The first evening followed by the first day of the Convention

Arrived and was greeted by helpful volunteers who helped me get the shuttle to the hotel - the Marriott, a huge and bustling place where delegates from Iowa, Florida and California are staying. Lucked into a lovely room I'm sharing with my daughter, Julie, a friend, Elsa and a new friend, a Bernie supporter from San Diego.   Lots of enthusiastic Bernie people everywhere!

Marches for Bernie all over downtown Philadelphia.  Hundreds of thousands supporters from all over are here to speak for their issues and their candidate.  We hear there are about 4,500 delegates and 15,000 journalists here.  A few I've seen are Anderson Cooper, Tom Brokaw, Wolf Blitzer, Erica Hill, E J Dionne and one of my favorites, Joy Reid. We registered for event tickets and a gift bag and eventually headed off to dinner at a restaurant Julie found - amazed at the news that Debbie Wasserman Shultz was out!  Soon, we discovered the DNC Welcome Delegate party we'd just learned about that had great food, free drinks, lots of music and noise, too.  Back to the hotel where CA Bernie delegates met to plan logistics for Monday, remind everyone about schedule changes and practice our "I'm on a Journey with Bernie song.  They passed out signs saying Yea, Nay, Yes, No and Roll Call.Such fun being with all the enthusiastic Bernie folks.

Monday, July 25th

Up early for a CA delegation breakfast at our hotel with fabulous speakers - Barbara Lee, John Chaing, Ed Lee, SOS Alex Padilla and the wonderful Nancy Pelosi.

Chatted with my Congresswoman, Anna Eshoo before heading off to find a Medicare for All and No on TPP meetings – things took so long I missed the first one, but a very large and eager crowd listened to good speakers urging us to speak up to prevent a vote for the dangerous TPP legislation during the lame duck Congress.

They cleared the two ballrooms following that and did a security sweep and just allowed delegates in to hear our hero, Bernie speak to the delegates.  The overflow crowd was so excited and Bernie spoke masterfully – reminding us of all that still needs to be done to help the 99% and improve our democracy.  He touted the improvements accomplished via the platform and in the rules committee.  Superdelegates will be reduced by 60% and we’ve almost achieved open primaries, (Sorry, I was cheering so much I didn’t take good notes – but did take a video which I’ll include once I’ve edited it a bit.)  I think CNN and others covered the raucous proceedings – all the passionate supporters who even booed when Bernie asked us to vote for Clinton/Kaine.

Finally, it was time to board the shuttles for the Wells Fargo Center (basketball arena) for the main event.  I’m there now, marveling at the enormous size of this place the palpable excitement.  So far we’ve heard from Boyz to Men (Philadelphia group I’ve always enjoyed!) and many Democrats, including Barney Frank, who headed the Rules Committee and engendered a bunch of Bernie chants and boos, Hon. Elijah Cummings, Diane Russell, the woman from Maine who spearheaded the no superdelegates campaign, Ben Jealous, Raul Grijalva, Sen. Jeff Merkley

 and others.  We heard reports from the platform and rules committees and approved them with some opposition.  The Bernie crowd has held up "no TPP" Bernie and pro-Bernie, signs and cheered for Bernie every chance they’ve had.  So this unity is coming slowly.  

After charging batteries on my phone and computer, and refueling ourselves at the wonderful Next Gen California Cafe, sponsored by Tom Steyer, we heard Kristen Gillibrand  and the wonderful Al Franken who was far and away the most entertaining speaker!  Paul Simon performed a lovely "Bridge Over Troubled Waters," (Peggy!) and then we heard and an exhilarating speech by Cory Booker. 

You could feel the long sought unity beginning to happen. Then some law student started talking about an experience she had, only to surprisingly introduce her professor, Sen. Elizabeth Warren.  Although I adore her and her strong progressive stances against the big banks, she was a little disappointing as a speaker, I thought.  But not the outstanding Co-Leader of the House Progressive Caucus, Keith Ellison, who encouraged support for progressive legislation on many issues and support for Hillary.  Then, the magnificent video of Bernie Sanders, done to the fabulous Simon and Garfunkel song, “America” played and the crowd loved it, but they went absolutely wild when Bernie emerged on the stage.  Cheering all over the arena for such a long time.  Tears were welling up.  Then, as he reminded us of the need to get $ out of politics, overturn Citizens United, the importance of addressing climate change, having a living wage, providing healthcare for all and making the government represent the 99%, I found myself openly crying in disappointment that our progressive leader will not lead “the revolution” through the White House, and that we won’t have as much opportunity to feel his hopeful inspiration in the future. 

Emotionally, drained, we boarded the shuttle back to the hotel and fell into bed at nearly 1:30!  So ready for Day 2!