doing breakouts. They'll undoubtedly be done with their business before we are.

Washington State will only send seventeen at large delegates to Denver. Eleven of those delegates will be pledged to Barack Obama and six will be pledged to Hillary Clinton. At least on the Obama side, there are several hundred people who have filed a declaration of candidacy. Only about one out of forty five to fifty people will receive the honor of going to Denver.

UPDATE: We have a very diverse field of candidates here in the "Powerhouse" breakout (yes, the breakouts are named!) - geographically and demographically. I can't speak for everyone, but I know I enjoy hearing fellow Democrats talk about their background and life story.

People have amazing experiences to share.