Olson, thanks very much for your expertise. Appreciate it.
>> Yeah. You're welcome. >> Nearly 100 Wisconsin
residents served as delegates at the DNC in Chicago this week.
For many of them, this wasn't their first Democratic National
Convention. Here and now, reporter Steven Potter met up
with a longtime Portage County delegate for his perspective on
the experience for democracy. >> This is the most important
election, and I want to go and talk with my veteran's friends
there, get the veterans out doing doors and everything
possible to make sure that Harris and Walz win. So that's
that's why I'm going. >> Earlier this week, Gary
Hawley and his daughter Kim packed up their bags to head to
Chicago. What we Hawley is attending the Democratic
National Convention as a Wisconsin delegate from Portage
County. >> And the small village of
Whiting, just outside Stevens Point.
>> This is my eighth convention, probably my last, but I'm lucky
that my daughter came again. She came 24 years ago with me, but
she got so enthused about vice President Harris that she asked
if she could come along again. And that's the best thing for me
to have my daughter along again. >> Michelle Hawley has just one
word to describe the DNC in Chicago so far.
>> Energetic. It's just so many great speeches. Last night.
Every one of them were just energized you and you just kept
getting more and more energized. Lasted until pretty late because
we have to party afterwards, you know. So but it was a good time.
>> Hallie's first Democratic National Convention was also in
Chicago 28 years ago, back in 1996. Over the years, he's
learned to take advantage of the face time he has with
politicians to explain to them what's happening in rural
Wisconsin. hall here and talking to the
governor. It gives you a better chance to get your ideas out or
Portage County ideas. That's important. If you don't get your
county party's ideas and issues and stuff out to these elected
officials, they don't know about it.
as delegate isn't just to spread information, but to gather it
and bring it home. >> There's a lot of caucuses to
go to learn what's going on, meeting with other Democrats
just to get all the information and bring it back to our county
parties and help our county parties discuss what's going on.
>> Conventions are also a place to network and get support, even
from across state lines and that's important for Portage
County, which is a Democratic island.
We got to get the rest of the counties around us blue, too. I
have talked with the Minnesota veteran Caucus. They're willing
to come over. One of the reasons is their governor could be vice
president. If we get to ten points from Wisconsin. So I'm
starting to set up where they're going to start coming across the
border and do doors for us. And here Hawley, who's also a
veteran, says there are a few things that have stuck with him
as the most important through the years.
>> Okay. places. We're improving on women
getting their rights, and we got a long ways to go, but at least
we're trying to improve on it. >> Beginning as a volunteer with
the Portage County Democrats decades ago and rising to the
position of county party co-chair, Hawley, who's a
retired carpenter, says he also agrees, appreciates and relates
to President Joe Biden's decision to step out of the
race. >> I'm 75. I've been very
active. I've been going to a lot of conventions. I realized I
have to step down to, I mean, not completely. I'll still be
out there, but not I can't keep up with the younger people
running around here. running around here.