The historic nomination of Barack Obama as the nation's first black presidential candidate has Long Islanders excited and anxious as the Democratic National Convention to set to begin in Denver.

"For once you have a minority running for president with a really good shot at winning," says Daniel Mann, of Plainview.

The convention starts Monday with drama, as almost half of the attending delegates plan to support primary runner-up Hillary Clinton.

"I'm curious to see how that's going to play out," says Jeff Touretz, of Jericho. "And if the party's actually going to be unified or if there's going to be a sense of division. I don't think they can afford it."