It's Monday morning in Denver. The California Delegation just poured into our first breakfast meeting. Speaker Pelosi is on the docket, so we've got huge "Madam Speaker" placards at our seats, and the NARAL people have just handed us "Yes We Can" noise-making cannisters to shake up and down when we get fired up. I've heard that Hillary Clinton is addressing us as well, but now someone else is saying she isn't coming. And now you have a glimpse into what this place feels like. Excited rumors, perplexed confusion, this omnipresent sense that you are missing some great thing around the corner.
And all I really want is some coffee.
When I got my credentials this morning -- every morning we have to check in with picture ID to receive the documents that gain us access to that day's events -- I was struck by the number of young people in the lobby. Turns out they were Junior Statesmen from all over California.
I met Willy Chotzen-Freund, Santa Barbara; Sara Christiano, Saratoga; Santa Barbara; Alex Ewald, San Mateo; Charlotte Greenbaum, Palm Springs; Keshav Singh, Santa Cruz; and Eli Zinman, Santa Cruz. All are 17, and none can vote in September. But boy are they fired up from head to toe. Alex talks of the importance of overcoming voter apathy. Charlotte, originally an Edwards fan, talked about now supporting Obama.
And I spent the evening last night with friends, including 80 year old Lucius Barker. Professor Barker (Political Science, Stanford, Emeritus) was a Jesse Jackson delegate in the 1980s twice-over, and was at the Kennedy convention too. He tells amazing stories.
From 17 to 80, Age is No Issue. We are Democrats on the brink of something great.
Now to my coffee...
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