Totally There—and With a Whole Vote

Photo by Mark T. Osler

• Watch: Democratic Convention Profile: Joyce Cusack

Democratic Party heavy hitters in Florida were lining up behind Hillary Clinton during the heated presidential nomination battle. But state Rep. Joyce Cusack was paying more attention to a 25-year-old nursing student who sent $25 of her hard-earned money to Barack Obama.

That student, Danisha Johnson, is Cusack’s granddaughter. Cusack remembers her advice: “Gram, this guy is going to be president. You need to hear what he says. We have to change the flavor of Washington.”

Cusack, a 66-year-old African American, became one of Obama’s first backers among elected officials in a state that could be key to the fall election. “It was hard,” she says. “I really like [Clinton]. I’d like to be part of history that would provide a female president.”

But for Cusack, Obama “represented change in America.”

Her support in the primary nearly counted for nothing. After Florida held its January primary vote too early under Democratic National Committee (DNC) rules, the state and national parties staged a battle of wills over whether Florida’s contest would count in the nomination fight. The national party even refused to give Florida delegates hotel assignments in Denver.

Cusack was stuck in the middle. As a member of the DNC, she’s a superdelegate to the convention. That also meant she was a member of the body that was trying to deny votes to her and the rest of the Florida delegation. On the other hand, because Clinton won Florida’s primary, validating the results would help Obama’s rival more than Cusack’s candidate.

Of course, the national party ultimately decided to allow Florida and Michigan, which also jumped the primary gun, back into the fold, though the votes of delegates from those states were to count as only half votes. That meant Cusack was able to book a trip to her fifth national nominating convention—and the party later made all delegates’ votes whole.

Cusack, a state legislator for eight years, is looking forward to the week of speeches, parties and other events. “I love the energy they provide,” she says. “It provides you a close and personal look at all those folks who are strong Democrats around the country.” The conventions continue to inspire her, she says, when she works her district to promote Democratic candidates.

Because Florida is one of the largest swing states, the state delegation can expect plenty of high-profile speakers at its daily convention breakfasts. Cusack also will check out some receptions, network with other delegates and do a little shopping for fun.

She has high expectations for Obama’s acceptance speech Thursday night at INVESCO Field at Mile High Stadium. She still remembers the 2004 convention keynote speech that catapulted him to national attention. “I was in awe,” she says. “As the young folks say, he was just ‘off the chain’—he was so impressive.”

But the real highlight for her, she says, will come Wednesday night. That’s when Democrats will formally vote to nominate the man she endorsed. He’s the man she watched detour into the kitchen at a campaign event and spend more time with the hourly workers than with the big donors. He’s also the man who caught the eye, and checkbook, of a young nursing student who calls her “Gram.”

Tamara Lytle was Washington bureau chief and a correspondent for the Orlando Sentinel from 1997 to 2008.

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