First Time Delegates Behind the Scenes

Brian O’Donnell says he prefers the country to the city. Hailing from Durango, Colo., a town on the southern point of the state practically in New Mexico, O’Donnell says he has made an exception this week. O’Donnell is one of the 70 delegates here in Denver attending the Democratic National Convention — and as a delegate from the host state, he’s says he’s feeling pretty special.

"We have front row seats! The Colorado delegation has the first five rows front and center at the convention. As the host state, we get prime real estate."

Walking on to the convention floor, O’Donnell, at 37-years-old, stuck out in the crowd at a lanky 6′ 4" or so, his head turning in every direction as the lights, camera and action buzzed all around him. This might be old hat for some of the other delegates, but for O’Donnell? "I’m a first-time delegate at the national convention."

What motivates young people to pursue political interests at such an early age?

"All this!" O’Donnell says, pointing to the electric atmosphere behind him, with bass-thumping R & B music playing overhead, stars and stripes lighting glittering on the main stage, and a media gaggle slowly starting to gather around him, as word gets out that members of the host delegation are starting to arrive.

"Just the fact that Colorado is front and center highlights that the state is going to be so important in this presidential race. It’s a palpable buzz you feel here when you walk in and see a lot of media people, celebrities and delegates walking around. And the amount of energy here when it hasn’t even started, I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like on Thursday when Senator Obama speaks."

What’s he most excited about? "Well, obviously Senator Obama’s speech on Thursday," he says. "That and Willie Nelson is apparently performing tonight at Invesco," he adds, grinning somewhat sheepishly.