It is 11:22 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, and my day that started at 7 a.m. has finally come to an end.
It was incredibly hectic, but filled with pleasant surprises. Some of the most anticipated Democratic speakers for the day were Rep. Patrick Kennedy (R.I.), California Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, and of course the main event, Bill and Hillary Clinton.
The most interesting aspect of the day was the incredible level of security. Even with the frequency that I enter the backstage and podium areas, I am consistently searched.
Earlier in the day, the hall was sparsely populated and navigating it was easy. As the prime time program started, the hall filled with thousands of excited delegates anxious to participate in a national Democratic convention.
The Staples Center is extremely huge, with many intricate halls and corridors, filled with speakers and celebrities that would fulfill the desires of any stargazer. Jimmy Carter, Kevin Johnson, Babyface, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Wolf Blitzer, Ed Bradley, George Stephanopoulos and a barrage of faces you see on TV all the time.
For speaker trackers, this is the day that we have been waiting and preparing intensely for. Nerves are certainly tested, and you want to make sure that every thing goes well, according the system we have established.
I have been assigned to track Gov. Pedro Rossello of Puerto Rico, which is a real pleasure, as well as Rep. Shelley Berkley of Nevada, New Mexico Attorney General Patricia Madrid and Kwesi Mfume, president of the NAACP.
During the day, while the convention is going on there are rehearsals taking place backstage, and this presents the opportunity to meet many of these speakers. Some of those I met included Patrick Kennedy, Sen. Robert Torricelli of New Jersey, Feinstein and Labor Secretary Alexis Herman.
I had an opportunity to meet and greet the members of the Virgin Islands delegation, including Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen, Gov. Charles Turnbull, former Gov. Alexander Farrelly and his wife, Joan, as well as James O'Bryan Jr. and others. It was wonderful seeing familiar faces in the sea of delegates.
The highlight of the day, of course, was meeting the First Lady for the second time and the president himself.
As usual President Clinton had his A game on, and after delivering an excellent speech he came backstage and greeted everyone, staying true to his reputation as a man of the people.
Upon shaking his hand I said to him, "The Virgin Islands loves you, Mr. President."
His response? "And I love the Virgin Islands."
St. Thomas native Lesley Comissiong, 24, is attending the National Democratic Convention in Los Angeles. She graduated from Utica College of Syracuse University in 1998 with a degree in political science and also has worked as a legislative researcher for V.I. Sen. George Goodwin.
