Joking that all 28 Republicans in the state of Vermont were in attendance, Jay Shepard posed with the rest of the state delegation for a photo in front of a mock, life-size Air Force One.

He spoke candidly about the recent liberal leanings of the state that was long part of the "Yankee Republicanism." "Vermont is a small fishbowl," he said. "You can be a very large fish." He said left-leaning voters migrated to Vermont because "they could start a movement."

(From CQ reporter Jessica Benton Cooney)

Miss Minnesota USA (Kaylee Unverzagt of Eagan) and Miss Minnesota Teen USA (Sarah Sprayberry of St. Paul) both happily posed for photos with numerous even happier male delegates who flocked to them.

Sprayberry won't be able to vote this election cycle -- she doesn't turn 18 until Nov. 28 -- but said she knew who she would vote for if she could. Unverzagt said she also knew who she intended to vote for, but both women said they could not discuss the topic while wearing the state crown. "If I took this off I could talk about it all day," Unverzagt said.

(From CQ Reporter Marie Horrigan)

For me, a romantic getaway would include sandy shores in faraway places sipping cocktails with little umbrellas.

But apparently, that doesn't do it for everyone.

Nora Ankrom, the youngest of the West Virginia delegates at 22, came to Minneapolis-St.Paul with her husband, also a delegate, to take part in the Republican festivities.

Wading through the RNC's welcoming party gift shop - a sea of T-shirts, buttons, life size cardboard stand-ups and stuffed animals - Nora was wearing a hat topped with an elephant with its droopy ears grazing her shoulders. Her husband, Michael, 29, was wearing an American flag top hat.

Gazing lovingly at Michael, she told me she was destined to be first lady someday. But he cautioned her not to speak too soon. A potential run for Congress would come first. The ambition election date? 2010.

See you in the Speaker's Lobby, Mikey.

First-time delegates Jenny Eckman and Rebecca Fewell of Harris County, Ga., understand why the convention has been altered due to the hurricane, but they're still disappointed by some of the changes.

At the welcome reception for delegates at the Minneapolis Convention Center tonight, Fewell noted she was really looking forward to hearing President Bush and Vice President Cheney speak. "We understand completely why they're there," Eckman said. "But there's not much I can do."

Eckman expressed concern about adjusting her travel schedule. "We're flying back Delta. That's $100 to change our flight if we want to go back early."

When asked if this might dampen convention excitement, both women were adamant it would remain a momentous and exciting occasion. "We're going to give it all we've got!" Eckman replied.

Not everyone agreed with Eckman's sentiment. "Given the circumstances I'd be disappointed to see him (President Bush) here," said Butch Davis of Houston.

(By Rachel Kapochunas and Colby Itkowitz)

For convention-goers concerned that Hurricane Gustav may prompt reception hosts to cancel parties this week, don't worry. Many lobbyists still are expected to give you plenty of options. The only difference is they're sharing a common theme: helping soon-to-be victims of the Gulf Coast. Numerous private receptions or open-to-public events now will ask for donations from partiers to benefit the American Red Cross disaster relief fund.

 

"Since we are here getting people together from all over, we are still going to have people gather," said Erica I. Parkhurst, coordinator for Monday night's RightNOW! and Lifetime Networks,  "PoliticalChicks a Go Go" event. "We also are now going to do something positive." The PoliticalChicks event is being held at Bar Fly, 711 Hennepin Ave. in Minneapolis.

 

The Distilled Spirits Council, which also hosted an event last week in Denver, is changing its "Spirits of Minneapolis" event to "Spirits of Gulf Coast." No surprise that last week's event was called "Spirits in Denver."

 

Frank Coleman, spokesman for The Distilled Spirits Council, said his group started talking on Friday about incorporating expected victims of the Gulf Coast for Monday's event at Solera, a popular club and restaurant in the warehouse district of Minneapolis. "As the weather situation was developing, we decided that perhaps we needed to factor it into our plans," Coleman added.

 

Not all parties are still going on, though. Florida Republican party chairman Jim Greer announced today they've canceled their Thursday night pool party and funds paid for the event will be directed to the American Red Cross and state-specific charities. He also asked delegates to bring contributions to their Tuesday night "National Treasure" event. The changes were warmly received by delegates at Sunday's meeting in Bloomington. "We're still going to celebrate democracy," Greer said.

 

(Rachel Kapochunas contributed to this story.)

The RNC had slashed Florida's delegation as a penalty for the state's decision to move their primary earlier in the calendar, but state party chairman Jim Greer noted today that after lengthy negotiations, they have something to smile about.

Greer said all 114 delegates will be seated on the convention floor, despite their opponents' wishes. "There are some very dedicated people that wanted to ensure Florida only got 57 seats on the floor, 57 electorates, and seats up in the risers," Greer said. "I want you to smile at the other delegates as you go to your seats because you'll be very pleased where the Florida delegation will sit."

The delegation met Sunday to discuss schedule changes as a result of Hurricane Gustav. The party canceled an event Thursday, with proceeds donated to charity and delegates were asked to donate contributions at their Tuesday event.

(By Rachel Kapochunas)

Minnesota officials apparently have only one joke. The host state's governor, Tim Pawlenty, told a room full of Arizona delegates today that although the state is known as "The Land of 10,000 Lakes," it actually has about 15,000. Pause to chuckle.

 

About 15 minutes later, Sen. Norm Coleman took the podium. You know, he said, "Minnesota is known as the land of 10,000 lakes, but it's actually closer to 15,000." This time the crowd groaned.

 

The jokes may have been subpar, but people were flocking for pictures with former American Idol contestant Antonella Barba after she sang God Bless America for the group.

 

Antonella came in 16th during the sixth season of Idol, but fans of the show will remember her for a series of risqué photographs that appeared on the Internet during the competition. Antonella, now a spokeswoman for ElectionMall's Voter Space, was the subject of a media tug-of-war that included commentary from Rosie O'Donnell to Bill O'Reilly over whether she should have been removed from the competition because of the photos.

With beer and wine provided, a live band playing the tunes of Twisted Sister, and nearly a hundred people in sight, this looks more like more like a college party than a protest.

The only difference is there were about a dozen law enforcement officers present as the bash started. No worries, though, the cops are here all week and just making their routine rounds through St. Paul.

On the corner of Prince and Broadway in Minnesota's Capital city, some people rallied outside the Black Dog Cafe showing their opposition to war. Others were just looking for some entertainment on a beautiful day.

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters had flown into Minneapolis/St. Paul prepared to help her party kick-start a week of festivities, especially pertinent as the nominee for president hails from her home state.

But as news of Hurricane Gustav grew more ominous, Peters turned back. She got on the first plane returning to Washington so she could monitor the storm's effect on the Gulf's infrastructure.

The Arizona delegation held its welcome party this afternoon, where Peters was scheduled to speak. Randy Pullen, the state Republican party chair, said the first order of business would be to pass around a collection for the Red Cross.

Alabama Rep. Jo Bonner was just hours away from jubilation when he sat in his Atlanta hotel this morning and decided to head back home to Mobile instead of Minnesota for the Republican convention.

The third-term congressman, who represents Alabama's portion of the Gulf Coast, was in Georgia for the University of Alabama's football game against Clemson University. The Crimson Tide defeated the Tigers 34-10. Falling asleep about 2 a.m., he had planned to catch an airplane to the Twin Cities, but instead hopped in a car early this morning and headed for his hometown.

Four silver-haired men remember back to the late 1960s when a young man in protest set off a bomb in St. Paul's Dayton's department store. It was the craziest moment in the town's criminal history, they said.

 

And they hope it stays that way.

 

Sitting inside the Landmark Center, a cultural center across from the Xcel, they are retired deputy sheriffs and police officers who have volunteered to help out as about 35,000 visitors descend on their town.

 

"I hope everybody behaves," Dick Corbo, a 73-year-old former deputy sheriff said. "You have to worry that someone will disgrace America."

 

And while they won't be swinging batons or arresting protesters, they're excited to be back at it again.

 

Outside the Landmark, a dozen or so people danced silently to their iPods (or possibly to the music in their heads). One girl said it was a public form of art, a way of protesting without evoking anger.

 

When other dancers were asked, most just responded wistfully, "don't you feel it, too?"

For Ron and Jenny Rover of South St. Paul - the city not the area - this week is an opportunity for locals like themselves to showcase where they live. Many of their friends and neighbors, however, are spending the long weekend enjoying the beautiful weather that usually accompanies the Upper Midwest this time of year. "This is pretty much the last weekend that people can go up to their cabins," Ron Rover says. "We wanted to come in town before the crush."

Touring downtown before the actual convention starts, the Rovers recommended checking out Candyland - the name tells it all - and of course Mickey's, a mainstay diner since 1939. The restaurant is located just a few blocks from the Xcel Center. Sitting inside of Mickey's, where the last scene of Prairie Home Companion was filmed, locals and visitors enjoy some Sunday breakfasts.

Dressing in a suit and Tina Fey-like glasses, a woman was wearing a sign that distinguished herself as "Sarah Palin." And if you're wondering, like other Palins, her last name is pronounced "PAY-lin."

Overlooking the Mississippi River, last night's party also had a visual reminder of government assistance. It had a perfect view of the new 35W bridge. The old bridge collapsed Aug.1, 2007.

The media party Monday night gave reporters the chance to hang out, binge and booze in anticipation of another sleepless week of stump speeches and delegation breakfasts.

We CQ reporters kept the festivities going at a local watering hole until almost (gasp) midnight. One unnamed reporter may have spilled a full glass of scotch on the rocks, and I may have unmasked four plain-clothed FBI agents, but I digress.

What seemed most poignant about the media soiree was the reunion-esque vibe it had for reporters who have been in this biz long enough to remember when the word blog had no definition.

With the Republican Convention unofficially kicking off today - most delegates don't arrive until tomorrow - hundreds of journalists are taking in the Republican vibe at the media party.

This week's party appears more low-key than the party four years ago in New York. Sources tell me that year, bartenders handed out tumblers of beer, wine and hard liquor. The two-hour event along Minneapolis' portion of the Mississippi River is about half the length of last week's Democratic one, and many members of the media appear a bit drained as they start covering the first back-to-back conventions in 52 years. That year, Republican President Dwight Eisenhower defeated Democratic Sen. Adlai Stevenson of Illinois. Republicans looking for an edge can look at that historical moment.

Delegates will be getting an eyeful of one activist group's anti-war, anti-Republican material as they head into the Xcel Energy Center Sunday and Monday. The group True Blue Minnesota has gained at least a temporary victory in their court battle to put a 20- by 30-foot video screen just a few hundred yards away from the RNC's main venue.

True Blue founding member Martha Ballou, a lawyer, says her group is composed of local businesspeople who want to embarrass the Republican "invasion." The giant screen is the centerpiece of their plan.

Upon arriving at the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, visitors are greeted by volunteers eager to talk about their beloved home, and a pace of life perhaps slower than that in Washington, D.C.

 

The economic benefits of hosting thousands of politicos are visible as soon as getting off the plane. People are selling shirts that read, "I am allergic to Democrats." To be fair, they also had a stack of shirts that read, "I am allergic to Republicans." But who will be buying those this week?

 

Minnesota is famous as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes." But a certain amount of infamy is attached to a particular men's restroom in the MSP airport. (Convention attendees may just as soon forget Republican Idaho Sen. Larry Craig's well-publicized airport visit a little over a year ago.)

 

Minnesota has rolling hills; plenty of opportunities for sports enthusiasts; and of course plenty of fresh water. The mighty Mississippi River runs through the Twin Cities.

 

A Democratic-leaning state, Republicans hope to get a boost from this week's convention and turning the Midwestern state into GOP hands.

 

For minute-by-minute updates, take a look at the CQRNC page on Twitter.com. Signing up for an account is easy and free. CQ filed more than 300 updates at CQDNC during the Democratic Convention.

The Democrats depart from Denver today still coming down off their high from Obama's mega rally Thursday night.
 
But their buzz kill is here, because the 24-hour news cycle has forgotten the fireworks and fiery words of Eisenhower's granddaughter (strange, I know), Biden and Obama. All eyes are on the Republicans and their new female vice president pick.
 
There won't be many A-list celebrities when the GOP takes over the Twin Cities this week. St. Paul won't feature a promo video from Steven Spielberg or any award-winning rap artists (except for when Mos Def performs for protesters, but I'm not sure if that counts). Instead the Republicans will appeal to a more genteel electorate who are turned on more by intimacy than glitz.

That's evident right from the start Saturday night as the media are treated to a party in the Minneapolis River Front District, between Guthrie Theater and Mill City Museum. The details of the two-hour evening event aren't clear, but what we do know is that it will be a far cry from the four-hour party in an amusement park that welcomed media to Denver.
 
The Republicans are expected to paint themselves as the campaign of tradition, experience and low frills. They'll focus their energy on personal connection rather than 80,000-people rallies.
 
But that's not to say there won't be parties and events for Being There to attend. Because no matter what image they're trying to portray, there is no denying that the Grand Old Party likes to ... well, you know, party.
 
Here are some of the events we'll be taking you to this week:
 

• With a female vice presidential nominee, it's only appropriate that the first big party on convention kickoff night would be called Political Chicks A Go-Go. Republican women will rock out to special guest John Rick of country group Big & Rich.
• Monday night will also feature the Hispanic Leadership Fund hosting the Fiesta Americana Concert at Myth Nightclub, featuring Daddy Yankee and Maxinne Lausell.
• Jon Voight, proud granddaddy of Brangelina's 10 zillion children, will attend an event by The Circle of Friends for American Veterans on Tuesday night in the Penthouse of the Downtown University Club.
• Also on Tuesday, is the hot Cosmos party at the Graves Hotel, hosted by GQ (often confused with CQ) and Maker's Mark.
• And for those not attending McCain's speech on Thursday night, you can be sure to find me or Marc sitting at the bar at Vanity Fair/Google's viewing party taking a sip each time the words "experience," "Iraq" and "terrorism" are uttered.

 
Can't wait to take you inside the Republican National Convention. See you there!

How do an estimated 84,000 people leave a high-security area surrounded by fences and barricades? Chaotically. Masses of people are ripping down the fences, yelling "tear down this wall!" And "yes we can!" The police are leaving them alone.

Buses for the press are jammed and stuck in slow-moving traffic. They're scheduled to run until 3 a.m. Automatic sprinklers came on in one area, as reporters were waiting in line for a bus ride.

Obama's pre-speech applause:

And how did Obama do? Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire: "He gave us a glimse inside the heart and soul of Barack Obama and then he said there's nothing we can't change if we all work together and he did it in a way that showed he is tough, he is compassionate and he is a visionary." Gregoire said Obama indicated he's going to fight back against Republican attacks, "but that he's going to go it in a way that's respectful of John McCain and get the personalization of these attacks out of the campaign."

8:51 p.m.

A young boy near me, maybe about 12 or 13 years old, in braces and Chuck Taylors, is moved to tears.

(From Coral Davenport)

8:22 p.m.

The security guards have stopped forcing audience members to keep moving so the aisles stay clear, and are watching Obama with rapt attention. One guard just whispered to his friend, "Bill Clinton may have met his match."

(From Rachel Kapochunas)

8:09 p.m.

Washington DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton said she's pleased with the number of opportunities she's been afforded at the convention to address the issue of voting representation for the District.

She noted that she mentioned the issue during the roll call for the presidential nomination.

Holmes Norton believes District representation will be possible under a Barack Obama administration. "He's cosponsor of the bill," she said.

(From Rachel Kapochunas)

8 p.m.

They're passing out blue "change" signs and instructing, "Put 'em up when Obama comes out!"

(From Coral Davenport)

7:45 p.m.

Obama is up in 15 minutes. Springsteen's blasting. Everyone is shouting, dancing, doing the wave. Giant flashbulbs are popping in synch to the music - it's a frothy fervor of perfect political orchestration.

(From Coral Davenport)

7:20 p.m.

From the convention floor, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry gave the proceedings so far two thumbs up and said he expects things to get even better as the night goes on.

"I always predicted, I said this is going to work, this is going to be terrific," he said. "I think President Clinton gave an important speech last night, I think Joe Biden well introduced himself to the country and now tonight our nominee is going to lay out the agenda in a real way, he's going to talk to America about the difference it makes. So, this is going to be real tonight. This is not politics. I think people will leave here with a wonderful sense of direction."

(From Marie Horrigan)

6:57 p.m.

In the staging areas behind the stands, there are boxes of props and signs, and fleets of volunteers are running back and forth to distribute the right props at the right moments - no small logistical feat with this crowd.

"We wait for the call for each prop, and then we move out," said volunteer Vaughn Cottle.

They passed out nearly 100,000 small American flags for Gov Bill Richardson's speech, and a smaller number of large flags for Al Gore's speech. "But those are only going to people who are strong enough to hold them up and wave them," Cottle said.

Next up: thousands of blue Obama signs.

(From Coral Davenport)

6:50 p.m.

Members of the California delegation are feeling good about Barack Obama tonight.

"This is the American dream," Rep. Joe Baca said. "This is about hope."

Rep. Xavier Becera said tonight's venue bodes well for the Democrats - other nominees who have spoken in stadiums include Franklin Delano Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy.

"Part of what Barack has always been about is this message of change," he added.

(From Marc Rehmann)

6:23 p.m.

Up in the stadium's very top tier -- which is dizzyingly high -- New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is getting a wild response, with screaming, whistling, foot-pounding.

(From Coral Davenport)

6:12 p.m.

Rep. Bill Foster of Illinois says Obama's speech will "turn on a lot of switches" that have been turned off over the past eight years. Foster, a nuclear physicist by trade and the successor of former Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, says his district voting for him is an example of the change the nation wants. "In an Obama adminstration we will have done enough as a party that we we will deserve to be in the majority for a generation," he added.

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm says Obama is sending Michiganders a message with substance. "They are asking 'what will you do for me,' " she says. "He has promised investment for the middle class. He says, 'wouldn't you want the thousand of dollars being spent in Iraq to be spent her in Michigan.' " She touted Obama's plan to invest in the state's auto-industry.

(From Marc Rehmann)  

5:53 p.m.

Wisconsin Gov. James Doyle hopes Obama talks about the change that many of his state's residents need, such as assistance in rural issues. "What they want to hear about is not much different from elsewhere," he added. "They need help with energy costs and Obama's rebate plan gives that."

He also says the war has largely affected those from rural communties. "The War has really hurt small towns ... It is really a smalltown war."

(From Marc Rehmann)

5:38 p.m.

"I think it's going to be like nothing we've ever experienced," Oprah Winfrey told CQ as she was being escorted to her sky box by a gaggle of security and staff. "How's he going to do? Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?," she joked, referring to her expectations of Obama's performance tonight.

(From Molly Hooper)

5:38 p.m.

Two-plus hours before Sen. Barack Obama is set to take stage the stadium is more than two-thirds full. It's not surprising: Obama's speech is one of the most anticipated in years.

Dawn Knight, a delegate from Arizona, said she expects Obama to talk about the working class. "We are like everyone else in our nation who are hurting from the cut of the middle class," Knight said of her state.

Gail Beeler, Knight's neighbor for tonight's speech and a member of Arizona's delegation is most excited about Democrats being unified. "We are going to work hard to see that McCain loses," she said of Arizona's senior senator.

(From Marc Rehmann)

5:21 p.m.

Mingling among delegates on Invesco Field, the Rev. Jesse Jackson expounded on tonight's spectacle. "This is inspiration, this is power, this is hope writ large," he said. "This is the biggest voter rally in American history -- and Republicans who complain about it are just jealous!"

But not everyone agreed. "I think it's too much -- it's a zoo, a circus," said Virgil Mayberry, a delegate from Illinois. "This is supposed to be about business, the greatest business in the world. We don't need all these people here. A lot of them aren't even going to vote for Obama -- they just wanted free tickets to this thing."

Perhaps the most egregious offense: "They're letting too many people down on the field, and we can't get our seats," Mayberry said (the Illinois delegation has the best seats in the house, directly in front of the podium). "This is bull!"

(From Coral Davenport)

5:20 p.m.

During an interlude in the speeches, the scoreboard instructed attendees to text a number with their name and why they joined the campaign. The screen then played back their messages instantaneously, like "Greg because of the environment," and "Becky my body, my choice, my Obama."

(From Drew Armstrong)

4:58 p.m.

U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., is recalling the moment 45 years ago today when Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial. "We still have a dream. We still have a dream."

(From CQ staff)

4:35 p.m.

While members of the Colorado Congressional delegation speak, the Rev. Jesse Jackson has arrived on the floor of Invesco. He's thronged by reporters.

The delegations with the best front-row seats: Illinois, Delaware, Colorado, Texas, Iowa, Indiana, Vermont.

(From Coral Davenport)

4:25 p.m.

Many non-delegates in the audience at Invesco may not have gotten prized floor seats, but they're still in the house, and seemed pleased about it.

Dan Benjamin, of Denver, won a seat through the lottery process set up for tonight. In sunglasses and shorts, he said he's happy to be in his seat near the very top of Invesco, instead of waiting in the lines he saw outside.

"I was an independent until this year when I changed my affiliation," he said.
"I was just tired of the same old politics and tired of Republican rhetoric."

Benjamin was joined by his wife and a few friends, who all said they love that their hometown is in the spotlight.

Hoping for great music and an Obama speech, Benjamin scoffed at Republican commercials saying this is a celebrity event.
 
"This is history. Its amazing," he said. "Barack is continuously talking about getting involved. What a better venue than a nation football stadium."

(From Marc Rehmann)

4:21 p.m.

The long lines leading in to Invesco still resemble the ones stretching across South African hillsides for the election that put Nelson Mandela in office.

(From CQ Editor Mike Riley)

4:16 p.m.

Nearing the security tent. Everyone still is very good humor, even though we can hear from the cheering inside the stadium that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi either banged the gavel or the Broncos scored a touchdown.

(From Coral Davenport)

4:03 p.m.

Invesco's concession stands are packed, thanks to event rules that said the thousands pouring in couldn't bring snacks with them.
 
Holding a cup of lemonade and a bag of popcorn, Rob Parrish, a 22-year-old delegate from San Francisco, said he didn't even try bringing any food in, but was still well prepared for the long day. His plan, he said, consisted of "just hanging out and having plenty of sunscreen."

"You get to know the people sitting around pretty well," he said.

Inside the stadium, hundreds of delegates have surrounded the center stage, where local bands are playing bluegrass music. There have been rumors all week about who else might perform, but so far the Obama camp has only confirmed that Stevie Wonder is on the ticket.

(From Marc Rehmann)

4 p.m.

Just when you think you're getting close, they make you go uphill and through a maze. The pilgrimage is turning into a reality show. I've now reached the credentials checkpoint. Part of the backup stems from two long lines merging from different directions.

(From Coral Davenport)

3:57 p.m.

I'm on my way down 14th Avenue in the line where the bus drops off. When I turned a corner onto the stadium grounds, a truck passed by with workers handing out bottled water.

I've never been on a pilgrimage before.

There's a nice view of downtown Denver and the State Capitol Building. The company providing portable toilets is called Super Bowl. Some things you can't make up.

(From CQ Politcs Editor Bob Benenson)

3:50 p.m.

Forget the wait to get into Invesco - there's a line at the Pepsi Center just to get on the Invesco-bound shuttle buses.

(CQ Staff)

3:45 p.m.

I'm finally in - but not without hiking across a highway bridge, down a steep, weed-choked embankment, around a solid half-mile of security fence, and engaging in numerous encounters with the (wonderfully friendly and accommodating) Denver police and (slightly less so) Secret Service, who eventually got me to the press entrance.

(From Coral Davenport)

3:40 p.m.

Lines to get in are snaking out in all directions from around Invesco. CQ senior reporter and frequent MSNBC commentator Jonathan Allen says organizers at Obama events across the country have a history of setting up long lines like this, "which makes a great photo op." He notes that the stadium has football games all the time with this many spectators, and you don't see lines like this.

(From Coral Davenport)

3:30 p.m.

Five hours before Obama is scheduled to appear, thousands of people are approaching Invesco Field on foot, walking on highways that have been closed off to traffic.

Since transportation has become a problem, with cabs and buses already packed, guestshave been getting to the venue any way they can. Colfax Avenue, which runs parallel to the stadium, is full of pedestrians, bicyclists and vehicles, resembling some sort of post-apocalyptic refugee march.

About a half mile away at the Pepsi Center - a starting point for many making the journey to Invesco - the local oasis that is the Circle K gas station is already running out of sunscreen, presenting a problem for the hot travelers.

The situation might not be as bad as it looks, though - at least for journalists. One CQ team managed to get from port to port and through security inside of an hour.

Inside Invesco, though, things are running more closely to the Democrats' plan. Conveniently enough, campaign officials managed to place supporters exactly where members of the media walk in.

Just inside the entrance, phone bank callers are clustered around tables, trying to get hold of local registered voters and have them watch the speech.

"This is all grassroots," said one of the workers, Gina Gamma of Pueblo, Colorado said. "We drove in just for this.

(From CQ reporters Marc Rehmann and Coral Davenport and Editor Mike Riley)
 

The traditional media are not allowed in at least one media workplace in Denver -- the independent bloggers' lounge at The Big Tent new media center. The Big Tent is hosted by The Daily Kos, the Alliance for a Sustainable Colorado, and Progress Now.

A total of 300 bloggers paid $100 each to gain access and a seat in the space, a two-story white tent connected to a building that houses the Google HQ and the Huffington Post. Panel discussions take place on the floor above the bloggers' lounge.

Bloggers were credentialed based on the age of their blog and its number of visitors. They squeeze into the lounge, sitting wherever there's an open space, on couches or at long tables. There are occasional power or wireless outages. There's also beer starting at 1 p.m., free food throughout the day and a massage and smoothie area run by Google.

The tent is at 15th and Wynkoop, a quick walk to shops and restaurants that the "other" media don't have inside the secure perimeter. Bloggers are shielded from the traditional media or onlookers who are allowed to visit the lounge only with a special pass and an escort. There are a mix of ages and even a few conservative bloggers, but when Being There visited, a clear demographic majority was young, white and male. 
 
Earlier today, it was announced over a loudspeaker that Sen. Chuck Schumer had walked in for interview availability. But lunch also had just arrived, and the atmosphere was chaotic. Bloggers squeezed between chairs, and squeezed to fit into the lunch line. The literal closeness of the scene is representative of something the bloggers say they find most valuable about the tent: a sense of community.

"Lots of bloggers I work with, I've never met until I came out here," said Spencer Ackerman of the blog firedoglake. "The Internet basically took away that sense of place. One thing you can't do over the Web is drink together."
 
They even have indoor plumbing -- something the more traditional media tents on the other side of the Pepsi Center emphatically do not have.

When Democratic officials were wooed by Denverites nearly two years ago, Mile High City advocates promised beautiful weather. Mother Nature hasn't disappointed.

The first three days were beautiful and in the 80s. Today may be the best yet: It currently is in the high 70s, and a pleasant breeze is moving across. And there isn't a cloud in the sky.

That small wind factor is welcomed to the more than 70,000 people already lining up hours before Obama's speech.

Myron Clark of Douglas County volunteered for the week's festivities.

"It will bother me terribly," he joked about the weather before adding that is a great event.

Lyn Miller-Esterich of Broomfield County also volunteered for the week and was rewarded for tonight's speech.

"It's the event of the century," Miller-Esterich said. "This is history, and we got free tickets. They keep saying Obama is a celebrity? Celebrities don't give away free tickets."

After five days of non-stop speeches, protests, parties, panels, and press frenzies, Denver is eerily quiet today. Conventioneers all seem to be resting up for the week's blowout finale - Obama's acceptance speech tonight to a crowd of 70,000 at Invesco Field.

Many also are recovering from a slammed schedule that has entailed daily delegation breakfasts starting at 7 a.m., mid-morning press conferences and policy meetings, drink-soaked lobbying schmoozefests starting as early as noon, brunches, lunches, cocktail receptions, keynote speeches, post-speech parties, after-hours parties, and Kanye.

"This schedule is killing me," says Marcus Pachner, who, as the owner of a Denver government relations firm, can't afford not to keep up the pace.

Also looking like he's feeling the strain is Nancy Pelosi's spokesman Drew Hammill, who admitted after last night's speech that he's hardly slept all week.

But at least the Democrats get to go home after tonight - many exhausted reporters and editors will have to do it all over again in the Twin Cities next week.

This may have something to do with why they started putting out Coors in the media tent at 10:30 this morning.

Apparently, even having a ticket to the Kanye West concert Wednesday night wasn't enough. As staffers scrambled last night to get their hands on the passes -- almost impossible to obtain ahead of the event except for a privileged few -- the line around the Exdo Event Center grew longer and longer.

By 11 p.m., there were several hundred people in line, it wasn't moving, and Kanye hadn't even taken the stage. The door guards working the event said the hall was at capacity. Even if you were a House staffer lucky enough to get a ticket, then had to pay $90 for it to comply with ethics rules, if you arrived late, all the ethics in the world couldn't help you.

Being There had two passes, courtesy of some friends on the Hill, but after 20 minutes of waiting fruitlessly, we gave up after event staff came around the line saying it would be a "very, very long time, if at all," before anybody else was let it.

So, we'd love to tell you how the concert was, but we don't know. However, the champagne at Corridor 44 on Larimer Street goes a long way to soothing the bitterness.

(From CQ reporter Drew Armstrong)

The knowledge that the convention's move from the Pepsi Center to Invesco Field would be a logistic nightmare didn't dim the anticipation for delegates last night. Armed with pints of beers, they continued the revelry in downtown Denver.

 

The Creative Coalition's gala at the Fillmore Wednesday night was the hot ticket of the week, and for good reason: The Black Eyed Peas put on an energetic show for the red-carpet crowd and for everyone else lucky enough to score a pass.

The band went on at 11:15 p.m., and played without a break until 12:55 a.m. Early on, they played a wide variety of songs that included classic rock tunes from Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones. They saved their own classic "Let's Get it Started" for the energy-packed, bass-throbbing ending, which had the crowd jumping.

In attendance were many of the Creative Coalition stars who've been making the rounds this week -- Susan Sarandon, Tim Daly, Matthew Modine, Dana Delaney, Rachael Leigh Cook and others. Jessica Alba put in an unexpected visit to the stage near the end of the show, then brushed past your Being There correspondent on her way out.

Several songs included pro-Obama (and anti-McCain) lyrics, which gave the show the flavor of a political rally. (That's hardly a surprise, since The Black Eyed Peas are known for their activism.) This clearly was a night of celebration for the Creative Coalition, which has sponsored or co-sponsored events throughout the week in Denver.

(Full disclosure: CQ is working with The Creative Coalition on non-partisan events in Denver this week and St. Paul next week.)

9:15 p.m.

At least one person who knew Obama was in town: Montana Sen. Jon Tester, who flew in with Obama from Montana on the campaign plane.

8:55 p.m.

Barack Obama makes a special, "surprise" visit. The place is going nuts. But surely the Obama signs in the delegate pack were a giveaway. A group of 20-something women are screaming, shaking and crying, with "We Are Family," playing over the sound system.

8:52 p.m.

Delegates are switching out their red Biden signs for blue Obama signs.

8:37 p.m.

The actress and social activist Susan Sarandon is sitting with the South Dakota delegation. Joe Biden's speech is moving her to tears.

8:27 p.m.

Suddenly, the arena of thousands has switched out thousands of American flags (which they waved for Bill Clinton) for a forest of red Biden signs. When did that happen? Great logistics.

8:23 p.m.

Out in the hall, California Rep. Jane Harman in a snow-white boucle suit, buying a $4 mini-Odwalla bar.

On Hillary's roll call moment: "It was graceful, timely, and probably, when everything settles down, one of the most special moments of any convention. That was something real. It was votes, not spectacle."

7:48 p.m.

Deidre Hall, aka Marlena on "Days of Our Lives," is here. She was a Hillary supporter on the principle that she wanted a woman in the White House, until she saw Michelle Obama speak. "Then I realized there was a woman I wanted in the White House." Of Hillary's roll call today, she says, "I thought it was time."

She adds, "Tell the fans of Days of Our Lives to get out and vote!"

7:39 p.m.

On the arena floor you're free to move around -- in fact, don't try to stop. "'Keep moving, guys!" say the security guards. "Don't stop here!" So everyone keeps snaking around, pausing when there are no guards around, then back on the move when they show up again. So I got to see Bill Clinton's speech from, like, seven different vantage points. Here they come again -- gotta go!

7:27 p.m.

Bill Clinton is rocking the crowd. The heaving masses are all packed like sardines onto the arena floor. The Hawaii delegation wins the award for best-smelling, decked out in fragrant orchid leis.

Hundreds of delegates faced delays tonight at the Pepsi Center main gate, due to the huge crowds hoping to see speeches from former President Bill Clinton and newly minted vice presidential nominee Sen. Joseph R. Biden.

Waits were estimated at about 25 minutes long - the longest of the convention week - and buses carried an overflow of convention goers from the main gate to another security checkpoint.

Both the rush to see the speakers and pumped-up security contributed to the delays. Police weren't taking any chances - after I passed through the first checkpoint, an officer told me there were rumors of protestors armed with bb guns, although I later heard reports saying the problem was taken care of.

One of those trying to get in, Iowa Rep. Dave Loebsack, said he saw protestors walking down the streets.

But Loebsack, accompanied with his wife, couched his observation by noting he was just a curious onlooker, not a security expert.

"Hey I'm just a Congressman. I don't know anything," he joked.

On one surprising note, convention attendees who reached the main security gate found that guards had stopped scanning everyone's pass.

"I can't really tell you why they aren't scanning," one officer said. "That's the convention's security - not general. I just know some people got through the other day with fake passes."

At Wednesday's Illinois delegation breakfast, Jesse Jackson Jr. was clearly feeling the love. The six-term congressman was calling for unity among Illinois Dems in their support for Barack Obama.

There were hugs between Jackson and Rep. Bobby L. Rush. This despite tension between the two due to media speculation that if Rush - who was diagnosed with cancer a few months ago - died, Jackson's wife, Sandy, could potentially replace him in Congress. Jackson has denied being involved in the speculation and Rush is recovering from the cancer.

There were more hugs between Jackson and Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. The two have been on opposite sides of building a third airport in the Chicago area, with Jackson supporting it and Daley preferring to expand O'Hare International. Because Jackson had been critical of Daley in the past, there was also talk before the Democrats took over Congress in 2006 that he might mount a campaign for mayor.

And there were even more hugs between Jackson and another prominent Illinois Democrat who's crossed him on the airport issue - Debbie Halvorson, a candidate for the state's open 11th congressional district seat.

At today's Maine delegation breakfast meeting, one delegate made a rather unique fashion statement.

Twenty-three year old Anne Czechanski, from Bar Harbor, decided to show up in a dress she made from scores of Obama '08 "Yes We Can" stickers (with some cloth backing). It's not her first sticker dress, either. She said that for the Maine state convention, she made another Obama ensemble, then put it up on eBay, where it fetched about $50 to help defray the cost of attending the DNC.

Her Denver dress also bears the names of people who helped her to get here.

(From CQ reporter Michael Teitelbaum)

So you've about how Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden Jr. is a working man's politician, right?

And you know the story about how he commutes by train from Wilmington, Del. to Washington every day? It's been highlighted by the national news repeatedly this week. He's expected to talk about the commute when he takes the stage later tonight and has joked that the inscription on his tombstone will read "He took the train.''

But did you know that Biden isn't the only guy from Delaware doing the long commute?

The state's other senator, Thomas R. Carper, takes the Amtrak regional each morning from Wilmington. Carper told me he works out in the a.m. and then takes the 7:15 Amtrak regional getting in to D.C. by 8:45. He added that he usually beats the blue-collar Biden, who usually takes the 7:30 Acela Express.

But occasionally, both have a late vote and miss their trains. On those nights, Biden reportedly stays with his son, Hunter. Carper, on the other hand, said he rents a room at the childhood home of a former chief of staff.

He quipped that if Biden becomes vice president, "Maybe I can get a room at his house," on the grounds of the Naval Observatory.

(CQ reporter Mike Teitelbaum contributed to this story)