8am is really pushing it? So maybe you can get them to rewrite your itin leaving on the next flight out, whenever that may be. In my experiences with Delta, if there are decent schedule changes, they have rewritten an entire itinerary. (Leaving on a Saturday at 10am became leaving on a Friday night at 11pm (redeye)) Do your homework, see if there is a flight you would like to get on instead (Even consider different connecting options, ATL/SLC, etc) and politely ask them to rewrite it. If that doesn't work, hang up, call back, and ask for a refund.

(Doh, I didn't realize that you weren't interested in a later departure)