Hillary Clinton supporters were out in droves, and early, this morning at the Washington Convention center, at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's 2007 policy conference.

Vice President Dick Cheney spoke this morning to the group of about 6,000, and tonight, most of the 2008 Democratic presidential hopefuls will appear at AIPAC's banquet, part of their three-day conference.

Several minutes before 8 a.m., there were close to a dozen Clinton supporters at different entrance points to the convention center, handing out invitations to a dessert reception with the New York senator tonight at 9:30, after the banquet.

"Hillary Clinton has a deep, consistent record of standing up for a strong U.S.-Israel relationship, and we are proud to stand with her," said a message on the flyer from a 23-member committee of Jewish Clinton supporters.

-- Jon Ward, White House correspondent, The Washington Times