Looking Back - Thursday at the Convention Part 3

Photo 11: The Obama Family

Photo 12: Confetti everywhere

Photo 13: More confetti

Photo 14: A view of the Media Box from which I took photos on Thursday night

Looking Back - Thursday at the Convention Part 2

More photos from Invesco Field:

Photo 6: Al Gore

Photo 7: Joe Biden

Photo 8: Obama walks out

Photo 9: Obama onstage

Photo 10: Wider View

Looking Back - Thursday at the Convention Part 1

Another early day. This time we only hung out at Studio 08 for a short time before La-Verna and I got to go to the Convention Center to attend the Women’s Caucus and photograph Michelle Obama – up close!

I was a little late getting back to Studio 08, so I missed walking over to Invesco field with the rest of the Online Team. Instead, I waited around for the directors so I could walk over with them, but they weren’t walking. Nope! They had an SUV with a Secret Service pass on it, so we drove over and skipped the 3.5 hour wait in line. Yay! I then hung out in the air-conditioned press box and took my photos from there. I tried to go on the floor, but they wouldn’t let me stand near the delegates. The only place they would let me stand was behind the press riser, so I really couldn’t see much from down there. One of the other photographers, Hemen, got in very early and snuck onto the press riser and got great shots! The only problem was – once he got in, he couldn’t leave. He had to stay put for 7 hours. True dedication!

I thought Obama’s speech was fabulous! It was a bit tougher than I thought it would be, but I understood why he felt he had to go that direction. No tears this time, but again, I felt I was right in the middle of history being made and I was reluctant to leave.

Photo 1: Michelle Obama at the Women’s Caucus

Photo 2: Kids for Obama

Photo 3: The line waiting to get into Invesco Field

Photo 4: Cheryl Crow

Photo 5: Stevie Wonder

Looking Back - Wednesday at the Convention Part 3

Photo 11: Happy New York delegates

Photo 12: Ralph Nader

Photo 13: Art Alexakis of the band Everclear

Looking Back - Wednesday at the Convention Part 2

I had asked around and was told that the roll call vote to nominate a candidate was pretty boring, but La-Verna insisted on being on the floor for it, so we headed out. The hall was filling up fast and we were having trouble finding a place to stand when a very nice delegate from New York told us we could stand with them until the rest of their delegates showed up. The buzz was that Sen. Clinton would make the final nomination and we could see Secret Service agents everywhere, so we believed it. Wow! This roll call was VERY exciting! They only got up to New Mexico before Obama had enough votes to be nominated, so New Mexico ceded their turn to Illinois (who had passed earlier) and then Illinois ceded to New York and Sen. Clinton appeared on the floor just 30 feet away from us with cameras completely surrounding her (I couldn’t even see the top of her head most of the time) and she moved that the roll call be suspended and that Obama be nominated by acclamation. The place went wild!!! The New York delegation got very emotional and I admit that I had tears rolling down my face. I was right in the very middle of history! America really did it! We nominated an African-American man to run for President on the Democratic ticket! They played the song “Love Train” and everyone was holding hands and dancing. I will never forget that moment!

This time I just couldn’t stand up for another minute after the roll call was done. I went back to the hotel, watched Bill Clinton’s speech on TV and then fell asleep until the next day.

Photo 6: Anderson Cooper

Photo 7: Katie Couric

Photo 8: San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome

Photo 9: Press converges upon Sen. Clinton during Roll Call vote

Photo 10: The Room as Sen. Clinton nominated Sen. Obama