Wake-up call

How do Virginia convention delegates start their day? With breakfast, of course. They gather at the civilized hour of 8:30 (some delegations reportedly hit the bacon and eggs at 7) in a banquet room off the lobby of the Crowne Plaza. Math isn't my strong suit, but I counted about 150 in the room this morning.

Monday's main speaker was former Gov. Mark Warner, who gave a pep talk that was surprisingly conciliatory toward Republicans and Independents. Considering his audience, that is.

"We've got to focus on good ideas whether they have a D in front of them or an R," he said, joking that he was committing a bit of heresy by saying so.

He got a standing O anyway.

The Melvins were there - Del. Kenneth R. Melvin and his wife, Sylvia. He's here with "floor credentials" from the governor, which means he gets to go everywhere, but he isn't a voting delegate. The best of both worlds. The couple skipped the Red Rocks rave on Sunday night to engage in what the delegate called "celebrity watching" at a Cultural Alliance event, where they shared the air with Hollywood types like Ellen Burstyn and Spike Lee.

 You couldn't miss State Sen. Yvonne Miller.

That's Miller chatting with Lionell Spruill's chief of staff, Susan Rowland, who'd just taken a phonecall from her daughter back in Chesapeake. She was furious that someone had slapped a McCain bumper sticker on her Ford.

"She's a Democrat," Rowland told me.

Who would have guessed?

Breakfast ended at 10 with delegates stampeding out to a smorgasbord of caucuses.

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