Obama surprises even delegates who "knew" he was coming

Colorado delegate Nate Vanderschaaf sang along as Bruce Springsteen’s “The Rising” began to play after Sen. Joe Biden accepted the vice presidential nomination at the Pepsi Center Wednesday night.

Vanderschaaf was singing the same song that blared Aug. 23 in Illinois when Sen. Barack Obama introduced his running mate.

But soon the delegate from Longmont began jumping and screaming “yes!” when he realized the Democratic presidential ticket would be appearing together the night before Obama’s scheduled speech at Invesco Field.

When asked if he expected the appearance, which had been rumored among media members on the convention floor, Vanderschaaf said he had had no idea.

“I had hoped so,” he said, still beaming from the surprise visit. “In my wildest dreams.”

Delegate Vivian Stovall, of Denver, said she had heard the media discuss the possibility near the stage and “knew” it was coming — but she was still surprised.

“That was something else,” she said. She added that she now was “going to look at (the joint appearance) on CNN and wonder if it’s real.”

Stovall also said that listening to Biden’s speech made her glad Obama had selected the Delaware senator as a running mate.

“He has the knowledge of what working families have to go through,” she said.

Biden spoke of growing up in Scranton, Pa., and Wilminton, Del., as his family was hit by economic hardship.

“We were told that anyone can make it if they try,” he said. “That was America’s promise. For those of us who grew up in middle-class neighborhoods … that was the American dream, and we knew it. But today, that American dream feels as if it’s slowly slipping away. I don’t need to tell you that. You feel it every single day in your own lives.”

Mona Merchant, a delegate from Lakewood, said the American dream discussion was a highlight of the speech.

“I’ve always admired Joe Biden. He’s like Hillary. He knows policy, and we need someone with wisdom and experience … It seems like you can hope for (the American dream), but you need to have policy to make that happen.”

Delegate Jonathan Singer, of Longmont, said convention speeches sometimes tend to lack substance, but added that Biden did a good job of critiquing the Republicans.

Biden paid respect to Sen. John McCain in his speech, and acknowledged the friendship they have shared, then went on to attack the Arizona senator’s voting record.

“The choice in this election is clear,” Biden said. “These times require more than a good soldier. They require a wise leader, a leader who can deliver change — the change everybody knows we need.”

Singer also said he appreciated hearing about Biden’s childhood, his family, and how he dealt with the accident that killed his first wife, Neilia, and one of his daughters, Naomi.

As Singer goes door-to-door to campaign for the Obama-Biden ticket, he said, he wants to be able to tell the candidates’ story.

“If I know the people I’m standing up for, I’m more motivated,” he said.

While positive about the evening, Singer poked a little fun at the various signs the delegates were told to hold up at certain moments of Biden’s speech and the phrases they repeated back to the speaker.

One sign read “Obama for the change we need” and another “McCain more of the same.”

And while Singer said he sometimes he felt as though he was in an infomercial as dutifully switched signs, he didn’t complain.

“This is what happens at conventions,” he said. “You have to drive the point home,” adding that at least there was no 1-800 number on the bottom of anyone’s TV screens.