Day 2 (Part 1) - Blogging by Blackberry

Ok, I learned from my experience yesterday. There's just too much damn stuff going on and too much to write about for me to wait until I get back to my place to start blogging. So, I'm trying a new method. Blogging by blackberry. That way, I'll hopefully be able to capture more of the craziness. Warning: these may get very long.

I got woken up this morning by both blackberries buzzing like crazy. I grabbed my personal one out of habit, and then realized that the work one might be more important. Good thing. They need us to pick our credentials an hour earlier than they had told us. Why couldn't they have emailed us that the night before, so I knew BEFORE I went to bed. Hell. That means I had just over an hour to shower and make the 30 minute walk/shuttle journey. I jump out of my bed; the room spins slightly (that's the altitude talking, really) and my legs cry out in pain. I need to stretch, but there's no time. Walk it off, I told myself. Just hurry up and get there. I pick up my cred's. I have backstage access today, although I'm not sure I'll need it. I ask for the lunch voucher. They're out. Really? Who's poor planning was that? Annoyed, I call Thompson and head to Chipotle. Thompson wants to meet me, but gets stuck with work. I scarf down half a burrito -- enough to kill the slight hangover from the night before -- and load up on caffeine. I keep trying to ask for Coke and they keep giving me Pepsi. I know the stadium has Pepsi's name, but it seems the whole city is owned by them too.

Walking to the Pepsi Center. I take a picture of the guys holding the "Rednecks for Obama" sign. And then see the Trojan people handing out free condoms before you get to the security check. Apparently, everyone's concerned about keeping people safe. =) I try to find out where I can get one of their bright yellow shirts that say "Get It On," but I'm told they're not for sale. Too bad.

Just got onto the Pepsi Center. There's a crowd of media in front of the podium, which means there's someone famous. See the blond bob -- Hillary Clinton, testing out the mics for tonight. Pause, take picture, blog, keep walking towards the office, see a few colleagues who got tapped to be on a screen shot of David Letterman, continue to the office, check in, get my walkie-talkie, hang out. We have to be here before the doors open, but we have another 2 hrs before the Convention starts for the day. I've got my feet up. Literally. After being on my feet for 12+ hrs yesterday, my feet and knee are killing me. I should pop some Advil... Hopefully, I'll remember before I start running around again.

It's relatively quiet in here right now - we're just watching the stage run-through. It's our temporary respite before the delegates show up and the madness ensues. The Rocky Mount Children's Choir is singing a beautiful rendition of the national anthem. I have goosebumps. Someone walks up to say we have a meeting...

Meeting's done. We were just briefed / trained on the new mobile tracking devices to help the delegations track and tally their votes tomorrow. We're going to have to train our state chairs to use the devices, and I'm already skeptical. I wonder if it's more hassle than it's worth, but hey, the mobile devices are fun to play with.

Convention has technically started today. I should go out to the floor and start making friends with the security guards and fire marshals. They're good people to know. They stay calm when everyone else goes crazy. And they're great backup when people much bigger and pushier than myself start being belligerent. They're adding another 14 fire marshals to the floor tonight to help with crowd control. I'm civil and polite to everyone, but if you're not where you're supposed to be, I'm going to have to move you. Yesterday, I had a classic case. As I was clearing the stairwell, I asked people to keep moving -- order from the fire marshal. One young woman jumps up with a shocked expression and says to me, "Do you know who that is?? She's a Member of Congress!" I smiled and nodded. "Yes, I know, but she's still not allowed to stand here." The man next to her jumped up and said, "She can have my seat." "Whatever you want to do is fine," I replied, "but we can't have anyone in the aisles." I think they were shocked at how little effect the name game has here. If you have Secret Service or your own security detail, you're ok. Otherwise, you better have the right credentials.

Umm, ok, I just heard that Mitt Romney is here. Uhh, what? I'm off to investigate...

I'll be back again when I get a chance. Who knows when that will be. I have no ideas if / what parties I'll hit tonight. The next two nights will surely be long, and I need to pace myself. And you never know when credentials will show up or disappear. I've told some of my friends before -- I never believe anything in politics will actually happen until it actually happens. I've seen too many last millisecond changes. So much of this is luck and happenstance.