On Day 1 of the Democratic National Convention, Patrick Coleman said he felt the political confab was off to a flying start, capped off particularly well with a rousing speech from First Lady Michelle Obama. 

"It (the convention) just got a whole lot more fun," said Coleman, of Roseville, who is one 107 Minnesota delegates to the DNC in Charlotte, N. C. His comments to Roseville Patch came minutes after Mrs. Obama concluded her address, which was aimed at firing up the delegates to work for her husband's re-election. 

"I couldn't believe the electricity in the audience," Coleman said of the crowd's reaction to Mrs. Obama's speech. "She woke us up and got us fired up. This is the kind of enthusiasm the Democrats need to get going."

Coleman said this is the second Democratic National Convention he has attended. His first came in 2008 when the party convened in Denver.

Meanwhile, back in Roseville, retiring state Rep. Mindy Greiling said she watched TV to see the convention speeches, including Michelle Obama's, with great interest.

"Even expecting a great speech and presence from Michelle Obama, I was wowed by her words and delivery," Greiling told Roseville Patch in an e-mail. "I have been one of the Democrats who wish her husband had been a stronger President in his first term and have wondered if she did not give him pillow talk reflecting this view.  Her speech infused me with more enthusiasm for his second term than I expected, so she succeeded quite well. 

"I also was impressed that President Obama beamed with pride from home where he watched her on TV with their girls, showcasing her as the strong woman that she is," Greiling said.