Throughout our trip at the Republican National Convention, we ran into quite a few protesters.  Upon entering the Xcel Center, we came in contact with a handful of folks that chose to protest peacefully by using humor to get their message across.  Although we do not endorse the protesters’ viewpoints, we found their approach rather comical and wanted to provide pictures for you to view!

Dancing Bush and McCain protesters

Fighting Bush and McCain protesters

These protesters enjoyed receiving attention by flaunting their flamboyant outfits and fake southern accents.  Clearly not from the South, these 6-8 women spoke in a faux-drawl in attempt to mock the Texas delegation.

Pictures from the Republican National Convention: Up close and personal

Mitt Romney, Former Governor of Massachusetts and former candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, signs autographs at the RNC.

Mr. and Mrs. Heath, Sarah Palin’s parents, take care of baby Trig Palin at the RNC.

Cindy McCain walks up the stairs to sit in the the section designated for John McCain’s family.

Meghan McCain, daughter of Sen. John McCain, follows mom Cindy McCain up the stairs.

Piper Palin talks with mom Sarah and father Todd Palin

Thursday night breakdown
Cindy McCain, looking radiant in a teal blue suit, was graceful and elegant on stage Thursday night in her address to the Convention.  She introduced her husband with pride and expressed her sincere confidence in her partner’s ability to be the  next President of the United States. Referring to both her husband and Gov. Sarah Palin, Cindy McCain said, “You can trust his hand on the wheel, but it’s a good idea to have a woman’s hand on the wheel also.”  She then returned to the crowd to watch Senator McCain’s speech, where she sat next to Governor and Mr. Palin.

During this speech, I was fortunate enough to sit directly behind Palin’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Heath.  Folks, you cannot help but get swept up in the normalcy of this family.  Remember how President Reagan always could find Nancy’s hand without a glimpse?  The conjured image sums up Sarah Palin’s parents.  Mr. Heath had an arm around his wife both sitting and standing, while Mrs. Heath held baby Trig.  For the record, Governor Palin isn’t the only female in the family with a penchant for glasses – she comes by her good looks and her eyewear style from her Mother! 

It has been said of Senator John McCain that a podium-style speaking venue doesn’t suit him.  Well, McCain certainly looked comfortable last night on a stage that was low in height and a walkway built to reach out into the crowd which made the event more intimate. Like running mate Governor Sarah Palin,  Senator McCain’s words were well received, and his remarks left the audience feeling confident that McCain was an experienced leader who would always put our country first in his decision making process.

Wrapping up the four day convention, John McCain accepted the Republican presidential nomination Thursday night with “gratitude, humility, and confidence.”  He shared his compelling life story and his determined vision to take our country down a road of peace and prosperity.

Mississippi delegate and Purple Heart recipient Aaron Rice said, “I couldn’t have asked for a better experience at the convention. Senator McCain’s speech was inspirational. He is a living testament to American determination and greatness.”

Mississippi delegate and Purple Heart recipient Aaron Rice and wife Kelly Maxwell Rice show their support for McCain.

McCain vowed to keep the country secure and acknowledged that there are many dangers in our world, but that he was not afraid of those dangers, he was prepared for them. 

McCain offered a series of policy objectives emphasizing education reform, national security, fiscal reform, and energy independence.  Possibly the largest applause line of the speech was when McCain pledged to “stop sending $700 billion a year to countries that don’t like us very much.”  You could tell that McCain really hit home with the audience as they burst into cheers, and a man sitting two rows behind me screamed, “That’s it! That is the most important issue!”  Fired up, the crowd then began to chant, “Drill baby, drill!”

McCain shared his deep passion to serve our country.  He said, “I’m not running for president because I think I’m blessed with such personal greatness that history has anointed me to save our country in its hour of need.  My country saved me. My country saved me, and I cannot forget it.   And I will fight for her for as long as I draw breath, so help me God.”

McCain’s remarks ended with inspiring and persuasive calls that urged others to “stand up” and “fight with me.”  The final words of his address — “We’re Americans. We don’t hide from history. We make history.”

The night ended with a bang as the entire McCain and Palin family entered on the stage with thousands of balloons and confetti pieces falling from the ceiling of the Xcel Center.  As I left the building, I couldn’t help to think that through all the setbacks of the GOP Convention, it was a true success.  Mississippi delegate and State Senator Dean Kirby summarized it well by saying, “I am leaving this convention fired up.”  I am confident that Senator Kirby is in good company.

Senator John McCain formally accepted the GOP presidential nomination tonight at the Xcel Center in Minneapolis/St. Paul.  Many would agree that tonight, McCain’s words showed great passion and patriotism.

A quote to remember, Sen. McCain said, “Nothing brings more happiness in life than to serve a cause greater than yourself.”  Throughout his life, one can see that McCain exemplifies this statement, and throughout his speech, one could see that he really meant those words.

“My country saved me, and I cannot forget it,” he said. “And I will fight for her for as long as I draw breath, so help me God.”

Not only did McCain highlight his service to his country, but he also emphasized his record of being a man of reform who gets things done. Check back tomorrow for a full breakdown of the night and more pictures.

John McCain delivering his acceptance speech.

Cindy McCain, wife of Senator John McCain

Cindy McCain, Gov. Sarah Palin and husband

Republican National Convention: Wednesday night breakdown

The talk of the night was Sarah Palin.  Everywhere, questions were asked.  Will she perform to expectation?  Will she prove credible?  Can she maintain composure in national limelight? 

Checkmark yes to all of the above - Gov. Sarah Palin undoubtedly rocked the house last night.  With a fiery speech that brought the Xcel Center to its feet numerous times, the response from the crowd solidified the mutually shared confidence that Palin is ready and able. The Governor from Alaska delivered charismatic, powerful, and straightforward remarks as she accepted the nomination of becoming the first female Republican vice presidential nominee.

Mississippi delegate Mark Cumbest from Mosspoint, MS, said, “Sarah Palin proved tonight that she is the perfect complement to the McCain ticket. Over the past several days we’ve learned a lot about her impressive background. The unknown at least until tonight was can she ‘connect’ with voters. I think she has the talent and charisma to strengthen the Republican ticket and to win over disenfranchised Hillary Clinton voters among others. It was a momentous night in the history of our country. The McCain-Palin team is a winner.”

Trent Lott cheers on the speakers Wednesday night at the Republican National Convention.

Signs that read “Palin Power” and “I love hockey moms” waved through the energized crowd.  Palin finally got to share her story with America.  She outlined her background as an average hockey mom, and layered her professional experiences as Mayor of Wasilla and Governor of Alaska to reveal a woman ready and qualified to serve our nation.

“Before I became Governor of the great state of Alaska, I was Mayor of my hometown,” Gov. Palin told the crowd.   “And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves. I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a ‘community organizer,’ except that you have actual responsibilities.”

Palin also took on the negative media she has received over the past few days as she said, “I’m not a member of the permanent political establishment.  And I’ve learned quickly, these past few days, that if you’re not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone. But here’s a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators: I’m not going to Washington to seek their good opinion; I’m going to Washington to serve the people of this country.”

Palin had several notable lines in her speech.  Click here to view a list of those one-liners on Y’all Politics.

We also can’t forget the influential speeches of Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, and Rudolph W. Giuliani of New York.  All three men delivered their remarks with passion and power as they took on Obama’s intended direction for our nation and articulated their avid support for both John McCain and Sarah Palin. One of the favorite lines of the night delivered from Rudy Giuliani referred to Obama’s campaign theme, “… ‘change’ is not a destination, just as ‘hope’ is not a strategy.”  Palin also mentioned the Obama mantra when she said, “Some use change to promote their career while John McCain uses his career to promote change.”

A surprise to the crowd, Senator McCain joined the Palin family on stage and asked the delegates, “Do you think we made the right choice?”  The uproar that followed provided the obvious answer.  The Convention then got down to the business at hand, which was the formal nomination of John McCain as the Republican nominee for President of the United States.  Several states graciously passed on casting their votes so that Arizona delegates would have the deciding number of votes necessary for McCain to officially clinch the nomination.

Mississippi casts its vote for John McCain as the Republican presidential nominee. Pictured in front: MS GOP Chairman Jim Herring and Mississippi’s 3rd Congressional district Republican candidate for Congress Gregg Harper. Pictured in back: Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann and Mississippi delegate Mark Cumbest.

The one blip on the evening was the fact that two women protestors somehow managed to sneak into the event (likely from passes cut from the neckstrands of actual delegates that day).  They came down the aisle closest to the stage in ridiculous pink dresses screaming something inaudible from my position.  Luckily, the event occurred while Governor Palin was in the middle of a well-timed remark and the brief altercation was masked by the crowd’s cheers.  The law enforcement effort here has been overwhelming and appreciated.  Overall, Wednesday was a great night filled with energy and enthusiasm among the GOP.  Tonight will bring the convention to a close as Sen. John McCain accepts his nomination.  

Stay tuned for more coverage from tonight’s Convention proceedings.  Also, check back for pictures from the event.

Sarah Palin took the stage with power and force tonight at the Republican National Convention.  A speech that showed Palin was humorous and charismatic, yet strong and tenacious as she spoke to a crowd of thousands of people in the Xcel center.  Palin entered the arena and brought the crowd to its feet for a standing ovation that seemed to last forever before settling down.  Her words brought cheers, laughs, chants, and even boos when Palin refered to Democratic candidate Barack Obama.

Below are pictures from the tonight’s convention and Palin’s speech.  Check back tomorrow for a more detailed report of tonight (Wednesday’s) session.  Also, check back for more pictures.

Click here to view several pictures from the Republican National Convention.

Tuesday Night Breakdown

COUNTRY FIRST: Service
Although the Convention schedule was packed into three days rather than the traditional four due to Hurricane Gustav, everything seemed to run smoothly as the second night of the convention kicked off with the much-awaited excitement.

Walking into the Xcel Center Tuesday night, it was clear what the central theme was of the night: Service.  Several speakers graced the stage and many shared inspirational stories of service.  All of the veterans in the building including George H.W. Bush, five Medal of Honor winners, and over 200 of McCain’s fellow POW soldiers were all recognized during the program. 

One stand-out speaker of the convention was Mississippi native Ashley Gunn.  Miss Gunn, of Brandon, spoke with a confident smile as she told the crowd about her non-profit charity that she founded, Students Aiding Indigent Families (SAIF).  “SAIF’s mission is to deliver hope through home ownership,” Gunn said.  The program is “committed to lending a helping hand to the less fortunate.”  SAIF buys abandoned homes and encourages students to help in the remodeling process.  Once the home is remodeled, it becomes available at below-market price for those struggling to make ends meet.  Ashley then focused on the service of John McCain and closed by saying, “This country needs organizations like SAIF, and this country needs President John McCain!” 

Several opportunities for donating to relief organizations were also placed throughout the Convention.  It is truly worthy to note that as the convention excitement launched Tuesday, a significant focus on Hurricane Gustav victims still remained.

The highlighted speakers of the night were First lady Laura Bush, President Bush, former U.S. Senator Fred Thompson, and U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman.  Laura Bush delivered an eloquent speech as she spoke of John McCain as a “real American hero” and Gov. Sarah Palin as a “strong executive and a proven reformer.”  President Bush spoke to the enthusiastic crowd via satellite.  He began by commending the Gulf States’ response to Hurricane Gustav.  Later, he noted that he was optimistic that Americans will look at the judgment and experience and vote for the McCain/Palin ticket in November.

As the excitement built, Fred Thompson and Joe Lieberman came to the stage and topped off the night by delivering the most exciting and forceful speeches thus far.  One Mississippi delegate from Tishomingo noted that Thompson was “truly inspirational,” and that it was “the first chance for us to get revved up.”  National Committee woman Cindy Phillips said, “Fred really got the job done tonight.”

Thompson focused on the strength, courage, and honor of John McCain while also delivering bare-knuckles blows to  the “most liberal and most inexperienced presidential nominee,” Barack Obama.  He noted that the Democratic-led Congress was unpopular and has accomplished little, and McCain and Palin would really shake up the federal government if elected.

As the second night of the convention sessions came to an end, the focus of the convention took a quick turn to the highly anticipated speech of Gov. Sarah Palin. Tickets to the Xcel Center seem to be much harder to come by for this evening as Palin is scheduled for tonight.

Check back as coverage from the convention will be updated daily.
 

Tuesday, September 2, 2008- Live from the Convention

With hundreds of signs waving throughout the crowd that read ”Country First” and “Service,” the night kicked off with a differant wave of momentum than the previous session.  The central theme was summarized by Joe Lieberman’s quote “Country matters more than the party.”

Fred Thompson got the crowd on their feet with a motivating, yet straightforward speech highlighting the character and service of John McCain.  He seemed to be the most persuasive speaker of the night receiving several standing ovations and chants of “U-S-A” and “Country First.” 

Pictures of the event are below. Check back tomorrow for a more detailed description on the night’s events and speakers.

Mississippi delegation on the floor of the Republican National Convention

Monday, September 1st Update from Minneapolis/ St. Paul

The day started off with a Mississippi delegation breakfast in Minneapolis.  Mississippi GOP Chairman Jim Herring welcomed the crowd of Mississippi delegates, alternate delegates, and guests.  The topic of the breakfast was undoubtedly Hurricane Gustav. 

It seemed as if the complete focus of the Republican National Convention was temporarily turned to the storm.  Sen. John McCain’s Deputy Campaign Manager Christian Ferry visited the breakfast and spoke to the Mississippi crowd.  Several speakers were canceled on Monday and events were changed to fundraisers to benefit those affected by the storm.  Only necessary business was conducted which included the delegates accepting the Republican platform.  Ferry emphasized the fact that we are here to do a job of nominating Sen. McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin as our president and vice president; however, he said we should now focus on our efforts to support those in the Gulf States.

Ferry said, “Now is a time to take our Republican hat off and put our American hat on.”  He highlighted that this is a great time to focus the convention on “Country first,” McCain’s slogan for the presidential election.  He then informed the Mississippi delegation on McCain and Palin’s visit to Jackson, MS.  Both visited in order to receive a full briefing of the storm and to assess possible storm impacts in advance of the arrival of Gustav.

Tennessee Representative and Mississippi native Marsha Blackburn, was a featured speaker at the breakfast as well.  Blackburn noted that we as Americans should “focus on what we believe in and what makes our country great.”  She emphasized her excitement and support for Governor Sarah Palin as the vice presidential pick for the Republican ticket.  She said that Palin knows that in order to change the world, we must start at home.

Another interesting featured speaker at the breakfast was Colonel Bud Day, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who was a Prisoner of War in the same camp as McCain.  He intrigued the crowd with a heart-felt story of his 5 years as a POW and his experience as McCain’s bed-side neighbor while in the camp.  He noted McCain’s courage and loyalty as he refused to take an early release in front of his fellow soldiers.  At 95 lbs, McCain was on the edge of death.  Colonel Day said that McCain “took death before dishonor.”

GOP Chairman Jim Herring closed the breakfast by announcing a prayer service that has been organized by the Texas, Louisiana, and the Mississippi delegation.  It is to be held today from 4 to 5 in St. Paul for those who want to gather to pray for those affected by Hurricane Gustav.

Later in the day, an afternoon business meeting was conducted on a smaller scale at the convention due to several canceled speakers.  Rules and platform were adopted.  Cindy McCain and Laura Bush spoke at the meeting and Haley Barbour, Bobby Jindal, Bob Riley and Rick Perry were brought in on satellite to give updates on Hurricane Gustav.

Check back for more coverage from the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis/ St. Paul.