Attending the convention last night, the excitement was felt throughout the Pepsi Center. Anticipation grew as the great speakers fed the crowd's need for hope and change. In walking through the center, from the Tennessee delegation down to Florida, over to New Mexico and New York, everyone appeared to be ready to work together to win the presidency in 2008.

The Pepsi Center was packed. For most of the delegations, there were limited seats and the overflow sat in the nosebleed sections. The sound of 15,000-20,000 people with a common political interest was exhilarating. Notes to attendees, arrive early to avoid long lines for entry and don't leave the main arena area after 8 PM, you may not get back in.

As time got closer for Hillary Rodham Clinton to speak, the people on the convention floor were closer together than people on a New York subway at rush hour. I'm not sure those on the floor vying for a close spot cared, they just wanted to be near the action. I felt the same way until it got so close it felt like cattle going to slaughter. Time to head back to the Tennessee delegation.

Some of the Tennessee delegates were gracious enough to give me a few minutes. I just happened to find a group from East Tennessee. Dan Lawson, from Maryville, was there as a delegate from the 8th district. He had also attended the 2000 convention for Al Gore. Sylvia Woods and her husband, Harold, were there in their Hillary Clinton regalia. Both are hard working Democrats and members of the AFL-CIO. Sylvia is the recently elected Chair of the Knox County Democratic Party. Harold has been a leader in the AFL-CIO for 25 years. They have been married 47 years and still a very happy couple. Their advice, "A family that sticks together can get things done." Mrs. Woods also attended the last Democratic Convention in Chicago and Mr. Woods attended the last Democratic Convention in San Francisco. They worked and campaigned really hard to attend this convention together. I also spoke briefly with a delegate from Pulaski (Middle TN). He and his wife were both there as TN delegates. The Mrs. is a Super Delegate and a big HRC supporter. She traveled throughout the country with the HRC campaign. All of the delegates I spoke with said it was hard work campaigning for a delegate spot.

The Tennessee delegation seats aren't too bad. Only a couple of delegations back from the floor and there was a decent view of the box seats for Michelle Obama, Joe Biden, and other political dignitaries.

The speakers leading up to HRC were great. I especially enjoyed Mark Warner (Governor of Virginia) and Brian Schweitzer (Governor of Montana). Word is Lilly Ledbetter's address to the convention was great. I somehow missed it trying to break from the crowd.

What more can be said? Hillary Rodham Clinton was awesome. Standing between the Tennessee and Texas delegations, you could tell there were still a lot of people wishing she were the nominee. Ms. Clinton is willing to step aside for Unity. She obviously still has an agenda, as many of us expect. She wants to work together to achieve the goals to turn around our great country, to bring us back to prosperity, to make us all equal, to provide healthcare for all, and more. Many thanks to Hillary Rodham Clinton. She is a true inspiration. Now lets get our candidate, Barack Obama, elected President of these great United States.

More photos in this Tuesday slideshow