Saturday, August 30 (8:47 AM PST)
Not quite sure how we landed where we did, these amature reporters were able to nuzzle up with the Ohio delegates to get an upfront view of Obama's acceptance speech.�

Dazzled by Sheryl Crowe and Stevie Wonder - the crowd swayed to the melodic tunes while they anxiously awaited the arrival of Barack Obama.  Speeches by Al Gore and Martin Luther King III were crowd favorites. 


Polished and Vice Presidential, Joe Biden takes the stage only to be muted by Barack Obama himself.�


When asked how they felt, the delegates felt that he brought the word "hope" back into their vocabulary.�





After the speech, the crowd erupted into a party.�Click here to see how the dynamic couples soaked up the moment.�

Friday, August 29 (11:01 AM MT)
We're sitting at the gate to our flight and are still reeling from last nights' events.  We were priveleged to have front-row seating during Obama's acceptance speech last night, complete with extraordinary views of the celebration that took place on site.

We'll post a much longer recap later when we're back in Portland, but for the time being, enjoy this exclusive video of celebrities including Susan Sarandon, Anne Hathaway, and many others rockin' out to Will.I.Am and John Legend's performance of "Yes We Can."



Thursday, August 28 (12:25 PM MT)

Look what we found! Decective Ken Brecko and Agent Barry Maul were taking a much-deserved break at the local Starbucks and had a few words to share about their experiences as "riot" officers.  With 1250 trained personnel on duty, Denver has never been so safe.  Detective Brecko says this is a "target-rich environment for terrorism," which you would never know based on the way these men and women have handled this place.  Curtailing most riots to a low murmur, these officers have been briefed by the very best.  Pulling from others in their field - Maul said they were prepared for "supersoakers filled with urine and acid, petition signs reinforced with rebar to use as weapons" as well as "slingshots filled with feces from the port-a-potties."  He added, "You don't want to say that you're walking into a war zone, but you really don't know what is going to happen."�

Thankfully, nothing has.

Photo Courtesy: Detective Ken Brecko and Agent Barry Maul of the Aurora Police





Thursday, August 28 (12:17 PM MT)

A little behind the scenes peek with Katie Couric.  You really never know what you're going to see and where you're going to see them ...

Katie Couric at the Democratic National Convention






Thursday, August 28 (11:48 AM MT)

Whew! At last we have a strong enough connection to upload some of our great photos from yesterday's events. VISIT OUR FLICKR SITE see highlights from Wednesday's action at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.    We're off again to the Pepsi Center in just a bit, to listen in on some of the day's floor activities before we head over to Invesco Field to hear Barack Obama accept his nomination as the Democratic Party's nominee.   Much more to come today ... and make sure to visit our Twitter sites as we report on the go from the floor:�www.twitter.com/tjichick and www.twitter.com/kcmpr



Wednesday, Aug 27 (8:38 PM MT)

We just came off the floor where we had the pleasure of listening to Joe Biden's speech.  This amazing man touched the hearts of everyone at the convention.  It wasn't just his chisled good looks that had the crowd awestruck, but the story behind the man that unfurled like the American flag.  From his courageous son to his ambitious mother - the stories of his life represent the man that he has become today.  Favorite story from Mama Biden " When I got knocked down by guys bigger than me, she sent me back out and demanded that I bloody their nose so I could walk down the street the next day."  It's no surprise that her creed lines up with the guidelines that drive this man today..."No one is better than you.  You are everyone's equal, and everyone is equal to you."�

More to come...we're off to have a much needed beverage.



Wednesday, August 27 (6:20 PM MT)

Sure, she may have sounded wonderful on television a few moments ago, but nothing could quite compare to experiencing Melissa Ethridge's performance live and up close.  It took a little bit of good luck and a whole lot of "sure we belong here" arrogance to get front-and-center in front of Ms. Ethridge, but it was so worth it.  We were able to listen in on Ms. Ethridge's sound check, which to most performers in the world would qualify as a concert.�

Now we get to share that moment with you ... Melissa Ethridge UNPLUGGED AT THE DNC ... exclusively from KXL!




Wednesday, August 27 (3:06 PM MT)

Live from the floor of the Pepsi Center….this place is overflowing with celebrities, gaudy hats and Star-Wars- loving-Cheeto-eating bloggers. Melissa Etheridge serenaded the crowd with her rendition of “God Bless America” offering that she selected this song to demonstrate that the democratic party is not “Godless."
Great shots with Richard Dreyfus , Ted Koppel
and Katie Couric…all of whom were gracious. Ted Koppel was interested in a “bloggers” point of view, as this is the first time bloggers have been granted full media access at this event. We are so cool.

Local news? Protestors are here, but not granted close access - much to their dismay. The weather is expected to maintain a balmy 80 degrees through Thursday, while the convention center is frigid.  More to come.



Wednesday, August 27 (10:08AM MT)

How fun to walk out our front door on this beautiful Wednesday morning and walk straight to the MNSBC stage to watch Dan Abrams at work. For news hounds like us, this is akin to getting red carpet access at the Academy Awards. We’re about to head a short mile away from the Pepsi Center to try to get our media credentials at last. Apparently they are not exactly staffed to accommodate a couple of latecomers like ourselves, so we have to hit a very short window of opportunity if we are going to get our “all-access” pass into the Hall. (What “all access” really means has yet to be determined … that in itself will be an experience).

Will report back in a while … can’t wait to discover what’s waiting around the next corner.

Tuesday, August 26 (10:38 PM MT)

Arrived in Denver at 5:50. The city is teeming with button vendors and the latest Democratic phrase, “Ask me How Many Houses I Have,” locals with baby strollers, backpackers laden with video cameras and protestors of every viewpoint. First stop was the MSNBC booth where we encountered Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow, Pat Buchanan and Chris Matthews, as well as a few others.

We then moved on to Larimer Square which is the “Pearl District” of Denver. Quaint boutiques and art galleries, local restaurants like “Rioja” are overflowing with delegates waiting for a cold beverage and a fine meal. Don’t even try to get reservations at this local haunt though – it’s been booked for weeks!

Tomorrow’s agenda? The youth and women’s caucus – by day – and Pepsi Center by night. This place is amazing! A side note: you would have more luck trying to sneak into Santa’s workshop than the Pepsi Center. The security detail is numerous and Lars would be proud of the artillery!

Notable Quotes from Hillary’s Speech:

“No Way, No How … No McCain!”

“My mother was born before a woman could vote and my daughter got to vote for her mother for President!”

“To my sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits …thank you!”

“It’s appropriate that they will be in the Twin Cities – because they are awfully hard to tell apart!” (Speaking of President Bush and John McCain)

“If you want a taste of freedom … keep going!” (Paraphrasing Harriett Tubman)

Want to follow us on the fly? We're both Twittering from the Convention.   Read Kelly's posts at www.twitter.com/tjichick   Shannon can be found at www.twitter.com/kcmpr



See you tomorrow!












August 25, 2008
NewsRadio 750 KXL has sent special correspondents Kelly Mooney and Shannon Maloney to Denver to get an insider's look at this year's Democratic National Convention.  Check back often for updates starting Tuesday, August 26th!