Day 3

Where do I start?

The roll call was incredible and emotional. People were just openly weeping to see this long, hard slog come to such a graceful ending. We knew ahead of time that Hillary Clinton was going to come in to end the vote based on the fact that the New York delegation wasn't on the floor, and the number of cameramen pointed towards an emergency exit made it obvious where she would be entering from.

Here's my two second summary of the last two days: The Clintons did everything anyone could ask of them.

After Hillary's graceful exit was over, they played "Love Train" (let's not get started talking about the music, like--weirdly--"Addicted to Love" after President Clinton spoke). We all joined hands because the song told us to, and we were in some kind of hypnotic state. I'm pretty sure there will be photos of me somewhere holding hands on the love train, but that's all right. I was seriously feeling it.

Afterwards, I turned around and talked to a woman from the Clinton delegation from our state. She was definitely having a hard time, and I basically just listened to her. She talked about how arrogant so many Clinton people have found Obama, and I didn't argue. I didn't need to any more--he is the nominee. I asked her if she was going to vote for him, and work for him, and she said, "Like the Clintons, I'm a Democrat first and foremost, so of course." I commended her so much on seeing the big picture, and we talked about some of the factions within her delegation.

Later on, I wound up sitting with her, and just chatting in general. I really appreciated her perspective, even if I didn't agree with all of it. I think she probably felt the same, and liked being listened to. On the way out, she gave me the bracelet in this picture.

Now, anyone who knows me, knows that I'm not really a flag-star-bracelet kind of girl. But I was deeply touched by this gift. We need to be united, and I'm not just talking about Democrats--all of us, as Americans, who want to see this boat turned around. And this bracelet is the manifestation of that for me, tonight. I so appreciate it, and the sentiment of kindness behind it.

At the second GLBT caucus, Howard Dean spoke, and told us to talk to 25 people three times about what the Democrats have to offer this year, and how we can help change this country into what it should be. Then Barney Frank spoke, and with much more political detail than at the lunch yesterday.

He made some salient points on this same theme of unity and coalitions. Do you know what powerful political group, historically, has voted most often in favor of gay equality in our government?

I'll admit, I was dumbfounded. But he made a good point: Who else would know more about what it's like to be dismissed and discriminated against?

He also talked about gay people (and, frankly, I assume mostly rich white gay men) who vote Republican. His answer to that was this: We know that only the Democratic party is interested in equality for the GLBT community. We know this by their votes. Every gay person was 15 once, and was made miserable by prejudice. How can any gay person walk away from that part of ourselves, and subject today's 15-year-olds to that same world?

This election, he said, is the fight of our lives. If Barack Obama gets elected, we have the chance for real, lasting legal equality. Without it, we have a Supreme Court with six or more Scalito judges.

This is the choice all of us face.