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DENVER — If there was any doubt Monday what the theme for Florida’s delegation to the Democratic National Convention would be, it was dispelled by 8:30 a.m.

That’s when Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa took the stage to address the 211 delegates, their guests and the media covering them.

“I was the national chair for Hillary Clinton. As someone who worked hard for her, no matter who you voted for, we have a responsibility to the party to come together and unite,” Villaraigosa said.

The concept of a delegation unified behind Barack Obama, in spite of the fact that most Florida delegates were originally pledged to support Clinton, was repeated throughout the breakfast gathering.

Clinton delegates at the meeting, some still smarting from the primary defeat, tried their best to embrace the duality.

“I’m disappointed. I was hoping she was going to be the running mate,” said Chris Lomas, a Clinton delegate from Oviedo in Seminole County.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Broward County is another Clinton supporter who says she — and Clinton — are behind Obama now.

“It was tough, only because it was so emotional for me,” Wasserman Schultz said of accepting Clinton’s loss in the primary battle. She predicted Floridians will accept Obama, who didn’t campaign in the state before the January primary, once he campaigns there in earnest.

“When the people of my district meet him personally, they will support him,” she said.

Meeting later with reporters, Villaraigosa said former President Bill Clinton will join his wife in supporting Obama’s campaign. “I know Bill Clinton. He is fully on board.”

Former state Rep. Cindy Lerner of Miami was passionate about Clinton’s campaign. She even traveled to New Hampshire, “in 4 feet of snow,” to work on her campaign there.

Losing was difficult, she admits. Seeing her candidate passed by as Obama’s running mate didn’t make things any easier.

“I’m disappointed she was not chosen as the vice president. I think he needed her.”

Lerner takes consolation in the fact that Clinton supporters like her will get a chance to vote for her in the roll call of states Wednesday evening. Clinton has released her delegates, meaning they’re free to vote for whomever they choose.

Some, like Chuck Mohlke of Naples, will vote for Obama because Clinton herself now supports him.

But others, like Lerner, want to register a vote for Clinton as a tribute to what she achieved. Obama can secure the support of women by adopting the issues Clinton champions, Lerner said.

“I would like to see the (Obama) campaign and his administration take a more proactive role in acknowledging what women like me experience frequently in the business and political world and that’s the lack of equality and blatant sexism. That’s what Hillary encountered,” she said.

Lerner believes any apparent division in the party is largely a creation of the media. Multiple candidates ran and received votes. It’s only natural that should be reflected at the convention, she said.

“There are some in the media that want to characterize it as a lack of unity. We will have an opportunity to have our say. We want to have our say, then come together.” Lerner said.

Nor should Obama supporters feel uneasy about the Clinton vote Wednesday. “I don’t see how people feel threatened by an agreed-to process,” she said.

Villaraigosa echoed the sentiment that talk of division exists mainly in the media. “A lot’s being said about division. You have to write about things,” he told reporters.

Still, Villaraigosa had to catch himself from going back into his pro-Clinton partisan mode at least once.

Speaking of some delegates’ determination to cast a vote for Clinton he said, “She won 27 primaries, more than ... ” his voice shifting, as if to stop from saying, “Barack Obama,” to say, “any other female in U.S. history.” Of course, no previous female in U.S. history has mounted a serious campaign for president. Clinton had that record at one.

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Unity isn’t all talk among the Florida delegation. You could see some measure of it in action. Delegate gift bags, which contained goodies ranging from guides to downtown Denver to Kraft Macaroni and Cheese with donkey-shaped pasta, were being snatched up by guests other than delegates.

Delegates needed sunglasses in the bag to wear on the convention floor Monday evening, part of a tropical look the delegation was trying to achieve. “For every guest who has a bag, a delegate doesn’t have one,” state Democratic Party Executive Director Leonard Joseph admonished.

“We all want to look like we’re unified and wearing our sunglasses tonight. This is the honor system.”

Within minutes, at least a dozen gift bags were returned. “I want to thank all the guests who are giving back bags. It’s a real sign of unity,” Joseph said.

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Florida Democrats made a concerted effort to present a diverse delegation.

The 2008 version is made up of 49 percent males and 51 percent females.

Sixty-seven percent are Caucasian; 23 percent African-American and 9 percent Hispanic with small numbers of Pacific islanders and American Indians included.

Nine percent are identified as disabled, 9 percent as gay and 10 percent are veterans.

As initially pledged, 52 percent were for Clinton, 31 percent were for Obama and 6 percent were for John Edwards.

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E-mail Brent Batten at bebatten@naplesnews.com