The meeting room here at the Washington Hilton has a wireless connection. So, without further ado, here’s the action, live from Washington DC.

It�€™s a pageant. In a scene that brings back the national convention in Boston, we�€™re all assembled in a huge room with video screens and flags. The meeting opened with the presentation of colors, a prayer, and the pledge of allegiance led by Terry McAuliffe�€™s five children.

There�€™s no shortage of hyperbole here: everyone is the �€œgreatest in history.�€� Eleanor Holmes Morton, congressional representative (with out a vote) from Washington DC welcomed the crowd. The crowd is a bit rowdy�€”Ms. Morton had to yell at the crowd to sit down and listen. (I noticed that in our Western Caucus meeting this morning too�€”it�€™s true�€�discipline is difficult for Democrats.)

Ms. Morton introduced a young man recently back from serving in Iraq, who advocated for voting rights in Congress for Washington DC. In an echo from the Viet Nam era, he asked that we not send soldiers to fight with out a vote.

Update 10:26 am Terry McAuliffe, introduced by his wife, is speaking about how much better shape the Democratic Party is than it was four years ago. “But it’s not about the money, it’s about standing up and fighting for the things we believe in.”

“…tired of the lies, deception, and dishonesty” of the Bush administration.

The 59,000,000 who voted for Kerry did not give the Republican Party a mandate.

“Don’t get too comfortable in that chair, Mr. President, because I promise you that the next four years will be anything but comfortable.”

Rousing list of things Dems will fight for and words of welcome for Dean.

Update 10:30 am

Credentials committee report on seating of a delegate from Texas.

Resolutions committee report. Read statement recognizing passing of civil justise activist and actor Ossie Davis. (The one thing Dems can be quiet for is a moment of silence.)

We have a list of 15 resolutions in front of us. Most of them are not particularly substantive. A quick recap:

Commitment to Social Security
Support for election reform
Praise for the participation of young voters in 2004
In honor of Black History Month
Support for local Democratic Party building efforts
Establishment of a DNC office of Military and Veterans Affairs
Salute to Terry McAuliffe
Salute to Tom Daschle
Salute to Richard Gephardt
Sympathy for people affected by the tsunami
Statement honoring life of Robert Matsui, Shirley Chisholm, James Forman, Hugh Cannon, and Madge Jennings Overhouse (5 separate resolutions)

Update 10:50 am

Brief remarks by outgoing DNC vice chair Gloria Molina. “Latino participation. Leave no state behind.”

Brief remarks by outgoing vice-chair Wellington Webb. “Be inclusive of all people.” “We need to work on message. We had a lot of speakers yesterday: Pelosi, Reid, etc., but there was not a single message.” Need a 60-second version.

“In closing, We cannot abdicate the south and the west.” (Much applause) “Need to utilize mayors and local officials–we need to include them in the front end of the process, not the back end.” “We have to be about opening the party up to new people.”

On to the main event: the election of officers. Review of the rules. Change of rules to have people vote from home state even if they’re from organizations. They’ll be calling the role, similar to the way it’s done at the national convention.

Update 11:00Nominations open. Wellington Webb comes to the podium to nominate Howard Dean for Chair.”in the west, we like straight talk. Who was the first one to take on George Bush? Who energized thee grassroots. Who taught us how to raise money on the internet? (Crowd starts yelling Howard Dean in response.)

Editor’s note: Good choice for a nominating speech! Webb is an excellent speaker.

Video presentation of DNC members with statements of why they’re proud to be Democrats. More statements about why Howard Dean is the right choice and about taking a firm stand. (Applause in response to “we shouldn’t lean right.”)

update More folks coming up to say why they’re supporting Dean. Woman from South Carolina was good! “Dean will make it plain in a way we all understand.” Now, in Spanish (I MUST learn Spanish.) “We have nothing to apologize for and we’re not moving” to the right. “Let’s go to the dance with Howard Dean.”

Motion to suspend the rules and elect Dean as chair by acclimation Crowd shouts seconds and ayes. Howard Dean is elected chair.

Finally!

update 11:30 am Crows erupts, stands, waves flags, etc. (Comment from someone behind me: “It wasn’t like this when McAuliffe was elected.”) Dean speaks. “It’s not my chairmanship, it’s your chairmanship….we can change this party by working together…we must work at the local level to win nationally…today is the beginning of the re-emergence of the Democratic Party. We have a bright future.” Thanks to all the other candidates. Thanks to Terry McAuliffe. Thanks to my family. Thanks Judy (she’s here and gets a standing ovation).

“We know we’re the party of the big tent and new ideas, we’re the party of young americans, for workers, for members of the armed services and veterans. Ours is the diverse party that welcomes all Americans. As important as all that is, it’s not enough. We cannot win if all we are is against the current president.

We lost control because we forgot why we were entrusted with that control in the first place.

Strength does not come from the consultants down, it comes from the grassroots up.

The first thing we have to do is stand up for what we believe in. ”

Talk about the budget and how bad it is. “This budget does two things: brings Enron-style accounting to the nation’s capitol, and it demonstrates what all Americans are starting to see: you cannot trust Republicans with your money!”

Democrats believe in fiscal responsibility. First time nation balanced a budget, it was Andrew Jackson. Last time, it was Bill Clinton.

National security. Dems have no reason to be defensive.

Keep jobs onshore. Workers should have the right to join a union.

Every American should have the right to healthcare. We are the last industrialized nation which does not provide healthcare.

The path to a better future goes directly through the public school system.

Guarantee open and fair elections.

Social security: President’s plan does nothing to save SS, but will cut benefits and ensure borrowing. 118 million people in America under age 30 in America–$45K per person in debt. We will not let it fall victim to a dishonest scheme that only serves to heap debt on our children.

update 11:50

Politics is at its best when we create and inspire community. We will use power of technology to communicate….

We have a strategy, it’s very simple: show up.

“The path to power is to trust others with it.” The one thing other campaigns for President didn’t copy about our campaign is to trust people at the local level. If you trust voters, they will trust us.

“We are the party of reform and change. Republicans can stop progress; Democrats can start it again.” The Republicans can’t an