Never before have I cried watching a Democratic – or Republican – National Convention. Last night, I did. From the Carter video and the heart-wrenching images of New Orleans three years after Katrina, to Ted Kennedy’s inspirational rise from his recent surgery to address the delegates and pass the Party Torch from the Kennedys to the Obamas, to Michelle Obama’s wonderful speech, last night was a successful start to the DNC and the final push to November.

I’ve always admired the work of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, who have worked with The Carter Center to improve the real life conditions of disenfranchised people around the world. Jimmy Carter is, I think, our greatest living former president. No one has set a finer standard of grace and activism and roll-up-the-sleeves to hammer a Habitat for Humanity nail hard work than he. A prolific writer, he has contributed powerful ideas to develop a moderate liberation theory for the public discourse. At 83, he should inspire us all to engage the world around us in meaningful ways as we age.

I was so pleased when Carolyn Kennedy and Ted Kennedy offered separate endorsements of Obama during the primary election. The Lion of the Senate stepped forward to consecrate the convention floor and offer a bridge from the 20th century past to the 21st century future, a future Obama embodies.

And then, Sister Michelle. She hit all the right notes – not just in terms of content and delivery, but also in tone. The emotion she conveyed, the authentic truth driving her personal narrative of an American girl coming of age, was pitch perfect. I was proud and newly energized by her stirring speech. It’s hard to imagine that anyone who was sitting on the fence, trying to figure out who the Obamas are, would continue to doubt their American experience any longer.

The pundits continue to emphasize Clinton-Obama strife among disgruntled Hillary supporters still salty over the primaries. I wonder if the folk on the ground in Denver feel the same way. What were women and men still sporting Hill buttons thinking last night? I do wish the mainstream media would spend more time talking to the real folk on the floor. PBS did much of that after each major speech last night, and I did catch one former Hillary supporter profess her shift to Obama. She understands the need to reclaim the country from the Republican grip that has us all choking on oil fumes and the fires of war. She knows future Supreme Court nominations and ongoing home foreclosures during the next administration make the stakes too high for petty bickering.

Hopefully, the Clintons will drive that message in a believable way and truly rally independents and undecideds to embrace future change.

I have to say that, in addition to the big speech-makers, I am also made misty-eyed by the images of those everyday folk on the floor. One distinguishing aspect of the Democratic National Convention when compared with RNCs of the past is that the floor of the DNC has always more closely reflected America – and Americans – in its diversity. There is a wonderful expression of actual American life, and not some mid-20th century Leave it to Beaver falsity, on the Democratic floor. Those folk are the real patriots – the ones who work to engage our participatory democracy without aiming to advance career or capitalize personally in any way beyond the solid feeling of doing what’s right to keep and improve our unique democratic system.

While the McCain camp rails against Madonna of all people (I mean, come on. Really? Should a pop star video be your focus?), the democrats exuded unity, excitement, and the most welcome feeling in these difficult times: Hope.

Si se puede!

Go, Obama. Go!