"Recorded Live" Blogging from the HRC event in Charleston

I attended the HRC event at the Capitol this morning. Since I could actually do a live blog from the event, I decided to take notes as though I was. That's why I live to call it "Recorded Live." Enjoy.

9:40- There is a long line from the Attorney General's office (where the metal detectors are) back to the east wing entrance. People are handing out stickers, clean coal hats and information and selling button. Someone also gave me a full-page flier entitled "Don't Burn Down Denver If Obama Isn't Nominated: Learn How We Can Prevent a Riot ad Read About Hillary on our Revolutionary Party Homepage." Sweet Lord!

9:45- A staffer tells me I need to fill out a form with volunteer information on it "for security purposes." Right...security purposes.

9:55- I've made it to the area outside the AG's office and see a staffer wearing a sticker that says "STOP Altzheimer's NOW." Another staffer takes my "for security purposes" form and puts is in an open cardboard box - you know - for security purposes. There's a woman who comes in the door wearing a white pantsuit. It has Hillary's face hand-painted on it like she stood too close to Andy Warhol. She claims to have a blog. I didn't catch the web addy.

10:02- I'm through security and into the rotunda 20 yards from the podium. A staffer is gathering members of various demographic groups together. because I'm writing on my pad, they think I'm a reporter and leave me alone.

10:07- A reporter just asked me what news organization I'm with. I said, "The American people and WVblue.com."

10:10- There's Natalie Tennant.

10:15- There's Joe DeLong and John Perdue. At the scheduled start time, there is no sign of HRC. It looks like there might be 300 people there not including the press.

10:30- There's a guy at the podium doing a comedy routine. Now he's changed it to a game show and the prizes are signed HRC campaign signs. A bomb-sniffing dog just stopped to smell the shoes of the person standing next to me.

10:40- Natalie Tennant introduces herself to me and asks for my vote "even though [I'm] a reporter." As if. Isn't she the same thing? Someone who looks remarkably like AJ Manchin pulls up on a rascal scooter. The speakers are blaring "9 to 5."

10:45- Security is moving people out of my area who aren't members of the press to make room for the traveling press corps. They leave me alone.

11:00- The traveling press corps arrives.

11:07- CNN is preparing for a live feed.

11:25- There is a second attempt to get people to chant "Hillary Hillary" and clap (both times it started with a staffer). It dies. Is that prescient? There's some guy in a hazmat suit, rubber gloves, goggles and a facemask holding a Hillary sign. He seems to have his own press corps.

11:27- The music stops and people begin to clap. "9 to 5" starts to play again.

11:30- The game show guy introduces Brig. Gen. Jack Yeager, Gayle Manchin and HRC. Yeager talks about veterans and giving HRC a big win on Tuesday, then introduces Gayle Manchin.

Gayle Manchin says "We're gonna make history on Tuesday." and calls HRC "a great wife, a great mother, a great first lady and a great senator."

11:40- HRC takes the mic. The following is a list of quotations and summaries she made during the speech and some of my random thoughts.
*"We're gonna make the big oil companies pay the gas tax this summer." Seems like a turnaround from last week.
*freeze home foreclosures, affordable health care
*encourage clean coal, solar, wind and biofuels and higher gas mileage cars
*$10k tax credit for buying hyper-hybrid cars
*"...make coal as clean as it can be under the circumstances."
*get college-going rate up and tuition down, double the college tax credit and expand the Pell grant
*reign in student loan companies; have direct lending from the federal government and retrurn to 2-3% interest
*end war in Iraq (This got the most deafening cheer from the crowd. Pundits can say the economy is the big issue if they want to, but this is a unifying issue for the party.)
*can't afford to give up on Michigan and Florida
*We need a paramedic and water. HRC offers her water bottle. "Whenever anyone faints or swoons at one of my husband's rallies, it makes me feel good."
*"If you were hiring a president, who would you hire?"
*McCain "would not change economic policies and would not end the war."
*"Ready on day one"
*"It took a Clinton to clean up after the first Bush. It's gonna take a Clinton to clean up after the second."

12:00- Out the door

I called a friend of mine on my way to the car. He's from Illinois and vehemently supports Obama. I left him a message telling him I had decided to change my vote. That should make my phone ring angrily later tonight.

Here are some observation and things I learned at the event.
1. Everyone was well-behaved. There were no hecklers during the entire speech.
2. HRC is very impressive in person. She seems sincere and heartfelt.
3. you can go just about anywhere you want at a press event if you take a stenopad with you. I even got free food since they thought I was a reporter. No one ever asked me for my press credentials.