When Sen. Barack Obama accepts the nomination for president of the United States at the Democratic National Convention in Denver tonight, Karl Giuseffi of Spearfish will be in the thick of the action.

The University of South Dakota political science major was chosen to attend the convention as an intern after being nominated by professors from the USD Political Science Department.

"I'm guiding delegates to places, handling access control, working with the press and blogging," said Giuseffi, a 2006 Spearfish High School graduate.

Giuseffi said he always has had an interest in law, but his intrigue with politics blossomed while participating in debate in high school.

The convention experience has been incredible, Giuseffi said. He was on the floor during speeches by Michelle Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton.

"They were both amazing speeches," Giuseffi said. "The Clinton speech was just what we needed. She needed to assure Hilliary supporters that the issues they supported transcends a person. She was able to cover the fissures in the Democratic Party and bring her supporters and Barack's together for a common goal."

Malcom Chapman of Rapid City, chairman of the South Dakota delegation, said Clinton's speech had the right tone for the event.

"It was awesome. She hit a home run," he said Wednesday while standing on the floor of the Pepsi Center.

Clinton, a senator from New York, won the South Dakota Democratic primary in June, but Illinois Sen. Barack Obama wrapped up the party's nomination.

Clinton's speech was one of unity, Chapman said.

"There was no stronger supporter of Hillary than me," Chapman said. "We lost. That time is behind us, and we must now work together to win the election in November."

But there is still a lot to be done to accomplish that, he said.

"We don't put this on the shoulders of Obama. I don't think this is incumbent on just him," Chapman said. "There are a lot of diverse people and diverse ideas. We have to work hard to elect him."

Chapman said he has been extremely proud of the South Dakota delegation at the convention.

"We are one of the most diverse delegations here," he said. "We are working hard to understand what we can do better to support our nominee. All of these folks that are here are playing a part."

Some delegates have joked that the South Dakota group got the short end of the stick when it came to seating at the convention. A Watertown delegate said the seats were "way off to the side."

Chapman said that good seats can be hard to come by at the convention. "We are going to bloom from those seats where we are planted," he said.