Re-Cap of Michelle's Wild Ride on a Triumph to Pepsi Center

A Motorcyle Ride to Pepsi to See Michelle Obama!!
By Michelle Berry - Aug 26th, 2008 at 1:59 am EDT
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Motorcyle Momma, yes, that's how I got to Pepsi Center (well, for the last few blocks)
Hi Everyone...
DENVER HOST COMMITTEE VOLUNTEER ED KIETA BRINGS DELEGATE BY MOTORCYCLE TO PEPSI!

The trip for delegates by bus to Pepsi Center was a long one...Brian text messaged that the bus was taking well over an hour. So, I hailed a cab. BUT the roads were mostly closed to vehicular traffic for a specific time period. SO--these feet were made for walkin'...about 10 blocks into it with the new loafers and I was KICKING myself for not bringing running shoes. ANYHOW...on the way there I made a detour to catch the outdoor live broadcast from some of the famous MSNBC talking heads. After a brief sojourn here, noting that the wonderful Rachel Maddow will indeed be returning to the Historic State Theatre in Ithaca later next month, I trotted to Pepsi.
I'd caught mostly everything on my BlackBerry and outside MSNBC's outdoor studio...crying through the Kennedy moments....but I HAD to see Michelle and her brother LIVE. I made my way across a lovely bridge that was INCHES from the Center, but ALAS...it was closed to pedestrians. Another man on the bridge, whom I must say was sent by God or Gods, named Ed Kieta, part of the Dem Host Committee here in Denver, was also walking near me. He telephoned over to Pepsi, found a route that we could come in on AND brought me to an entrance for delegates and others with such credentials and shiny passes that glow in the night...And how did I arrive? On the back of a motorcycle! Come on, that's just priceless. Ed saved me from a certain LOAFER DEATH as my feet were beginning to ache. Those last few blocks by bike? Priceless.

MICHELLE OBAMA'S SPEECH: Perfect Pitch...Beautiful.
First, will Michelle loan out her brother? I could use a big brother like that! Next, all the signs with MICHELLE made me feel so cozy. You haveta admit: it's a good name. But I digress. No false notes in Michelle's speech. An exposure to her warm and soft side, an intimate look at her family, her love of family, her love of her children and husband and a lovely entree to where she derives her strength. A perfect pitch speech in which I saw reporters tearing up and clapping for. BRAVO. What a great night.

Standing near the NY Delegation, the DNC staffers and new friends from around the nation made my heart swell. I also have some lovely shots of Brian with his mother-in-law, who is also a delegate. Lovely night indeed.

Read Mark Barabak's coverage here: http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-campaign26-2008aug26,0,6079981.story

Next up: Tomorrow evening: Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton from our great state of NY will address the crowd.

After the event, I strolled along a lovely fairground and event in tribute to Democratic Governors in the U.S. Then it was time to make my way back to hotel. Shortly thereafter, I befriended a lovely woman named Sarah and her equally lovely daughter Avery (who was here as a high school student volunteering with the DNC). Having been unable to find the DNC shuttle back to our hotels, we road aboard the FINANCE buses. Hey, we like finance, right? Sarah cracked me up, because when they asked if we were with Finance she said, "no, we are just pretending to be so we don't have to walk back." I admire this truth-telling. We made fast friends, shared stories of being moms, chatted about the campaign and Michelle's great speech and enjoyed the trip back to downtown. We hugged good-bye and Sarah shuttled me off on the free MALL bus back to the Sheraton. While on that bus, a gentlemen was talking saying he was formerly from Tompkins County and said he saw Irene Stein earlier in the day. I waved at him with my larger MICHELLE sign that we waved at Pepsi and announced that I was from Tompkins. His name turned out to be Farrid and he said to tell Kathy Zahler and Irene he said 'hello.' He then dialed Nate Shinagawa, a mutual friend, and let me catch up ever so briefly with Nate.
As it is now 2:00 a.m. NY time and 12:00 a.m. here in Denver, I'm going to sign off until tomorrow. Best, Michelle