DNC brings supporters of a different kind
Sen. Barack Obama made history Wednesday night as he became the first African-American in U.S. history to receive the presidential nomination for the Democratic Party.
At the end of the roll call vote, Sen. Hillary Clinton said to “suspend the further conduct of the roll call vote, all votes passed by the delegates will be counted and that our Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois be selected by this convention by acclimation as the nominee of the Democratic Party.”
Clinton’s last words were cut out by a thundering applause from the audience.
“Sen. Clinton has moved in the spirit of unity, to suspend the rules of the convention and to nominate Barack Obama by acclimation as the presidential candidate of the democratic party, is there a second?” Secretary of the Democratic Party Alice Travis Germond asked. “All in favor of the motion to suspend the rules and nominate by acclimation Barack Obama as the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate please say ‘aye.’ All those opposed say ‘no’.”
Germond let the gavel fall three times to confirm the nomination. Strains of the song “Love Train” by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff then filled the room, and audience members began to dance and cry at Obama’s nomination.
Many had traveled far and wide to see the historic nomination.
A booth for Project Vote Smart sat outside the Pepsi Center. According to Tallie Spiller, public information director of Project Vote Smart, this non-profit nationwide organization has been growing in the last sixteen years. Its purpose is to provide citizens with un-bias information on candidates.
The Web site provides voting records and public statements to help give voters the information they need to make their own decision on whom to vote for.
Spiller said that being at the DNC helped gain more exposure for Project Vote Smart.
“It’s been an exciting experience to be here,” Spiller said.
Attendees spiced up the Convention with costumes and decorative outfits.
Toby Crittenden dressed as Lucifer to represent the Bus Federation for Trick-or-Vote. On Halloween, costumed volunteers will be going out reminding Americans to vote.
According to their handout, “volunteers in 21 cities and 12 states will distribute voter guides and vote reminders in what will be the nation’s largest non-partisan get-out-the vote canvass.”
Crittenden said he thinks the event will be amazing with a thousand people volunteering, and a hundred thousand doors knocked.
Captain Morgan even made an appearance with banners advertising “Captain Morgan for president.”
Cheryl Williams, a democrat from Georgia, came dressed in her Democratic donkey costume.
“I brought it all the way from Georgia and I am going to wear it, it was a gift from my children and they are very active in politics as I,” Williams said.
Contact CU Independent Freelance Writer Emily Burrows-Poretsky at Emily.burrows-poretsky@colorado.edu.
