Here is the new update from Rick Gunther reporting from the Democratic National Convention.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2012 - Security has been tight; police from cities as far away as Atlanta and Milwaukee. Some people tried to walk to convention hall but everything is blocked off. You need to take buses which are good. Kamala Harris spoke at the California Delegation breakfast meeting this morning. She said welcome to the Hotel California and then started to crack up (likely due to her and others unfortunate experiences with the hotel - see my Monday blog). Lots of rain - there are fears it could rain Thursday since Obama is speaking outdoors at the Bank of America football stadium which has no roof. Mostly good speeches given at the convention tonight. Particularly touching was Doug Stern, a Cincinnati fireman who talked about funding cuts to fire, safety, and police officers. He used to be a Republican. Many of the speakers talked about the quality of work Obama has done and how out of touch with the middle class Republicans are. Deval Patrick, Massachusetts Governor, reminded delegates that Obama created more jobs in four years than W. in eight, despite the recession. Martin O'Malley, Governor of Maryland noted that Obama is moving America forward not back; there is no going back. Julián Castro, Mayor of San Antonio, gave the keynote. He said that being a member of the middle class is important to all Americans including immigrants. "The dream is universal but America makes it possible". Michele Obama then took her turn and hit it out of the park. She said "Barack knows the American dream because he's lived it." More tomorrow.

Rick Gunther, President, Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley

Thanks Rick! Keep sending us updates. I would like a picture of our local delegates. Have fun!

If you would like to write a guest blog entry send me a message.

Here is report #1 from the DNC Convention:

Hi Brian,

I am president of the Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley and a 26th CD delegate to the Dem Convention. Here are my notes on today. Please post what you think is interesting. Thanks. Rick Gunther

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2012 - Arrived in Charlotte Sunday at about 10 PM.
Flew over remnants of Hurricane Isaac, turbulence and lightening all
over Oklahoma and Missouri. Checked into the Blake Hotel and assigned to
Room 666, which sounded scary. Scary it was when I opened the door and
heard an eerily wining air conditioner, which I immediately turned off.
The air was very cold and water from the coils of the over-worked air
conditioner had flooder the frigid room. Had to move to another room
which, as I discovered the next morning, had no plumbing in the shower.
Moved again. Finally Ok. Many others in the hotel had the same problem.
Fellow delegate Kamala Harris checked into her room and immediately
checked out. Apparently construction on the new wing I was in had ended
the week before the convention and wasn't really finished. However, my
room turned out fine and the hotel staff was great. On Monday the
delegate's breakfast featured Nancy Pelosi who was inspiring as usual.
Later in the afternoon I went to the street fair and heard, and
recorded, James Taylor singing You've Got a Friend. Wow, it was great,
as an aging baby boomer, to hear him again. He had to stop when it begin
to rain heavily. He wanted to sing in the rain but had to stop when the
deluge got too bad and he was advised of the danger of combining
electricity with large amount of water. Went back to the hotel very wet
but happy. No real convention business today; the fun begins tomorrow.
Will write more then.

Rick Gunther, President, Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley