The long drive home.

After only 3 1/2 hours of sleep I hit the road. Of course I could not take the normal route back, I had to take the scenic route thru the U.P.

That turned out to be quite a chore. There is no easy way to get from Minneapolis to the U.P. It is all 2 lane black top. You go from one county road to another. I had no idea if I was going to find the U. P. or be lost in upper Wisconsin all day.

I drove thru the U.P. and stopped briefly at a road side park to admire the view of the Straights...

I stopped again for an hour and a half in Gaylord to visit my folks and some college friends.

812 miles later I arrived at home (10:30 PM and 14 1/2 hours later).

It felt good to sleep in my own bed. (and of course to see my wife!!)

And so it comes to an end...

After the great day we had on Wednesday...I knew Thursday would be a bit of a let down. As I looked over the list of speakers, I did not seen anyone who could come close to Rudi and Sarah. The list included the following:

1. Tom Ridge - The first Homeland Security Chief
2. Governor Palenty of Minnesota
3. Senator Linsey Grahm
4. Cindy McCain

The list did show two spots as TBA. I was wondering if they convinced 'the governator' to make the trip from California...but unfortunately they did not. The two surprise guests were the Gold medal winner in the decathlon (I forgot his name) and Joe Gibbs (former NFL coach and NASCAR team owner). They were ok...nothing special. Rudi had set the bar way too high.

I did spend some time earlier in the day in the Fox News Experience. You could go under their big tent and see several of their sets and their team hard at work. My friend Shannon got his picture taken with Sean Hannity. I also understand that earlier in the week Bill O'Reilly spent some time talking with the fans. It was my loss that I did now know about it earlier in the week. I did briefly speak to Carl Cameron who was on his way into the Xcel Center. He is a sharp guy and I enjoy his commentary. He is also very tall and thin, more than what he looks like on TV.

As the speeches continued on the floor, I worked my way down to a club level seat in the front row. (I used some of my usual tricks that I have used at sporting events before). It turned out to be a nice spot to see the stage and the video boards.

I will have to admit as McCain got started I was distracted by the protesters. We had one that was 3 sections away from us. On the rebroadcast they did show him briefly on The Fox News Channel. What a bunch of idiots. While I strongly defend their right to protest, during his acceptance speech is not acceptable. I was disappointed the cops did not haul the guy away sooner.

McCain's speech was not spectacular, but it did end in a flourish. I think it got projected the right message. If I were a betting man, I still say his chances are 40%...but then again, I was the guy who thought that Dick DeVos would win the governors race in 2006!

There was a lot of talk earlier in the day on what was going on in Detroit. We were all thankful that Kilpatrick is done. Its about time.

After the speech was over I worked my way down to the lower level and just soaked in the moment. I made a promise to myself that in 4 years I will run to be a delegate.

Now the 60 day sprint to the finish begins...along with my 12 hour drive back to Detroit!

Before the convention

I forgot to mention that I attended the Republican Govenors Association lunch before the convention. I arrived late and missed Mike Huckabee jaming with a band that included the lead guitarist of Alabama.

I did arrive in time to see a set by country music artist Clint Walker. He was excellent. Too bad more people did not attend. There could not have been more than 100 people in the building when he played. My Michigan group stood right in front of the dance floor...

An interesting dinner

After the speeches were finished, a group of us made a trip over to The St. Paul Hotel and had a late dinner.

If you watched the coverage on TV, you might have seen the unique National Anthem sang by Big & Rich (right after Sarah's speech). Well...at the table behind me at dinner was Big & Rich! They even came over to our table and I got a chance to meet them and talk briefly.

On the flip side...at the table next to me was Chris Mathews of MSNBC. He is probably the most biased liberal commentator on TV. Needless to say I had no interest in meeting him.

A member of our group ran into the head of the Arizona delegation. Their group is just left of the stage. This person said that Rudi ad libed at least HALF of his speech. Amazing! It was a great speech. It was even better than Sarah's speech in my opinion...

I finally get down on the floor

Many thanks to my friend Chris who 'loaned' me his floor pass so I could go down and walk around and take pictures. Our delegation all wore our hockey jerseys from the Sunday night party. Everyone loved them. I had people stop me to take pictures with me wearing my jersey.

The floor as you might imagine was chaos. It was hard to move around. I passed Frank Luntz the pollster, Andrea Mitchell of NBC and Senator Trent Lott doing an interview. It absolutely made my day!

As you can see, I did get up close to the stage during Carly Fiorina's speech (formerly the CEO of HP) and Meg Whitman's speech (former CEO of EBAY). In fact, after the event was over I ran into Meg in the hallway and congratulated her on her speech.

A wild day...

I was able to capture a few pictures of protesters today. I have been looking for them, but the major protests have been well before our convention starts in the evening. Here are a few pictures you might enjoy.

There was one group of what I would call 'counter protesters' at the MSNBC set. I love their signs! At one point during the convention one of the speakers referred to the 'main stream media bias' and the floor went up with a chant of "NBC...NBC...NBC " It was fabulous!

Lieberman and Thompson kick things off !

There were some members of our delegation that were concerned about what we would get from Fred Thompson. He spoke at our policy conference on Mackinac Island last fall and it was not well received. Fortunately I think he did very well. I loved his line that referenced Obama's comment that the decision about when life begins "is above my pay grade". It got a roar from the crowd. Lets just call it 'fresh meat' for the faithful.

I was amazed that the headliner for the night was the 2000 VP Pick for the Democratic Party Joeseph Liberman. He stayed away from the areas that would not go over well with the Republican attendees and focused on John McCain and his qualifications. I will admit to being a little uncomfortable with one refernce to Bill Clinton and items that were accomplished during his administration.

I will also note that there is a buzz in the convention for Wednesday night and Sarah Palin's speech. I can't wait!

My first day at the Xcel Center

Tuesday was my first chance to visit the convention center. I took the time during the early presentations to take a walk around the ground floor and the upper level of the building.

Just as I arrived House Minority Leader John Boehner was on stage giving a speech where he made reference to Congressman Thad McCotter. That got a nice cheer from the Michigan Delegation.

I must admit that our delegates have been treated very well. We are right up front just to the right of Ohio (who is right in front of the stage). I did not get a chance to visit the floor, I hope to do that on Wednesday long enough to get my picture taken.

My guest pass gets me to section 224 which is almost the worst seat in the house (except for behind the stage). I guess that is part of our punishment for moving our primary up early...

The balloons are all tied up in the ceiling ready to go for Thursday night. The club level is circled by the news media (including Aljezeera!)

I took a few pictures of the Fox News Channel booth where Bill O'Reilly was doing his live program.

Where are they taking us??

One of the interesting things about this event is the level of security present. Each bus has a police officer riding with us. Each hotel has a police officer stationed outside (except for my hotel...I guess they are not worried about protecting a hotel that has ABC News and the FBI !)

On the bus ride over to the Xcel Energy Center we were stopped and checked by bomb sniffing dogs.

On the way back to the hotel after the convention session we passed a large number of National Guard members that were ready with riot gear for whatever the protesters had in mind.

The protesters have been kept a distance from us...which disapoints me. I wanted some interesting pictures of these lunatics and clueless people. I heard one of the TV crews went out and showed them a bunch of pictues to see if they could identify the person in them. I was not surprised when they did not know who Mitt Romney was or Cindy McCain...but Vice President Dick Cheney?? Sounds like they should stop protesting and get an education!

What a view!

At 4:30 I attended a reception hosted by State Senators Jason Allen and Alan Cropsey. The event was held in the penthouse of a 25 story building next to the Xcel Energy Center. As you can see from the pictures, it has an amazing view of the surrounding area.

The owner, Lowell Hellervik, gave us a tour of his home. Several people commented on the view from his Master Bedroom and the amazing Master Bath...but I happened to ask just the right question that made his day.

As we walked towards the bedrooms we passed a map on the wall. I could not read the map (it was not in English) and I could not identify where it was. My best guess was that it was part of Sweden.

Mr. Hellervik explained that the map is his most prized possession in his home. It is a map of northern Norway and it includes a little town (now vacant) called HELLERVIK. He went on to show us 3 x 5 pictures he had hiding behind the map of his trip to Hellervik Norway. Lets just say I was glad I asked...because he loved telling the story of where his family is orignally from.

Breakfast with the First Lady

Tuesday my alarm went off at 6:30 AM (after 5 hours of sleep) and I debated if I wanted to get up and make the 20 mile trek to the Michigan Delegation hotel for breakfast. The host was Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land and her orignally scheduled guest was Governor Halley Barbour of Mississippi.

As we all know, Barbour stayed in Mississippi to assess the damage by Gustav. So I did now know who the 'sub' would be. As you can see from the pictures, I am glad I made the trip.

One of the guests at my table for breakfast said "I will bet it is the first lady" I had left my camera in the car and at that point I decided it might be smart for me to go get it. As I walked back from the car I could see what appeared to be 6 secret service members...it was at that point that I knew my friend was right!

She came in and gave a short speech that fired up the audience. I spoke to Terri afterwords and she hinted that Governor Barbour was helpful in setting up Laura to join us.

Monday Night Party

After spending a few hours at the Civic Fest, I returned to the Michigan Delegation Hotel...got my credentials situation straightened out and then joined a group of friends for dinner at a nice restaurant called M & S Cafe. It turned out to be right next door to the restaurant we had lunch at!

Since I had a car...I drove and took with me State Senator Nancy Cassis and her husband Victor. It turned out my decision to follow the taxi (that had the rest of our group) was a mistake. He drove around in a circle when he could not find where he was going. It was quite an adventure. He finally stopped (where he shouldn't have) and let our group out. I pulled in front and did the same with Nancy & Victor. I only mention this because I got nervous when a Minnesota Police Officer passed around us. I had visions of ticket number 2 on this trip!

I have noticed a very large contingent of security everywhere we go. It seems there are 2 officers on almost every street corner. I even noticed one in his car keeping an eye out at the hotel the Michigan delegation is in. I think they are very fearful of the protesters causing problems. I was told today most of them were down at the Xcel Center. I can't wait to check them out tomorrow and get some pictures!

After a long dinner we stopped at the party hosted by Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard and Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop. Bishop is not very popular with some of our group considering his 'inactivity' on the annexation issue that was recently resolved between Livonia and Northville Township.

As you can see...we had a good time and the live band was very good.

Civic Fest

Since I did not attend the convention during the afternoon on Monday, I decided to got back to the Civic Fest at the Minnesota Convention Center.

Today the hall was very quiet and I got to see all of the presentations in about 4 hours. Here is a quick list of what was on display:

A mockup of an Air Force One

• A couple of Presidential automobiles



• A display of historical American Flags dating all the way back to the 1760's



• A display of replica gowns from first lady's



• Sets of China Patterns from a variety of Presidents

And as you can see from the picture...I even posed for the camera in a mockup of the Oval Office. It was very interesting and educational. I am a bit of a history buff...so I enjoyed walking around checking out everything...

A quiet Labor Day

Due to hurricane Gustav...it was a quiet day in Minneapolis. I had a 'snafu' with my credentials, so I decided to skip the Xcel Center and the mostly 'procedural' items that were handled today.

I was looking forward to many of the speakers. I heard that Laura Bush and Cindy McCain were there...but it sounds like I did not miss much.

I did join the Michigan delegation for lunch at Murray's. It is a nice steak house in Minneapolis. Saul gave a quick speach as did Congressman Pete Hoekstra (a really sharp guy and possible next Governor of Michigan). We also heard from Frank Luntz. He is a polster who does a lot of interviews on the Fox News Channel. He gave his insight to the race and said if McCain wins Michigan he guarantees he will win the Presidency.

The only problem with the lunch event was that the restaurant was not big enough for everyone. They had planned to have us arrive in 2 shifts, but the change in the convention schedule made that impossible.

I will also note that I had a nice conversation with Terri Lynn Land today. Our Secretary of State and I discussed the court case that may put the recall of Michigan House Speaker Andy Dillon on the ballot in November. She brought me up to speed on where it stands and said she will know more in the next 1-2 weeks. It looks like the voters in Redford may get to vote on recalling him AND re-electing him on the same ballot. Hopefully it will be on the ballot...it can only help his opponent Sandra Eggers who has a difficult uproad battle to unseat our House Speaker who has a lot of cash in the bank. I have had the opportunity to meet Sandra several times and I have been very impressed. She has a vision of where we need to take Michigan that I certainly agree with.

Spending time with Gordie Howe!

After leaving the Minnesota Convention Center we took a bus to Tom Reid's Hockey Bar. Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox thru a party for all of the Michigan Delegation with special guest Gordie Howe.

We were fortunate enough to arrive early and Gordie was not very busy. He was signing autographs and smiling for pictures. I was amazed to learn that he is now 80 years old. (he certainly does not look that old). I was also impressed that he spent the better part of 4 hours signing autographs! He seemed to revel in the attention.

As you can imagine...there was a lot of talk about Hurricane Gustav cancelling most of Monday's events. We were all hoping that we would not have a repeat of Katrina. As I post this...it looks like the damage won't be too bad.

I am sure everyone is disappointed we will not get to see the President and the VP tonight. I am also disappointed I won't get to see "the governator" who was also scheduled to speak.

I also have the TV on as I am writing this and they are breaking the story about Sarah Palin's daughter being pregnant. I am sure that will make for a hot topic today.

More to follow...

Most of the Michigan delegation showed up including Michigan GOP Chair Saul Anuzis and Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land. As you can see from the pictures...it was a good time had by all!

For the history buffs...

I arrived at the Michigan Delegation hotel about 4:30 PM. Just in time to get my credentials and jump on a bus to the Minnesota Convention Center.

The Convention Center is not what you will see on TV. The actual convention is at the Xcel Energy Center. The Minnesota Convention Center has a variety of activities and displays for the delegates to enjoy. One of the items I found facinating was a display of campaign material (buttons, pins, ribbons, flyers) from Presidential campaigns dating back to 1840.

One of the complaints I sometimes hear about our political system is that we need more than 2 political parties. It was facinating to see elections from 1900 thru 1920 where we had as many as 5 political parties that had candidates running.

I should have gone by air...

Before I get to all the political stuff, let me get a few items out of the way:

• So much for saving money by driving! I got a speeding ticket in Wisconsin about an hour outside of Minneapolis. 81 in a 65. That will cost me over $200...
• On the filp side, the drive thru northern Wisconsin (including the dels area) is very nice.
• I also owe a big debt of thanks to my Cousin Rich and his family in Chicago for putting me up on Saturday night. It was great catching up with him and meeting his family. (I had not seen him in 23 years!!)

Sarah Who??

Wow...that was unexpected.

I went to bed last night thinking the VP candidate was going to be a governor...but not the governor of Alaska. I was caught off guard like everyone else. I had heard her name once or twice and dismissed her as a long shot.

One of my first thoughts was this: How many commercials did the Dems have 'in the can' against Romney ready to launch? What a waste of money that turned out to be!

As you might imagine...I received a bunch of phone calls from friends asking my opinion...and giving theirs. All of the people I spoke to liked the pick. In fact one of them gave me a Texas Hold'em Poker analogy: McCain just flopped the Nuts and Obama is drawing dead!

I did find it interesting that the one person who did not like the pick was one of my mentors in the party. He pointed out that this pick takes away one of the biggest complaints against Obama: lack of experience. While you could argue that being Governor of Alaska is more managerial experience than Obama's 143 days in the Senate (before he started to run for President). You would only be splitting hairs. This was clearly an attempt by McCain to 'hit one out of the park' and go after the female vote (including the disgruntled Hillary supporters).

The best part of today was the fact that the McCain camp found a way to completely take the air out of Obamas balloon after his 'American Idol' like speach last night. That part was priceless!

Convention Speakers

Here is the list of convention speakers for the week (obviously subject to change once McCain announces his VP pick):

Monday, Sept. 1
Service

"Love of country, my friends, is another way of saying love of your fellow countryman."--Sen. John McCain

John McCain’s commitment to his fellow Americans, a commitment forged in service to his country, is one of the defining hallmarks of his life. Monday’s events will highlight John McCain’s record of service and sacrifice and reflect his commitment to serving a cause greater than one’s own self-interest.

Speakers will include:
U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman (Conn.)
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (Calif.)
Vice President Richard B. Cheney
First Lady Laura Bush
President George W. Bush

Tuesday, Sept. 2
Reform

"If you find faults with our country, make it a better one. If you are disappointed with the mistakes of government, join its ranks and correct them."--Sen. John McCain

John McCain’s life is a testament to the fundamental truth that every American can be a force for change. A restless reformer who has dedicated his career to taking on special interests and the status quo, John McCain will deliver the right kind of change and reform to meet the great challenges of our time. On Tuesday, the convention program will underscore his vision of a government that is transparent, principled and worthy of the American people it serves.

Speakers will include:
Former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani
Former Gov. Mike Huckabee (Ark.)
Former Gov. Tom Ridge (Pa.)
Gov. Sarah Palin (Alaska)
Gov. Jon Huntsman (Utah)
Rosario Marin, California Secretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency and former Treasurer of the United States
Former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson (Tenn.)
Gov. Linda Lingle (Hawaii)
Former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (Md.)

Wednesday, Sept. 3
Prosperity

"America’s best days are still to come."--Sen. John McCainThe American story is one of perseverance. Even in the face of tough times, the ingenuity and spirit of the American people has ushered in a new era of prosperity. Wednesday’s program will focus on John McCain’s plans to get our economy back on track and continue our long tradition of meeting the challenges we face and using our prosperity to help others. The day will conclude with an address by the vice presidential nominee.

Speakers will include:
U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman (Minn.)
Meg Whitman, National Co-Chair for McCain 2008 and former President and CEO of eBay
Carly Fiorina, Victory ‘08 Chairman for the Republican National Committee and former Chairman and CEO of Hewlett-Packard Co.
Former Gov. Mitt Romney (Mass.)
Mrs. Cindy McCain
Gov. Bobby Jindal (La.)
Republican Party’s Vice Presidential Nominee

Thursday, Sept. 4
Peace

"Our next president will have a mandate to build an enduring global peace on the foundations of freedom, security, opportunity, prosperity, and hope."--Sen. John McCainJohn McCain understands the challenges that America faces in the world and the sacrifice necessary to defend our freedom in a way that few others can fathom. Thursday’s events will reflect his vision of an America in pursuit of peace and seen as a beacon of goodwill and hope throughout the world. The evening will close with John McCain accepting the Republican Party’s nomination for the Presidency of the United States.

Speakers will include:
Gov. Tim Pawlenty (Minn.)
Gov. Charlie Crist (Fla.)
U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback (Kan.)
U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez (Fla.)
John McCain

In the coming days, the 2008 Republican National Convention will announce additional speakers and program details.

Michigan Delegation - List of Events

In case you are interested, here is the official list of events (so far) for the Michigan Delegation next week:

SATURDAY AUGUST 30th:
Welcoming Reception with the Michigan Delegation and Michigan Chairman Saul Anuzis. (7 to 10 PM)

SUNDAY AUGUST 31st:
Jazz Brunch: Fund for American Opportunity Education Fund (Noon to 3 PM)

Delegate Party: Sponsored by the Minneapolis St. Paul Host Committee (6 to 9 PM)

Reception: Attorney General Mike Cox with special guest Gordie Howe (7 to 11 PM)

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 1st:
Breakfast: Grassroots Michigan (7:30 to 9 AM)

Lunch: Fund for American Opportunity Education Fund (Noon to 2:30 PM)

Convention Session: Xcel Energy Center 2:30 PM to 10 PM Central Time

Delegation Photo: 6:15 PM

Reception: Hosts - State Senator Mike Bishop and Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard (9:30 PM to Midnight)

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 2nd:
Breakfast: The grassroots fund honoring Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land with special guest Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour (7:30 to 9 AM)

Reception: Michigan Senators Jason Allen & Alan Cropsey (4:30 to 6:30 PM)

Convention Session: Xcel Energy Center 6:20 to 10:05 PM

Reception: Solar Energies Industry Association/ American Wind Energy Association (9:30 PM to 1 AM)

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 3rd:
Breakfast: Grassroots Michigan (7:30 to 9 AM)

Convention Session: Xcel Energy Center 6:20 to 11:20 PM

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 4th:
Breakfast: Grassroots Michigan (7:30 to 9 AM)

Convention Session: Xcel Energy Center 6:20 to 10:15 PM

Afterglow: Host - Attorney General Mike Cox (11 PM until ??)

There are a lot of other events and parties not listed here...but you get the idea!