Most Kansas delegates who support Sen. Hillary Clinton for president?want to support her on the first ballot during the National Democratic Convention in Denver.
"There are a lot of supporters for her. Their voices need to be heard, too," said Kansas Democratic Party Vice Chair Teresa Krusor of Winfield during a telephone interview Tuesday morning. "She is the first legitimate woman whose ever been so close. They want to make a point that she came close to winning the nomination."
Clinton spoke during a Hispanic conference Krusor attended and asked delegates to support Sen. Barack Obama. A nominating petition was passed around the Kansas delegation Monday night. All of the Clinton supporters signed the petition for Clinton except for one.
"We’re all going to go for Barack Obama when the time comes," Krusor said.
Krusor and her husband, Mark, almost missed Sen. Ted Kennedy and Michelle Obama’s appearances Monday night. They could have taken a 30-minute delegation bus ride from their hotel to the convention center but decided to take the Light Rail instead because Krusor had so many conflicting events.
The bad part, the Krusor’s found out, the Light Rail doesn’t take?a direct route to the Pepsi Center, where the convention is being held.
"So, you have to get off and walk several blocks to catch another bus to get closer," Krusor said. "Then, when you get there, the line is unbelievable. We stood in line for two hours to get into the convention."
So did writer and political analyst Tucker Carlson and his daughter who visited with the Krusors while they waited to get into the convention. The delegates who went on the bus got dropped off close to the entrance, Krusor learned later.
"Mark was like "I’m not doing this again’," Krusor said. "I’ll never make that mistake again."
Mark Krusor took no chances Tuesday. He was playing golf with an old fraternity buddy while his wife sorted through the numerous invitations to receptions and selected which events to attend, although many overlap.
There was a breakfast invitation to discuss the plight of the homeless, a cocktail reception this evening honoring the super delegates, a concert with Cindy Lauper and Rufus Wainwright, a salute to American vets, a reception at Union?Station for Nebraska and Kansas delegates, a luncheon for the Denver mayor and a number of other happenings.
Kansas will be in the limelight briefly when Gov. Kathleen Sebelius speaks tonight. She is one of four convention co-chairs. Krusor expects the television cameras to focus in on the Kansas delegation while Sebelius is at the podium.
To find the delegation, picture yourself standing on the podium and look to your front right on the second level. Many delegates will be wearing light blue shirts.
"I think we have good seats," she said. "States on the floor sit on folding chairs which aren’t very comfortable. And everybody goes down to the floor and walks around… wanting a chance to see some celebrities. It’s sometimes hard for people sitting down there to see and to hear. When you sit up a little bit, you have the advantage that you can hear everything and you don’t have people walking in front."
