Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri, an early supporter of Barack Obama and a rising Democratic Party star, was supposed to be the star breakfast speaker at the Florida delegation’s breakfast today at the Democratic National Convention, but a scheduling conflict nixed that.

Instead, the delegates got Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland and Rep. Rober Wexler of Boca Raton.

Wexler, the self-described “fire-breathing liberal,” called on Democrats to “get down to some brass-knuckle politics” in the campaign and called John McCain “the most anti-Florida presidential candidate in modern history.”

Breakfast speakers are among the highlights of a convention for the delegates. Their purpose is to get the delegates charged up for a hard day of conventioneering.

The most stirring speakers, and the most important individuals, including those close to the candidate and the running mate, are highly prized for the speeches, and travel from hotel to hotel in the morning giving talks.

Overall, however, the Florida delegation hasn’t had a stellar list of breakfast speakers at this convention.

According to aides, McCaskill was to speak at the Florida delegation breakfast while Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida appeared at the Missouri breakfast. But scheduling problems prevented Nelson from going to the Missouri breakfast and the swap broke down.

The biggest-name non-Floridian tghe delegation saw was probably Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, prized for his enthusiasm and countryisms.

Rep. Alcee Hastings of Miramar, one of the most dynamic political speakers in Florida, has long been a highlight of the Florida delegation’s convention breakfasts. But Hastings announced in May he would boycott this convention because of his disgust over the candidate boycott and sanctions against Florida because of the state’s Jan. 29 primary.

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