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Monday, August 25, 2008

If this is day 1 then we are in for a treat!

I can barley put into words what this day has been like. It is surreal to be able to walk among the leaders of our party and even stop to say hey! But let me start from the beginning.
This morning we had our Delegate meeting with special guests Kathleen Sebelius and Chet Edwards (they were great)! I also rand into the co-author of the book "Bush's Brain" Wane Slater. I was totally star struck and I hope I did not make a fool of myself. I was like "hey your Wane Slater" and he was like "ya, I am." Anyway it does not diminish the experience.
After the meeting I went down to the hotel's lower level to pick up my credential for the day. It was exciting and I got to meet some really great people from all around the state, but after being credentialed we all slowly began to move towards the elevators. A group of 5 enter the elevator and got stuck. We had to call the front desk from the elevator and for 15-20 minutes we all waited for maintenance to arrive. We all took turns introducing ourselves and we had a good chat, and once the problem was solved we moved on our separate ways.
We all then piled into several buses and went downtown to the Hard Rock Cafe reception hosted by Charlie Wilson. That was also amazing and during that time I again had to opportunity to meet some really diverse an interesting people. The conversions were outstanding.
After leaving I made my way down to the Preforming Arts Center were I watched the first half of a round table discussion on the "New Philanthropy" among the speakers were Ted Turner, Dr. L. Brilliant, Harry Smith, and others. It was moderated by Walter Isaacson and I learned a years worth of philanthropy in 40 minutes. These folks were so insightful and thoughtful in their speech I could hardly write fast enough to keep up with all of their ideas. Any it was truly amazing.
Now up to this point I had been having a great day, and it could have ended there but the best was yet to come! I walked from the Preforming Arts Center to the Pepsi Center to be there when the 3:00 PM gavel dropped. I made it in time and found a good seat in the Texas delegation spot (just under the BBC broadcasting booth... so look for me). I had no idea what what going to happen next. Howard Dean starts us off and a variety of speakers begin to take the stage. Some good some OK. So, I leave my seat and begin to walk around and I see this guy that is impersonating Barack ( he was scary good!) I kept wondering around and I see a variety of reporters walk by me including Terry Moran, Sam Donaldson, and Chuck Todd. I again am star struck. I go outside to do a phone interview with CBS 7 and then call and check in at home... then I'm off again fighting my way through this huge gambit of people and a gaggle of cameras and light move toward me and I feel like a deer in the headlights of a fast moving car and out of this tormoil emerges Governor Bill Richardson. I got to shake his hand! Then Charle Rangle from New York. I had to pinch myself I could not believe I was standing infront of all these people I've seen on TV.
I made it back to my seat to listen to the end of Nancy Pelosi's speech, and the announcer says please stand for President Jimmy Carter and Rose Carter (at this point I'm on overload) Then Jesse Jackson's Son comes out to speak and gave a marvlous speech that meant alot to me as a Democrat. But then... there was another roar in the crowd. and just one section over there was Senator Joe Biden. I rushed over to meet him and grab a few photos... that was awesome! Then as I returned to my seat I looked up and above the Texas delegation on the upper deck was Maria Shriver. WOW!
Caroline Kennedy came out next and introudce a touching video tribute to Edward Kennedy. I was awestruck, but just as it ended Ted Kennedy took the stage, and gave a great and uniting speech. Finally Michelle Obama took the stage and rendered a speech that was the best I had ever heard from her. It was perfect!
As our delegation was leaving Senator Binden left at the same time, and I got to say hello to him again as we all tried to exit the Pepsi Center. We then were wisked away to the Texas Delegation Gala at Mile High Station. It was amazing but it was getting late and I headed back to the hotel and got on the elevator again with one of the others who I was stuck with earlier. We joked about getting stuck, and as fate had it, the elevator got stuck again! Unbelievable, that is the day that I have had!
Love to Jen, Abby, and Jack

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