News from the Convention
ST. PAUL, Minn. - When I was told I would be covering the Republican National Convention in Minnesota for my “real job,” it was sort of like winning hard-to-get tickets to a concert or some sporting event.
I’d get to see all the balloons, confetti, people cheering as politicos sound out their talking points on a nice fancy stage with all the bells and whistles just like on TV. I’d be rubbing elbows with the likes of Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Wolf Blitzer and Chris Matthews as news broke from the floor of the convention.
But the reality is – political conventions are a made-for-TV events. It’s like going to the Super Bowl – yes, it’s great opportunity people would kill to go to, but you miss a lot by not seeing it on television.
Probably the biggest thing missed by attending the GOP convention on my part was this vice-presidential nominee Gov. Sarah Palin phenomenon that conservatives were ranting and raving about. After her speech, this Wonder Woman, June Cleaver and Bill Dance governor all rolled into one, gave this extraordinary speech. But I suppose you really had to have seen it on TV to have appreciated it? A hockey mom is a pit bull with lipstick, huh?
Instead, it’s a mix of jaded inside-the-Beltway journalists skeptical of every word uttered by any politician, rich and well-connected party donors who bought their way in as a delegate or overzealous party organizers who live and die by Republican politics in their hometowns and of course lobbyists and other business interests trying to angle their way into influencing seats of power.
That doesn’t exactly sound like going to homecoming at a high school football game, does it?
But, after surveying scene you realize the significance of these sorts of events. I mean, there are protesters who collect aluminum cans on the side of the road for four years so they can save up Greyhound bus fare to these conventions and protest out in the streets about Bush and Cheney’s war – and there are quite a few of those that show up.
A clever counter-gimmick for combating these protesters would be to hand out a little soap, shampoo and some grooming kits then maybe good personal hygiene would make these folks less angry at the world. Maybe I’ll submit that idea to the DNC and the RNC for 2012.
Hurricane Gustav Dampens Mobile Delegation Participation
The first day of the Republican National Convention was a very somber one with not a lot of news to report. Even though Hurricane Gustav didn’t turn out to be the “mother of all storms,” as New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin warned in the days leading up to the storm’s landfall, it did keep Sen. Jeff Sessions away for the entire event.
“He stayed in the Mobile area and spent the days following the storm visiting affected communities and working with mayors, local leaders, and EMA officials,” Stephen Boyd, spokesman for Sessions, said to Lagniappe.
Rep. Jo Bonner did make it to St. Paul, but for only events on Wednesday and Thursday morning according to his press secretary, Nancy Wall. And, Sen. Richard Shelby did manage to make it up also for one day according to his spokeswoman Laura Henderson.
Alabama GOP Delegation Upbeat
The Alabama Republican delegation has a positive disposition coming out of this convention according to Alabama School Board Representative Randy McKinney.
McKinney told Lagniappe that even though it was a foregone conclusion Alabama would go to Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain in the upcoming presidential election, the delegation would still come out of the convention motivated to push all the candidates running as Republicans for other political seats.
“I think our delegation is upbeat and optimistic,” McKinney said. “They’re positive and excited about the critical role they play.”
He noted that although McCain wasn’t known for his exciting oratory skills, he said the Arizona senator had a substantive value-driven message that excited him.
Mobilian Todd Burkhalter Cited on ABC
If you follow national politics closely – you might have been caught off guard when Mobile was referenced on one of the Sunday talk shows.
On the Aug. 31 “This Week,” host George Stephanopoulos cited Mobile delegate Todd Burkhalter, who was a little critical of McCain’s running mate choice, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, in an interview with Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C.
“What do you say to this Republican delegate from Mobile, Alabama, Todd Burkhalter? He says this, ‘We’re in a global war, we’re in a global economy, so it’s less than honest if someone says that this woman is qualified to lead America right now,’” Stephanopoulos said, reading from the Aug. 30 New York Times.
Not to take anything from Mr. Burkhalter’s political insight and I’ve been a little out of the loop as far as Mobile politics go – but did anyone wonder why the inside-the-Beltway media would go out of its way to quote a guy that finished fourth in a state senate race in 2006 to disparage McCain’s veep choice, as if it were the norm and not an anomaly?
Could it be Burkhalter, a supporter of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee’s bid for the White House, is upset his guy wasn’t chosen to run with McCain? Just asking.
Contact Jeff Poor at jeffreypoor@yahoo.com.
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