Today we finally found out how the rollcall vote works. This morning when we got our credentials, we were also asked to vote for our candidate with an X next to the name and a signature. I found my name on the list, marked an X for Senator Obama, and signed the sheet. Senator Clinton met with all of her delegates at 3pm today, just prior to the rollcall, and released each of them to vote as they saw fit, while stating that she was supporting Barack and hoped they would too. As an Obama delegate, I was not present at the meeting, but just knew what Clinton delegates had told me about it. I am not sure if the New York Clinton delegates were directly told this ahead of our morning vote or not, but many seemed to know already and voted accordingly.
It was very exciting to be in the arena for the actual rollcall. I have watched this tradition on TV since I was a kid, and it was somewhat surreal to actually be there in the arena as it was happening. We were very worried that we would not get in on time, but we only missed the first couple of states. By the time we were safely in our seats, the roll had gotten to Florida. We knew that the roll would be stopped at NY, but did not know exactly how it would work.
The anticipation built as each state called out its votes, and some states announced unanimous votes for Senator Obama, which caused a great cheer to go up. When we got to New York, and Speaker Silver began the littany, "The great state of New York, home of..." a murmur went up through the crowd. I could not see what everyone was looking at until the big screen showed Senator Clinton working her way toward the delegation and Speaker Silver. As she moved through the crowd we wondered what she was going to do? Then in dramatic fashion, she took over the microphone and moved that all the votes be counted, but that Senator Obama be made the nominee by acclamation. The cheering was deafening, and whether due to a sense of the significance of this gesture, the realization that at long last it was official, or just plain sleep depravation, I, and many around me were moved to tears.
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2 comments:
YAY!!! I was trying to see you on TV, I can't believe you weren't up in front! Very exciting that you got to be there.
We were looking for you also. I actually came home a little early to catch the roll call. I was disappointed they didn't do it in prime time and do the whole thing. I love hearing the intros like from the great state of Montana, that is proud of some "famous" native son that I've never heard of before.
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