Maureen Groppe

USA TODAY

PHILADELPHIA — Carol Williams has had her share of once-in-a-lifetime moments at the Democratic National Convention.

Dancing with MC Hammer and delivering the Montana delegation’s votes during Tuesday’s roll call are right up there for the Missoula resident.

But nothing compares to watching Hillary Clinton become the first woman nominated for president.

“There’s no doubt that we’re making history tonight,” said Williams, tearing up at the thought of her 10-year-old granddaughter watching Clinton’s acceptance speech on television Thursday. “When the balloons drop, it’s going to be overwhelming.”

Williams, a former state legislator and the first woman to serve as state Senate majority leader in Montana, has known Clinton for three decades. Their friendship dates back to when Clinton was the first lady of Arkansas and worked on children’s issues, such as immunizations, for which Williams was advocating.

“I was always so impressed at how smart she was, and what a tireless advocate she was,” Williams said.

When Clinton ran for president in 2008, Williams headed her Montana campaign.

So she knows what the Bernie Sanders' supporters are going through.

“There are some hard feelings and I totally understand hard feelings because I was one of those people in 2008 who was on the other end of this,” she said. “You can’t put a switch on this and say, `I was for Bernie yesterday and today I’m for Hillary.’ You have to have a gradual process to get there.”

Some Sanders’ supporters aren’t there yet, Williams said, but “we’re going to work very hard to make sure everyone gets to it by November.”

Williams had been to many conventions with her husband, a former member of Congress.

But this is only her second time attending as a delegate and the first time chairing the delegation.

That meant Williams got to stand up before the TV cameras and deliver the state’s votes Tuesday.

She was told she’d have 30 seconds to talk. But as the roll call went long, she got a call during the middle of the alphabet saying she could only talk for 20 seconds. By the time Minnesota voted, Williams was told to trim her speech to 10 seconds.

She kept crossing out lines, but there was one point she was determined to make.

Williams reminded the convention hall that, 100 years ago, Montana was the first state to elect a woman to Congress. And, this year, Williams hopes Montana will be the first state to elect a Native American woman to the House.

“It’s just a continuation of the work I’ve been passionate about all my life,” said Williams, who set up “Carol’s List” to help recruit and elect women to office.

Williams knows it’s a tough lift to turn Montana blue at the presidential level in November. But she sees an opening with the potential of a third party presidential candidate and the comments she hears from Republican friends who don’t like Donald Trump.

“With really, really hard work and effort, we can win Montana,” she said. “And if we can’t, we’re going to make it really darn close and make them nervous.”

As soon as the convention ended, Williams planned to send out a fundraising appeal for Clinton. She’s organizing three fundraisers for Carol’s List this week, an August fundraiser for Clinton and is hoping to lure Clinton herself to the state.

“I get up every day to think, `What can I do for Hillary Clinton,’” Williams said.

At age 73, Williams is the state’s oldest delegate.

But she didn’t feel it when she danced with MC Hammer at a convention party Tuesday night.

“I’m going to put that picture on my Christmas card,” she said. “He was so nice.”