Last Images from Denver

The to-do about Palin delayed some of our last day's posting in Denver, so I'm including some of the more random, but interesting (to me!), bits from the time we were there.

I think the funnier one is the James Bond Guy (also known as Alex. This picture is actually from Celtic Diva.) He is with the non-profit The Israel Project, and despite there being a few million people in Denver, tens of thousands for the convention, and sort of disimilar reasons (and therefore schedules) for attending the convention, we Alaskan bloggers kept running into this English activist.

You may have seen him on earlier posts, because I got a lot of e-mails (mostly from the women readers) about him.

In any case, he was kind of the "Where's Waldo" fun while we were down there. Our events were not complete without first finding out where he was.

If I run into him in Anchorage, I'm going to start talking in code though. James Bond can really be anywhere...

Our hosts, Eric and Kim, took us out to the Garden of the Gods on our last full day. We saw quite a bit of wildlife, actually, though I think the wildlife in Colorado is much better at camoflauge than in Alaska. The rams, deer and coyotes we saw kept alluding us in broad daylight. The moose here in Anchorage don't blend in so well against the street lamps and strip malls.





My third picture of food is the most beautiful picture. This "Colorado style" pizza was totally unlike any pizza I've had, and you turn the crust into dessert by dripping honey on it.

Of note (not important note, just "note") is this was "Beau Jo's" pizza in Denver - and just two days earlier we listened as "Beau" Biden introduced "Joe" Biden in Denver.

Coincidence? Or pizza conspiracy?

We'll found out soon enough.



The Garden of the Gods really was beautiful, though the red rocks wierd me out just a little. Like a Mars landing, only really hot and random deer running around.

It also had a GREAT gift shop, with lots of Native made art that was agony to walk by and not run out the door with.

But boy, when I get a spare $9,000...











Morrigan was cracking me up with her picture taking, especially following Eric and Kim's cats around.

She was taking pictures to share with her classmates when she got back. I mean, this girl experienced a convention, got to see the first black president be nominated, and met all sorts of people.

As we headed to the airport, we were talking about the good pictures we got. Morrigan:

"Yeah, I have a lot of pictures of the cats."







We saw several rock climbers around the garden.


















A bit Mars-like.


















This school group really got everyone in the mood after the eternity of a line to get in. It was like a reward for surviving the line, and the heat.


I made sure it was not just Alaska heat wimpy-ism that I was dying in the heat. I asked a family from California if this was hot to them, and they confirmed that I could feel like I was roasting without sacrificing the tough Alaskan attitude.






I think this guy would have gotten more money had he not looked like he had burnt to a crisp right there on the sidewalk. It was surely a feat of the most supreme stamina to stand still for hours to look like a statue in million degree heat, but he kind of reminded everyone how hot it was.














The flip side of this is a hand-written "Stay Positive" message. These were handed out to the million-man line by a bunch of young kids. The reverse, which is what cracked me up, reminded us, "It's a sign."














We had the sort of clown car feeling when Morrigan and I made our connecting train to the stadium. The door opened, and there were people packed in so much that people were hanging out. Enough people got off that Morrigan and I could cram in, but we were literally pressed against the glass door, using all the powers of our tippy toes to stay in a safe place.

Go Obama! Love, Alaska.

In the trading button business (a favorite pastime of the delegates,) the "Alaskans for Obama" buttons were a hot commodity.

We feel you, man.

The Alaskan delegates, complete with the good ol' "field of blue."

And yes, they even sang the song!

All but one of the Native delegates from Alaska.

You are here.

Or at least, Alaska was here.

The homing signal for Alaska.

His recorder playing wasn't that impressive, but three guesses why his hat was full of money?

Yep, me too. The only street performer of the many I passed that paused to listen and throw some money at.

A smart, smart man.

And look who else made an appearance!

The confused look and lack of pace was due to our lemming-like following of the people in front of us. The people in front of us were doing the same, and the people in front of them, and so on, and so on. Nobody actually knew where they were headed. In fact, just after we finally made it through this bottle neck, nearly a quarter of the crowd abruptly turned around and started heading the other way.

Morrigan and I somehow found ourself walking through grass, shrubs, trees, and then by a creek. In downtown Denver. In the dark. With wierd noises all around us that could have been crickets and frogs, but also could have been man-eating beasts of enormous stature.

We were literally walking for about an hour, and it slowly was dawning on a lot of people that nobody really knew where they were going. With rail stations shut down, streets and even interstates blocked off, even the Denver-ites didn't all know where to go.

At some point we regained our sanity and stopped. We considered camping out until daylight, but our wonderful hosts, with a bit more sense than I was feeling at the moment, rescued us.

Alaska Delegate reactions to Hillary in Denver

For the two of you that don't know, Hillary Clinton addressed the Democratic National Convention crowd tonight (technically last night, at this point.) I've never heard a longer standing ovation!

Honestly, I just wasn't that much of a fan of the whole "Clinton for President" bid. But after hearing her speak, I could see her making a real nice VP. Her words were both moving and forceful - "high expectations" is a bit of an understatement for the speech. But pretty much everybody leaving there that night was impressed with some aspect of the speech - whether it was specific words, rallying calls, or the woman herself.

Governor Tony Knowles -

"She's a powerful political symbol and leader... It was a seamless transition from her to Obama."

I spoke with Alaskan Clinton delegate just before Hillary took the stage. When I asked her how she felt about Hillary addressing the convention:

"Thrilled... I expect her to bring unity to the party, to the decision. I expect her to blast McCain, and the things he's doing. I think she'll get people pumped up - she's a great speaker. And let's face it, she's a hero to the American woman... I just believe that this is a good thing."

Representative Lindsey Holmes:

"I thought Hillary knocked it out of the park."

After hearing the speech myself and talking to so many people after Hillary spoke, it amazed me to come back to where we were staying and hear so much about delegates that were unhappy. In my limited view, delegates unhappy enough with the way things went to not vote for Obama were the extreme exception - not at all the rule. In fact, the only delegate I saw that was still adamant about Hillary for President was on TV.

Much more the case was the conversation about how the speech was exactly what was needed. From the convention floor as it was cleared, from the long walk to the buses, in the long wait for the buses, and on the bus ride back - Hillary supporters were thrilled, and Obama supporters were impressed. Even somewhat cynical news crew members around us were grudgingly ackonwledging that it was exactly right.

The only flaw I can see is that she gave the speech on Tuesday - there's two full days of speakers who are going to have to compete with that, including President Clinton!

Remember to check out the live blog!

Although I will be covering various aspects of the convention, the "live blogging" from the convention floor will be done on Celtic Diva's Blue Oasis - she's the credentialed Alaska blogger. I will be going on the Pepsi Center floor Tuesday (for Hillary!), but will still be doing all the live blogging from the Blue Oasis. I will post more "niche" type posts later on my own blog.

The live blogging will roughly be between 1pm (probably more like 2) and 7pm ALASKA TIME.

And is there something you want to know about the convention? Right there on the floor? Do you want to hear from Alaska delegates, other state's delegates, Dan Rather? :) Do you want to know about the security, the speeches, those silly hats?

Let us know!!

Your Alaska Delegates

The Alaska Delegation met this morning at 7am sharp for breakfast, updates, guest speakers and credentials. A lot of confusion with the constantly changing convention schedule, abrupt transportation cut-offs and with only a few spare credentials and passes.

Celtic Diva will solely be covering the breakfast meetings after this - at $25 for guests, I have to bagel it.






This national rep from the AFL-CIO got the Alaska crowd fired up! Especially with:

"Thank God for Mayor Mark Begich! He could be our 60th senator!"









Delegate Brockhurst - one of the "young" delegates - watch for him on CSPAN!

















Guess where the Alaska delegation rates in the delegate "green" challenge? 100%! The Alaskan delegation has been great with carbon offsets and making sure they are all green!










Julie Anderson, a rep from the Obama campaign, came to speak to the Alaska delegation. She focused on the environmental message of Obama - that he's introduced a bill to raise fuel efficiency standards, wants to increase tax credits for hybrid and electric car owners, and, for Alaska, would like to look and incentivizing renewable energy.

And then she said the "A" word....

That's right, ANWR. Specifically, "I don't think Sen. Obama believes that is an appropriate place to be drilling at the moment."

Now, she did get a cheer from one of the delegates, but for the most part... well, do you know the whole "elephant in the room" analogy? I was wondering if anyone would say anything. I needn't have feared.


Well Alaska, if you're wondering if your Alaska delegates are working hard down here - wonder no more! They were all over the ANWR issue. I mean ALL over it.

Some of it was in regards to off shore drilling versus on land.

Delegate Rex Okakok, "ANWR is my neighbor. We strongly believe we can safely develop on-land drilling. But on off-shore drilling - we should not even talk about it... Think of those of us that breathe and live and eat because of that ocean before you even think about off-shore drilling."

Delegate Blake Johnson first asked Anderson if she'd been to ANWR, if anyone had. When she said she hadn't, but would like to, he made sure to say, "You need to come up and see it. Reserve judgement until you do."

Several other delegates commented on drilling (ANWR, off shore,) as well as Pebble Mine. Anderson said that Bristol Bay had come up quite a bit from the Obama campaign in Alaska, and they were looking to address it further.

The delegates received their bags and credentials at the end of the meeting. The fun part about the hotel the delegation is in - the delegations from Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico and Minnesota are also housed there.

Delegates Chuck Degnan and Rex Okakok. This is Rex's first time as a delegate:

"The weather took some getting used to. But today - today I feel good."