DNC delegates ride the rails

Steve Myers, Rocky Mountain News

Published August 25, 2008 at 1:49 p.m.
Updated August 25, 2008 at 1:49 p.m.

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Photo by NANCY MITCHELL/THE ROCKY

A group calling itself Grandparents for Obama shows the Illinois senator has support among older Americans too. They posed outside Monday's Senior Caucus at the Colorado Convention Center.

GREENWOOD VILLAGE -- Donald Hughes gushed with excitement this morning on his light-rail ride to downtown Denver.

Sporting red Converse low-tops, olive-drab camouflage cargo shorts and a t-shirt emblazoned with the slogan "My vote counts," he was ready for his first day as a 20-year-old first-time delegate from North Carolina to the Democratic National Convention.

"I may not be dressed right, but I'm a college student, so what the heck," said the Durham native who is a senior majoring in economics at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. "I'm looking to cast my vote for Barack Obama."

His day started with the Black National Caucus meeting at the Denver Convention Center and will end with a floor seat at the Pepsi Center for Michelle Obama's speech to the DNC delegates.

It cost him $1,000 to make the trip to Denver, which includes a hotel room in Greenwood Village that he shares with a fellow delegate. Camera in hand, he said he's been posting photos of his trip on Facebook for his friends to see.

"Honestly, I was surprised I got elected," he said of being selected a North Carolina delegate. "I just threw my hat and won."

He said he has worked for several years trying to involve other young people in politics and register them to vote, much like Barack Obama did in Chicago in his younger days.

"Barack Obama inspires me to stay on the path and not give up," Hughes said before sitting down on the light-rail car to chat with members of the Arkansas delegation.

Other plans for his stay in Denver: "I'm going to meet some other young delegates. We're going to get together and enjoy being young."

• August 25, 2008

  2:09 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Mayor_Quimby writes:

  Donald Hughes is a loser. Anyone who wears cami shorts and red converse low tops is a loser.

• August 25, 2008

  2:22 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  CWW writes:

  I'm glad this young man is excited about participating in the political process. Too bad the one he's voting for isn't worth his time and effort.

  Hussein Obama will go down in flames in November.

• August 26, 2008

  12:22 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  eyeswideopen writes:

  CWW writes:

  Hussein Obama will go down in flames in November.

  **********************************************
  You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Obama is an American, not an Iraqi, and is in no way related to Sadam.
  Maybe you should not quote what you hear from the Media.

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