Polk's Delegates Gear Up for Big Night

LAKELAND | Polk County delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Denver are gearing up for the night of nights today.

The convention will hear Sen. Barack Obama deliver his acceptance speech.

It will be a culmination of four days of committee rule setting, festivities and serious political business.

It has seemed at times like a combination of Jimmy Buffett concert and stockholders' meeting.

Delegate Justin Troller of Lakeland said Monday was Florida Day at the convention where all the delegation members wore flowered shirts a la Buffett accompanied by the gaudiest flamingo sunglasses imaginable.

Ed Chambers, an at-large delegate from Lakeland, said following Sen. Hillary Clinton's speech Tuesday night, that he thinks that unity in the party is solid.

"She reached out to her people and continued to emphasize her values, he said, "but then explained that Obama shared her values."

"The place went nuts," he said. "Everybody here is a Democratic loyalist, especially after these nights of speeches and hers."

John T. Conner of Lake Wales was elected as a delegate pledged to Clinton when local Democrats selected their delegates in the spring, but he is a dyed-in-the-wool Obama supporter now.

Did Hillary Clinton's speech help her supporters accept Obama?

"Absolutely," Conner said. "Some supporters were determined not to, but as she began to explain, people became convinced. This long, long campaign has been very beneficial because it gave people time to come together. Today, New York and Hillary were allowed to cast the votes that put Obama over the top for the nomination," Conner said Wednesday.

The Florida delegation heard from a bevy of top Democratic Party speakers at their daily breakfast meetings, and the one drawing the most emotion was former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham on Wednesday.

Today they will hear from New York Gov. David Paterson, U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, and U.S. Reps. Corrine Brown and Ron Klein before finishing breakfast.

They will do a little touring before heading to the convention center in the late morning to begin the last day of the convention and to hear Obama's speech.

Cory Caswell of Lakeland, a Democratic Party campaign manager, didn't get to the convention until Wednesday afternoon because one of the races he manages had a primary election.

His candidate, John Dicks, lost the Democratic primary for the 9th Congressional District, which includes portions of Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties.

Although he had to withdraw from consideration as a delegate because of his Tuesday primary duties, he did have a pass to the floor and said he intends to be there tonight when Obama speaks before an estimated 80,000 people at Invesco Field.

"I had to keep my preferences to myself until the nomination because of my job, but America is going to see an absolutely fantastic speech," he said.

Troller, a former client of Caswell and originally a delegate for former Sen. John Edwards, said Hillary Clinton's speech Tuesday night has left no doubt about her own wish for total party unity behind Obama.

[Ledger Political Editor Bill Rufty can be reached at 802-7523 or bill.rufty@theledger.com. ]