Day 2, Monday, Democratic National Convention, Denver

We started bright and early at 7 am with a delegation breakfast and credential meeting, which will be a daily occurrence. All of us get our floor credentials, reminders about key convention happenings, and updates about convention logistics at the morning meeting. Dennis McDonald, chairman of the Montana Democratic Party, spoke, and then we all organized and departed for downtown.

Julie and I took the bus to the convention center, then a cab to the Denver Aquarium, where the Democratic National Committee was hosting a lunch. See more photos here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2006247&l=8a22e&id=1002190929

From the luncheon, we worked our way back downtown, then to a reception for elected officials at the Oxford Hotel. The Oxford is on 15th and Wazee, and Wazee goes west directly to the Pepsi Center, where the convention action takes place.

It's amazing to see the convention floor! The most memorable events of the night were the speech by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, a tribute to the humanitarian work of President Jimmy Carter, and a tribute to Ted Kennedy introduced by Caroline Kennedy; Ted Kennedy took the stage afterward, and there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

Here's part of Caroline Kennedy's introduction to the tribute video to Ted Kennedy, before Ted Kennedy took the floor to speak.


A link to a video, much smoother than mine, of Caroline's introduction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnbHZhy87IY

Here's a link to a YouTube video of the tribute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTysI_72J-M

Celebrities in the crowd included filmmaker Spike Lee, filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, and Chevy Chase, and Joe Biden, VP nominee was in the house, too.

Michelle Obama gave the keynote speech and was very warmly received. Her background is that of many Americans', and she speaks easily about the experiences most of us have, and have had.

I'll blog more, but for the day's pictures (with captions, for more info), visit http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2006247&l=8a22e&id=1002190929

After the convention, I was interviewed by a journalist from southern China. I told her that Michelle Obama had spoken well, and that she knows Barack Obama best; Michelle's descriptions of her upbringing, and the way the Obamas are raising their daughters, speak to the values we wish to instill in all our kids, and the futures we hope for them, too.