Tony Wadas, junior political science major and president of NIU’s College Democrats, attended Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) acceptance speech at the National Democratic Convention in Denver.

The Northern Star interviewed Wadas about his firsthand experience at the convention.

Northern Star: What was the atmosphere like?
Tony Wadas: Energetic. Everyone was really excited. There was a strong connection from the past. Martin Luther King’s dream was realized.

NS: What were the reactions of the people around you?
TW: Well, some people were on the verge of tears. Few people were crying. Everyone was cheering loudly. Everyone was very happy to witness this.

NS: Did it seem like Obama was convincing to Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) supporters?
TW: Not too many people were complaining. I didn’t see any Hillary supporters upset. All the Hillary supporters I met seemed happy to support Obama.

NS: How was the experience different from just watching it on television?
TW: When you watch it on T.V. you can’t feel the energy of the crowd. Just to see everyone there cheering and seeing all the people around him. There’s a lot more energy.

NS: Do you think the speech was successful in uniting the party?
TW: Definitely. Not just Obama’s speech, Hillary Clinton’s speech on Tuesday too. A lot of people were crying after that.

NS: Was the convention what you expected?
TW: I knew this convention wasn’t going to be like other ones because of the historical nature of it. I didn’t expect there to be as much stuff there. There were all different events between conventions. The Illinois delegation breakfast was every morning and had different speakers including Mayor Richard Daley, Lisa Madigan and Dick Durbin. At the Illinois Women’s Luncheon there was a surprise visit from Obama.

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