Before the gavel falls

By Mark Thrun. After an evening at Bar Standard discussing kids, Obama, and local politics with Reps. Mark Ferrandino and Andy Kerr and his wonderful wife Tammy, the alarm was not so welcome this morning.

The only way to get credentials for the evening's activities at the Pepsi Center was to arrive at our delegate breakfast at 7:00 AM where, amid a media circus, they were distributed to all Colorado delegates and alternates.

Credentials give varied levels of access to areas around and within the Pepsi Center. There are folks allowed only on the grounds, some invited into the arena, an even smaller number that have access to the hall, and even fewer still privileged to be on the floor itself. As an alternate, I have access to the hall, but will need a gracious benefactor to get down to the floor.

As we are about to head to the convention hall, the day has already been full. Rep. John Salazar warmly met several of us personally this morning before spending some time on the stage prior to his brother. Breakfast was followed by comments by Reps. Salazar and Ed Perlmutter, and Sen. Ken Salazar.

The keynote speaker was former Governor of Alabama Don Seigelman. He told his story of being imprisoned and then released on charges that were eventually deemed "not criminal" in what he described as a Karl Rove framing.

The LGBT caucus followed later in the early afternoon. All but 2 states are represented by LGBT persons in their delegation, including 5 from Colorado. Rep. Tammy Baldwin and local advocate and philanthropist Tim Gill were keynote speakers. Both have spent much of their public lives advocating on behalf of the GLBT community and fired up the approximately 600 or so delegation members and guests.

The convention starts in earnest in a few minutes. The bus awaits.

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