Steve Bell's 2008 Democratic convention sketchbook: Day two

Another hot flat one on the edge of the prairies. Today, the sketchblog goes abstract. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

The convention begins at 3pm and builds slowly. I manage to temporarily trade in my purple pass for a green one that enables me to get onto the floor of the convention centre. Not a lot is going on, but there is plenty of space. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

I love the aspect of conferences when you just sit and let the thing wash over you. Speakers come and go, and occasionally one of them manages to push a button and make the audience whoop. Democrats are a strange and varied crowd. There are earnest young stewards in grey suits, people in ridiculous hats and one very fierce-looking lady in a red hat and zebra cardigan. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

Behind the podium, there is a structure resembling a space age portal. The speakers appear appear from a curtain at the back, so maybe it isn’t a portal. Congressman Denis Kucinich, of Ohio, hits the stage. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

Denis Kucinich is that rare thing in mainstream US politics - an out and out leftie. He really gets the crowd going with his 'stop the big corporations' and 'wake up, America!' appeal. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

I am sitting near the delegates from Pennsylvania, who really like the Kucinich message. My day is made when I see a lady dressed in yellow outfit with a propeller hat. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

Suddenly, Hillary Clinton is up on the big video screen, looking presidential and introducing the female Democratic members of the US Senate. The leader of this group is the short and dumpy senator Barbara Mikulski, of Maryland. She doesn’t say much, but does manage to mispronounce Barack Obama as Bararack Oberamerer Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

Short and dumpy seems to be some kind of theme among female Democratic senators. The podium gets lower and lower. Debbie Stabenow, of Michigan, announces that she is proud to represent the great state of Michigan. She’s hardly going to express her mild sense of shame and disappointment, is she? Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

Senator Claire McCaskill, of Missouri - an early supporter of Obama who is getting quite an airing at this convention - is so short and dumpy that she seems to be sinking, concertina fashion, into the stage. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

Much later, the short and dumpy takeover of the convention is complete. Hillary Clinton steps onto the stage to wild and prolonged applause and whooping. Thousands of white posters with her signature on suddenly appear. The logistics of getting all the placards in place at the right time is awe-inspiring. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

According to my sources, this has been a six-placard evening, the same as last night. Hillary is impressive and has the whole of this huge hall in the palm of her hand. This is no mean achievement, even when most of the audience have giant pieces of cardboard with her name on clamped between their knees. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008