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The scene? Absolutely chaotic. As I write this, I'm watching a sea of thousands of Democratic delegates from around the nation cheer on Michelle Obama as she strides up on stage to give the keynote for the first night of the convention at the Pepsi Center. The delegates are waving a forest of skinny, blue-and-white signs that say, simply, "Michelle." The sound is deafening. And the electric bass player from the live band, situated directly in front of my tiny press seat (Seat 144A8, FYI), is plunking out funky beat that is rattling my ribcage.
Not far from me down one of the main walkways inside the center, Gov. Bill Richardson - who joked during his own unsuccessful presidential run that he wasn't a rock star like Barack Obama - is getting the rock star treatment himself. A scrum of reporters surrounds him. The sharp lights from at least two TV cameras bathe him in white as he smiles, talks and jokes. And dozens of the Democratic party faithful clamor around him seeking autographs and popping photos on their cell phones
Check out Tuesday's Journal for our news coverage of Day One, including a sit-down interview with Richardson (rock star!) and a look at New Mexico's importance in Obama's strategy for winning the White House.
But we're blogging now, so here are a few tidbits you won't see in the main paper:
- Former, two-term New Mexico attorney general Patricia Madrid, who helped head up the national Democratic Party's platform committee, got a few minutes in the national spotlight Monday afternoon when she took to the stage at the Pepsi Center. She promptly gave her home state some props, calling New Mexico a "battleground state where we know Barack Obama will lead the Democrats this fall."
Madrid then outlined the broad party platform, including universal health care and comprehensive immigration reform.
"Today, the American dream is at risk. Incomes are down, and foreclosures are up," said Madrid, who came within fewer than 1,000 votes from unseating Republican 1st Congressional District Rep. Heather Wilson during a fiercely contested 2006 U.S. House race.
Obama and the Democrats, Madrid promised, "will end the outrage of health care that's not affordable, and not available, to everyone."
- The Democrats at this year's convention are pushing a green, environmentally friendly theme - they actually have people posted at the garbage cans inside the Pepsi Center to make sure people are properly sorting their recyclables, for example - so it wasn't surprising to get to my hotel room late Sunday night to find that the hotel wasn't giving out its normal, plastic room keys.
Instead, the clerk gave me what appeared to be a paper card key plastered with convention logos. Only problem was, the new, "green" card key didn't actually open my hotel room door - I slid the goofy thing into my door about 6,000 times, while the tiny red light on the door handle blinked mockingly at me.
My experience wasn't unique: I mentioned the problem to one higher-ranking New Mexico Democratic politico, and he had the same problem. He compared the cards to low-flow toilets, which are nice in theory but sometimes aren't so great during, um, real-world conditions.
Enough said on that. I now have a plastic card key. Works great.
- Sen. Edward Kennedy's brief address to the convention crowd was one of the emotional highlights of the evening for many delegates. The longtime Democratic party icon underwent surgery in June for a brain tumor.
"My fellow Democrats, my fellow Americans, it is so wonderful to be here. And nothing is going to keep me away from this special gathering tonight," Kennedy said to huge applause. "So many of you have been with me through the happiest days, and the hardest days."
Two New Mexico delegates said Kennedy's appearance was important for the party.
"He's fought his whole life for some of these issues that now he sees are coming to pass, " said delegate Mark Fleisher of Albuquerque.
"I thought it was a miracle," said delegate Gaye Pollitt of Santa Fe.
"To the older of us in the party, it meant a great deal because we're connected to his brothers," the 62-year-old Pollitt added. "It was a legacy."
Fleisher also remarked on Michelle Obama's speech.
"I never thought I'd live long enough to see an African-American on the stage for First Lady - and for President," he said.
"It shows we've come a long way."
Good night from Day One in Denver.
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