DENVER -- Call it Sacramento on the Platte instead.

During the massive California delegation's first breakfast meeting in Denver, the rancor over the Golden State's way overdue budget surfaced shortly after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was cheered to the podium by a capacity crowd of delegates.

For his part State Controller John Chiang reiterated to applause that he would continue to face down Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in refusing his executive order that all state workers have their salaries reduced to the federal mininum wage as part of a budget negotiation ploy.

California Superintendent of Schools Jack O'Connell used his two minutes to remind the Republican governor not to short change education funding in the struggle to square the state's whopping $15.2 billion deficit while coming up with a budget that actually passes.

"We should not short-change the future of our children," O'Connell said. "We are facing a real achievement gap in California and we must do something about."

Finally, Secretary of State Debra Bowen stepped in and scolded Schwarzenegger for threatening to imperil her office operations which is heavy on part-time election workers and interns. She vowed the cuts won't impact the security of voting in California come Nov. 4.

"When it comes to the counting (of votes) I've got your back," she reassured the delegates.