Associated Press

DOVER — Coming from a state with only three electoral votes, Delaware’s delegates might be forgiven for feeling like Rodney Dangerfield at Democratic Party conventions: No respect from other state delegations.

While Delawareans insist that’s never been the case, Barack Obama’s choice of U.S. Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. as his running mate has put the delegation from Delaware in an unfamiliar spot this year: front and center.

"It’s our day in the sunshine," state party chairman John Daniello said Sunday after the Delaware delegation received a seating upgrade on the convention floor in Denver, closer to the podium and close to the Illinois delegation.

While the seating change was not made official until Sunday morning, Delaware Democrats were hoping that Sen. Biden’s spot on the ticket would lead to a better vantage point.

"It looks as though it will give us a little more prominence than we would have had," Gov. Ruth Ann Minner said Saturday.

Speaking Saturday evening at an annual late-summer gathering of state Democrats near Rehoboth Beach, Gov. Minner expressed pride that Delaware can boast of having one of its own on the presidential ticket of a major party — a historic first for the first of the 13 colonies to ratify the Constitution.

"Everybody in this country is going to know where Delaware is.... I don’t know about you, but I’m sick and tired of people saying ‘Dela-Where?"’ Minner said to the applause of fellow Democrats.

While Sen. Biden has long been a figure in national politics and at Democratic Party conventions, the entire state contingent will be in the spotlight this year.

"Joe always got some respect and some attention at other conventions, but this time it’s full speed ahead," Mr. Daniello said.

State treasurer Jack Markell, named one of the party’s "Top 100 Rising Stars" at the 2000 national convention, remembers when that was not the case. That same year, he was given a coveted speaking role, which consisted of about two minutes in the middle of the afternoon touting the merits of Al Gore.

"There was nobody in the hall, except the whole Delaware delegation came over," recalled Mr. Markell, who is now waging a fierce primary battle with Lt. Gov. John Carney to succeed Gov. Minner.

Lt. Gov. Carney said the delegation will not be overlooked as it has been in past years, and the attention that Delawareans are getting in Denver seems to bear that out.

"It’s been fun just walking around the city," Mr. Daniello said.

Delaware’s junior senator, Thomas R. Carper, who has spoken on welfare and energy policy as past conventions and has achieved national recognition himself through key roles in the Democratic Leadership Council and the National Governors Association, said there’s little danger that the spotlight will overwhelm representatives from The First State.

"We’ll get used to it real fast," he said with a smile.

Delaware State News

LEWES — Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. was far, far away from the First State on Saturday afternoon, but he still was the center of attention at the Sussex County Democratic Jamboree, an event close to the senator’s heart.

While Sen. Biden trotted across a stage in Springfield, Ill., to join Sen. Barack Obama as his running mate, Democrats huddled around open cars to listen to Delaware’s senior senator give his first address as a vice presidential candidate.

Throughout the four-hour event, Democrats heaped praise on Sen. Biden in his absence and rallied around the history-making moment.

"This is the biggest thing that’s happened in Delaware politically that I can remember," said Rep. Peter C. Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach.

"Our senior senator has just been selected to be vice president. You can’t come up with a better scenario to energize the party to come out to vote and get involved in this election."

As Democrats arrived at Cape Henlopen State Park, they commented that they had listened to Sen. Biden’s speech on the radio on the drive to the beach.

Several agreed that his being tapped as a vice-presidential candidate boosts Delaware’s profile on the national stage.

Dover resident Gregory B. Patterson, an adviser for Insurance Commissioner Matthew P. Denn, said he got chills hearing Sen. Biden deliver lines that he has uttered during various speeches throughout Delaware.

"More than in most states, Delaware has a closeness to its politicians and a pride for anything that comes from Delaware," Mr. Patterson said.

"To have seen Joe Biden, whom we know very well, live on TV (Saturday), it gives you goosebumps."

For Lewes resident James Griffin, Sen. Biden’s appearance on the national stage was the culmination of a 36-year career in the U.S. Senate.

Mr. Griffin worked in Sen. Biden’s first senatorial campaign when, as a 29-year-old New Castle County councilman, he defeated longtime senator J. Caleb Boggs.

"Joe was considered a brash upstart, but he pulled it out," Mr. Griffin said. "It was a sweet victory.

"We’re really proud of him. He’s worked hard. He’s a scrapper and it’s paid off. It would be great if he and Barack Obama win.

"One thing’s for sure, people won’t be saying ‘Dela-where?’ anymore."

The annual Sussex jamboree has long been a tradition for Sen. Biden. Twenty years ago, he made his first public appearance at the jamboree after suffering two brain aneurysms in February 1988.

And for a while, there were rumors circulating that Sen. Biden might make it back to Delaware in time for the jamboree Saturday.

The rally in Springfield ended at about 3:45 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, leaving about two hours before the elected officials’ speeches were scheduled to start. And Sen. Biden’s name appeared on the program, listed as the last speaker.

But he did not show.

Sen. Biden’s niece, Missy Owens, and two of his granddaughters attended the jamboree at the senator’s behest.

"My uncle asked me to be here because this is so important to our family," said Ms. Owens, apologizing that the rest of the Biden clan was in Illinois. "This is the event where you’ve seen many of us grow up.

"It’s been an amazing 24 hours for our family and it’s all thanks to you. For good and bad, we now get to share our Joe Biden with the country."

Sen. Thomas R. Carper, D-Del., who has served with Sen. Biden for the past eight years, related a phone call to his colleague Friday night while driving his younger son to the College of William & Mary in Virginia.

The senior senator asked to speak to Sen. Carper’s son, Ben, and talked to him about going to college and how he was jealous of him.

"At 10 a.m. (Saturday), the phone rang, and it was Joe Biden," Sen. Carper said. "He was getting ready to leave (for the airport) and he said he called to check in on how Ben was doing at William & Mary.

"That says a lot about Joe Biden. For him it’s family first, family second and family third."

In addition to pride, Sen. Biden’s selection provided a unifying rallying point for the state’s Democrats, who are heading into what could be a very divisive Sept. 9 primary, with nominations for governor, insurance commissioner and U.S. Congress hanging in the balance.

Party members have been split between Democrats Lt. Gov. John C. Carney Jr. and state Treasurer Jack A. Markell, who are vying for governor, but that took a back seat Saturday.

Both men spent most of their time addressing the crowd of 400 praising Sen. Biden.

"My former boss, he’s responsible for my wife and I getting married," Lt. Gov. Carney said in an interview. His first job in government was as a staff assistant for Sen. Biden in 1987.

"This just made my day. People are just so excited. This is a historic ticket, with Obama as the first black (presidential nominee).

"This will create a higher profile for the state during the campaign. Joe will certainly talk about us during the campaign."

Mr. Markell, who woke up at 2 a.m. Saturday after a restless night to check the Web for news on the vice-presidential candidate, called the pairing "a dream ticket."

The event could easily become a "where were you when" moment for Delawareans, he said.

"It’s a matter of pride for Delawareans," Mr. Markell said.

"When you come from Delaware and get asked (to be vice president,) you have to be that much better than other candidates because you’re coming from a small state."