Editor's note: Loyd Henion of Albany, chair of the Linn County Democrats, is attending the party's national convention in Denver. He e-mailed this report.

By Loyd Henion

Sunday, I attended a DNCC-sponsored Interfaith gathering at the Colorado Convention Center. The governor of Colorado, Bill Ritter, welcomed some 1,000-plus Democratic delegates and their friends. The gathering's theme was "Faith in Action." This was the first time a gathering of this nature has been a part of the Democratic National Convention.

Although the spectrum of faiths represented was quite wide, I was struck by the commonality of the convictions. A rabbi spoke about our sacred responsibility to our neighbors; a Catholic sister focused on our sacred responsibilities to our nation; a minister talked about our sacred responsibility to our children, and the director of the Hartford Seminary addressed our sacred responsibility to the world.

Monday morning: Our Oregon delegation breakfast was attended by several national and state politicians. I shared a table with Congressman David Wu. Secretary of State Bill Bradbury and former Gov. Barbara Roberts were at adjacent tables. Others included Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian, Congressman Earl Blumenauer and Sen. Ron Wyden.

DNC Chair Howard Dean dropped by for a pep talk. Senator Wyden and Representative Blumenauer also addressed our delegates.

David Sandalow, a senior fellow of foreign policy at the Brookings Institution, talked about energy policy and the need to develop alternative energy. He drives an all-electric car in Washington, D.C., and said he has people stopping him with SUVs asking him if he wants to trade.

After his speech I told him I drove an electric car too and that the Democrat-Herald had printed a couple of feature articles on our ZAP car. He asked if I would send him a copy.

One last vignette: One of Sen. Wyden's twin sons, Will, was wearing a bib with the words "Me for president." When I asked Wyden about this, he said this was really for the campaign in 2042. In that year Will will be old enough to be president.

More later; I am credentialed and ready to attend the convention.