Hug It Out... (Dem Breakfast photos)

Wow. What a couple of days it has been. Monday was somewhat of a whirlwind, with the excitement of the beginning of the Convention tempered by the publicly fractured nature of the Illinois Democratic Party as well as the Governor's amendatory veto of the ethics bill. (An issue that is still far from done.)

Most of the Illinois contingent expected that the most interesting moment of today's breakfast was going to be the Governor's appearance and comments, but the expectations of further tensions vanished as the Governor's speech was essentially a pitch for a capital bill.

But as the breakfast continued, the crowd was not going to be disappointed. Congressman Bobby Rush gave comments that ranged from funny ("I'd rather be seen than viewed"), to inspirational, to defiant. His parable about the eagle triumphing over the buzzards is one that I'll not soon forget.

But then Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. stole the show. In unscripted comments, J3 called upon Illinois Democrats to come together, then personally reconciled with Congressman Rush, Senator Halvorson, Mike Sneed and Mayor Daley.

It was a spontaneous, rare and unforgettable moment.

And when he successfully called upon the Speaker and Governor to hug it out, the room went up for grabs.

What happens when everybody comes home is anybody's guess, but for a Party that has been mired in discord, today's breakfast all but sealed the fact that this is a week that will not soon be forgotten.