Delegates impressed by Clinton speech

A strong Barack Obama supporter, Maui delegate Jonathan Starr nearly lost his voice cheering for Obama's former rival, U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, on Tuesday at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

Starr said he sat by former Hawaii Gov. John Waihee, a Clinton supporter, during her speech Tuesday night at the Pepsi Center. "We were just yelling together. Everyone is coming together. . . . There really is no animosity. It somehow burned up and I think it's gone," Starr said via cellular phone.

Democrats in Denver are expected to formally elect Illinois Sen. Barack Obama as the party's presidential nominee on Thursday night.

Recalling the convention's first night's emotional appearance by the ailing U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, Starr said nothing had been as moving Tuesday until Clinton took the stage.

"And then it just exploded," Starr said. "The crowd went wild, both Hillary and Obama supporters."

Starr said he was impressed by Clinton's speech.

"Hillary came off as a classy and quality person," he said. "I didn't think I would cheer for her, but then it felt natural to do so."

Delegate Stephanie Ohigashi of Wailuku, a Clinton supporter selected as a delegate at the Maui caucus, was also touched.

"I thought her speech was electric," Ohigashi said. "I think she said all the right things."

Walking out of the center with throngs of Democrats, Ohigashi said she would be attending a luncheon today in Denver where Clinton was expected to give her personal thanks to supporters.

"She's squarely behind Obama," Ohigashi said.

She said she believed the Hawaii delegation would be voting for just one nominee.

"I'm hoping we're 100 percent" behind Obama, she said.

Earlier in the day and prior to Clinton's prime-time evening speech, Maui delegate Kallie Keith-Agaran attended a women's caucus at a convention center about 10 blocks away from the Pepsi Center.

"I had chicken skin the whole time," she said, having listened to female Democratic leaders talk about their experiences in politics and their dreams for the future.

Clinton ended up being Tuesday's highlight for Keith-Agaran who had helped the campaign for Obama in New Hampshire earlier this year.

"For me, it was the speech of her life. She was spectacular," Keith-Agaran said. "She moved me to tears and chicken skin so many times."

* Claudine San Nicolas can be reached at claudine@mauinews.com.