Convention Afternoon

5:46 PM She's off the stage and the convention stands adjourned until tomorrow morning. I will continue posting at the next event.

5:41 PM Amy Klobuchar has made her way to the stage and is beginning to speak, saying that she'll start the campaign tomorrow. Her husband and daughter are on the dais with her.

5:38 PM Amy Klobuchar is the DFL endorsed candidate for U.S. Senate.
9 spoiled/blank ballots for .07%
252 "No Endorsement" ballots for 20.4%
3.5 "Charlie Underwood" ballots for .3%
2.5 "Bill Ratte" ballots for .2%
967 "Amy Klobuchar" ballots for 78.4%

5:34 PM Counting is finished, five minutes until the announcement of the winner. Everyone in the blogger nest knows it's Amy Klobuchar.

5:12 PM David Lillehaug is back on stage talking about how close Mark Kennedy is to George Bush. Zack Stephenson has confirmed that Ford Bell is here. I can't imagine that he's got a lot of goodwill from the delegates here after deciding to forgo the endorsement.

5:12 PM DFL Senate is reporting that Ford Bell is in the building, though not on the floor. I'll check on this on my way out. Wendy's wrapping up, and it was a little bit of a weird speech.

5:12 PM Brian Melendez just introduced Wendy Wilde.

5:02 PM He's now wrapping up. It was basically a speech to get everyone pumped up for their legislative candidates, but he finished by saying, "Dear Lord, hear my prayer, send us a Democratic governor for the next four years. Amen."

5:02 PM Brian Melendez just introduced Dean Johnson. Johnson's giving a nice speech praising DFL legislators. Talking about special election victories in Minnetonka and St. Cloud.

4:57 PM The floor's still frozen but I left immediately after casting my ballot. My battery died, so I'm back in the blogger's nest. My guess for the combined no endorsement/Charlie Underwood vote will be between 10-15%, and if I had to choose one number I'd say 14%. 82% will go to Klobuchar and the remaining 4% will go to Phil Ratte or be junk in some way.

4:01 PM Amy's speech is the best I've seen her give so far, and I've seen her give several. The question-and-answer session is about to begin. My battery is running low, so I'm going to let the other bloggers handle this and save my power for the balloting.

3:53 PM As she has before she's talking about changing what's right and what's left to what's right and what's wrong. Talking about energy independence and making us respected in the world. Affordable, universal health care for everyone. Talking about science and how important it is. Better ethics rules for Congress, like the ones we have in Minnesota. This seat is the top Republican target and they'll smear her and flood the state with campaign money. "We won't let them smear or Swift Boat us, we will triumph." "America was not built on fear, it was bulit on courage and determination." She has promised to win and bring change to Washington. She's done, and the room is very loud. A delegate next to me just said "it was a very good speech."

3:51 PM "Are you ready for a change??"

3:49 PM "Are you ready for a change??"

3:47 PM Amy Klobuchar is starting out by saying nice things about Rochester, especially how they're beginning to vote Democratic here. She's talking about her family, how her daughter and husband are the two most important people in her life and how well her parents have raised her. Fairness is important to her as Hennepin County DA and it will be as U.S. Senator.

3:43 PM Steve Kelley just came by my table and shook everyone's hand. Amy Klobuchar's demonstration video is showing on the projectors right now. It's over, and she's getting a standing ovation. The crowd is very loud and very excited.

3:39 PM Charlie Underwood is really a very talented speaker. His address to us is going over incredibly well, though it got pretty quiet when he asked for a vote of no endorsement. He's done now, and Klobuchar's now up.

3:29 PM Charlie Underwood is up. He's the rumored Peace First candidate. He's a sixty year old kindergarten teacher. Quite an articulate guy, actually. He's giving a really good speech.

3:19 PM The candidate up here is talking about running cars on tap water. He did the same thing at the 1st CD convention.

3:12 PM 1st CD Congressional candidate Tim Walz is right across the table from me speaking to Andy Welti.

3:12 PM The third name is Charlie Underwood. Phil Ratte is speaking.

3:09 PM - Another name has just been placed in nomination, but I didn't hear it. It wasn't Darryl Stanton. Loud clapping in the 1st CD section as Tim Walz came onto the floor. Attorney General Mike Hatch is shaking hands over in the 1st CD area and talking to delegates.

3:02 PM - State Representative Tony Sertich just nominated Amy Klobuchar for U.S. Senate. Lots of cheering, clapping, and sign-waving. Phil Ratte has just been nominated also.

3:01 PM - David Lillehaug is now announcing the rules for the Senate nomination. When will Darryl Stanton be introduced? And how does he feel about gun control?

2:35 PM - I just saw Amy Klobuchar's husband and daughter. I didn't see her, but she has obviously arrived. I'm back on the floor preparing for the Senate ballot and rounding up support for Lourey among my delegation.

2:21 PM - Robin Marty and Jon-David have found a site for Darryl Stanton for ?. They believe that he is going to be the Peace First candidate. I'm now returning to the floor to reclaim my credential.

2:12 PM - New Senate race information that could shake up the race. Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer's address to the convention, with an endorsement for Lourey. Union vote on Mike Hatch endorsement fails. If anyone's interested in contacting me, my email is on the sidebar and my AIM screenname is DLLiebow. Feel free.

2:03 PM - State party chair Brian Melendez just came and introduced himself to Mr. Brodkorb and welcomed him to the convention. Hilarious! We're now in recess until 2:30, and I'll use the time to catch up on a couple of minutes of blogging and reclaim my delegate credential.

1:19 PM - "Guys, we're talking about hogs here, can you please pay attention?" Mr. Brodkorb to me, Jon-David and Zack. It was a joke, but I think it means it's time for lunch. Be right back.

1:02 PM - Having surrendered my credentials for the moment, as the resolution business goes on I'm not paying attention. I spent a while talking to Joe Bodell of MNCR and Mr. Brodkorb. I'm currently speaking to Zack Stephenson and Jon-David Schlough of MN Publius and former U.S. attorney and U.S. Senate candidate David Lillehaug.

12:15 PM - Jon-David Schlough of MN Publius is now here and is sitting next to me and apparently Zack Stephenson of the same blog is on the floor and hopefully I will get a chance to meet him. Oh, he just showed up. REW/Robin Marty of DFL Senate is now here as well. I was asked and agreed to give up my delegate credentials for the time being to allow alternates to upgrade and have a couple of hours on the floor. I'll return to the floor for the Senate ballot. We're now considering platform resolutions, and while people aren't paying a whole lot of attention resulting in some confusion, things are going quickly.

- DL