Maui Democrats are packing for next week's Democratic National Convention, whether they plan to help Barack Obama seal the party's presidential nomination, stand up for his erstwhile opponent Hillary Clinton, or just raise a ruckus, The Maui News reported today.

The county is sending four of the state's 29 delegates to the four-day convention that starts Monday in Denver. Their main job will be casting votes for their candidates — 14 are pledged to Obama, six to Clinton. The remaining nine are superdelegates, high-ranking party officials and leaders who can cast votes for whomever they choose.

But the week will have plenty of other activities for the politically minded, with enough speeches, panels, parties, concerts, luncheons, mixers, art shows and film festivals to make even the wonkiest wilt.

"I'm just trying to plan the week, because there are so many activities," said Kallie Keith-Agaran, an Obama-pledged delegate.

With convention business scheduled for the evenings, Keith-Agaran wanted to hit forums on health care and intellectual property rights during her days, and hoped she'd also have time for some of the "fun stuff," like parties and concerts.

After campaigning for Obama in Hawai'i and on the Mainland during his primary race, Keith-Agaran said it would feel "very, very good" to cast her vote for him, and was looking forward to his acceptance speech before an expected crowd of 80,000 Thursday night.

"That's going to be a great night for me," she said.

Other Maui "pledge" delegates are Jonathan Starr for Obama and Stephanie Ohigashi for Clinton. Maui resident Kari Luna, vice chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, also will attend as a "superdelegate" committed to Obama.

Gil Keith-Agaran will be an alternate Obama delegate.

"Pledge" delegates are elected by vote at the party's state convention.

Looking ahead, Starr was giddy.

"How can I express the excitement I feel?" he said. "I feel like a little kid. I've wanted to do this for so long, it's like a dream come true."

Starr said he grew up watching the national convention on television, and always dreamed of being there.

"It always seemed like such a really import moment in time," he said. "And I love our candidate this time, more than ever. He's inspiring. He has charisma. I remember JFK when I was a little kid - I remember how we felt when he would speak. ... I feel that with Barack Obama."

Starr met Obama during the candidate's recent visit to Honolulu.

"He's a wonderful man," he said. "I got a feeling of goodness and kindness and great intelligence and knowledge. I'm usually more skeptical, but I think he's really, really good and I want to help him."

Not everyone going to the convention from Maui planned to walk the party line.

"I'm protesting," said Nadine Newlight.

Joining about 200 other members of the group Code Pink, Newlight will help stage marches and demonstrations to convince fellow Democrats that peace is "the number one issue on the table."

"We're going in the streets dressed up in costumes, singing and dancing - doing all kinds of things that I love," she said.

Ha'iku resident Michelle Sewell narrowly missed being selected as a delegate, and decided to attend the convention anyway as a volunteer. She planned to help the delegation with logistics.

"I'm just a political junkie," she said.

Sewell, a former history and political-science teacher, also will volunteer as a docent at the "presidential experience project," a visiting museum of presidential memorabilia.

She also wanted to sample the convention's concerts, exhibits and panel discussions, including a round-table with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

"It's fun to be around people who are like-minded and political," she said.

For more Maui news, visit www.mauinews.com.