Becky Miller Updike is the Director of the Office of Strategic Initiatives at Tennyson Center for Children as well as the Director for the Colorado chapter of Every Child Matters. She is fortunate enough to be attending the Democratic National Convention this week. Becky will be doing a daily blog about what she is encountering at the convention. Here are her thoughts from Day 1.

Above left: Becky with Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) at Brown Palace reception.
Above right: Becky with Terry McAuliffe, former campaign chair for Sen. Hillary Clinton.

Day 3:  Long lines, a new meaning for the term “back stage”, and why I’m too short for Hillary Clinton… the best day yet.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention in Denver

It’s Day 3 for the DNC and I’m finally getting the hang of this. 
Thanks for all who have expressed concern about my feet—that’s a sentence I never imagined writing. I now carry my high heels in my fashionable and only slightly practical bag, and wear flip-flops to motor through crowds most of the day.  Then I do a 15 second shoe-switch before entering places.  (My girlfriends out there totally get this—and I am sure guys like and including my big brother are rolling their eyes at the very notion…)

Today was the most crowded day yet.  More vendors moved in, so sidewalks are basically lined with all things Obama, mixed in with random vendors selling over-priced water, newspapers, fake designer purses and even oxygen.  Yes, oxygen.  Denver’s altitude is a real issue for some folks who arrive here from sea level, but most don’t really need oxygen in a can.  (But then again who am I to judge—see shoe issue, paragraph 1.)

The Convention center was abuzz with more caucusing and speakers.  My colleague and I met 2 young ladies from England who are traveling through Denver toward DC where they will begin internships next week.  They are University students in England and have both worked for the Labor Party there, and are amazed with and taken in by the manner in which America hypes elections and politicians.  “Politicians are like celebrities here—it’s not that way in England” they said.  The 2 joined my colleague and me to explore the Convention center offerings.  We stopped at a CNN booth to record a 40 spot on my opinion of Hillary Clinton’s speech in exchange for a free t-shirt, and kept noticing the sound of Hillary’s voice in the background.  I assumed it was a recording of last night’s speech.  I soon realized that Hillary was actually speaking in a room below us.  We got in for the tail end of her speech, which was more like a pep rally than the previous night’s speech.  After she finished, we tried to get close enough for a photo, but despite best efforts and lifting my camera as high as I could, I only captured the 500 other people who were doing the same thing.  The gals from England were right about the celebrity thing—and we 4 were in the thick of it.

As we left the Convention center, we spotted Terry McAuliffe, former Chair of the Democratic National Committee, political strategist, author, and most recently- Hillary’s campaign Chair.  We spoke with him briefly and he was funny and most gracious.  We had camera troubles and somehow I ended up with a kiss on the cheek from him in the photo. 

I was fortunate to get an invitation to a reception for Senator Frank Lautenberg (New Jersey) that was held at the Brown Palace Hotel, which is where the Clintons and other high level dignitaries are staying.  There was a large gathering of about 100 people outside the main entrance of the hotel, all waiting with cameras, ready to catch the who’s who as they were leaving the hotel to get to the Pepsi Center.  The reception for the Senator was a small gathering of about 25 people.  The room was small enough that he didn’t need a microphone to thank the guests and speak for a few minutes regarding the issues he prioritizes for this election.  He is well-known for his leadership on transportation and infrastructure issues, so he spoke briefly about those issues.  He then talked about what he thinks are the most critical issue this election— which focused on children’s health care and addressing the oppressiveness of poverty.  He spoke candidly about his frustration with the veto of SCHIP (federally funded health care for low income children).  I thanked him for his support of SCHIP and encouraged him to keep fighting the fight against poverty. He commended Every Child Matters for our work for kids.

On to the Pepsi Center for the speeches.  I passed the following people in the crowded halls leading into the arena: Forest Whitaker (actor), Madeleine Albright (US Secretary of State during Clinton administration), Gayle King (Oprah’s best friend), Dee Dee  Meyers (White House Press Secretary, Clinton Administration), Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper (who was basically doing laps in the building), Chevy Chase (comedian) and Tom Brokaw (newscaster).

Despite my former luck getting a decent seat—none were to be had this evening due to the record crowds.  Every entrance was blocked, with all seats full.  Several folks resigned to watching the speakers on the monitors in the hall ways, but I kept looking for a seat.  Security guards opened entrances to the top level seats behind the stage (giving a whole new meaning to “back stage”) which is where I ended up—5 rows from the top of the Pepsi Center. This area had been closed and was being used for storage of signs from previous nights.  There were countless black trash bags filled with the ling skinny signs bearing the words “UNITY”, “HILLARY” and “MICHELLE”.  The security guards let us take some of the signs, which was like a consolation prize for our weird seats in the rafters.  We could see the speakers on big screens, and actually had a cool birds-eye view of the crowds, delegates and media.  It was quite a sight—I literally could not spot an empty seat, and know that countless folks were in the halls staring up at monitors.   The speeches were fantastic.  The tribute to our soldiers left no dry eyes in the house.  Barack’s surprise appearance had the crowd going wild and anticipating Thursday night at Invesco Field. 

Until then…  

To read Becky's blog from Day 1, click here.
To read Becky's blog from Day 2, click here.
To read Becky's blog from Day 4, click here.

©2008 Tennyson Center for Children at Colorado Christian Home
Tennyson Center for Children at Colorado Christian Home
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