Luis Moscoso of Mountlake Terrace is waking up in Denver today, where he’ll be helping make history this week.
He is among reams of Democrats attending the national convention who will formally choose Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., to lead the nation and make him the first black person to head the presidential ticket of a major political party.
It’s a moment when the hyperbole of equal opportunity for people of all races actually feels a bit real, said Moscoso, an Obama delegate who is of Peruvian and European descent.
“We can all see ourselves in what I call ‘America the Dream,’” he said. “This convention and the nominating of Barack Obama is the culmination of a 400-and-some-year dream coming to fruition.”
U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., skipped the 2004 national convention but will be in Denver to watch his party in its scaling of the racial barrier.
“This is an historic moment,” said Larsen of Everett, who is a superdelegate pledged to Obama. “We are going to be a national party to move this country forward.”
Washington’s contingent to the convention includes 97 voting and 13 alternate delegates plus state party employees and committee appointees.
Joining Moscoso and Larsen as Obama delegates from Snohomish County are Marsha Scutvick of Mill Creek, Kendall Hamilton of Edmonds and Ronald Oshima of Lynnwood.
Attending as Clinton delegates are James Trefry of Everett along with Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon and Edmonds City Councilwoman Deanna Dawson. Myriam Marquez of Stanwood is an alternate Clinton delegate.
National party conventions — the Republican Party’s will be next week in St. Paul, Minn. — are round-the-clock affairs for participants. In addition to a nightly focus on convention speeches, the days are filled with party organizing and fundraising events.
For four hours Wednesday, Democrats will fan out and devote themselves to public service in Denver. Washington’s delegation will be working at a food bank.
Scutvick, who started organizing pro-Obama forces in the county last year, is making her first trek to a national convention and expects to be very busy.
She plans to attend a forum on “unconventional women in politics” and another on health care. That’s in addition to a smattering of breakfasts, luncheons and receptions where she can hear from the Democratic Party’s present and future leaders.
Scutvick also is a button collector and is bringing a stash of “WA for Obama” buttons to trade with delegates of other states.
And she did try for tickets to watch the taping of “The Daily Show” hosted by Jon Stewart, but they were sold out. She still expects to bump into a few recognizable political and media stars.
“This is going to be a fun time,” she said. “You never know who you’re going to meet in the hallway or elevator.”
Many delegates will be accompanied by their spouses or friends.
Kristine Petereit of Everett is coming at the invitation of Scutvick. She said her schedule includes a roundtable on philanthropy featuring media mogul Ted Turner.
And she’ll be vying with other guests for use of a pass allowing her to sit with delegates for a short period of time, possibly during the prime-time speeches.
“It’s a little surreal to think that I am packing up, leaving my family and going to Denver,” she said last week.
Reporter Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623 or jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
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