RNC: Guest Post

Linda Petrou is an adjunct professor of communications at Wake Forest University. This posting was published by Media General's Washington bureau:

Delegate Dispatch: One Convention, Two Hats
Tue, September 02, 2008 - 2:12 AM

This week I am wearing two hats. One hat is at faculty leader for The Washington Center convention program. The other as an alternate delegate to the Republican convention here in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Last week was devoted to the Washington Center. Each day the entire group of 100+ college students and 14 faculty leaders plus staff met at Augsburg College which is almost a mile from the hotel. We had speakers during the morning and in the afternoons after meeting with our small groups (each faculty leader has 6-10 student assigned to them) we toured the area, including going to the state fair and the Xcel Center. While it was a busy week, it was rather quiet. But it all changed on Sunday as The Washington Center students and faculty moved out to another hotel near Mall of America so that the North Carolina and New Mexico delegations could move in. Since I am a member of the delegation I did not have to move.

On Sunday, the hotel was abuzz about the selection of Gov. Sarah Palin as Senator John McCain's running mate. It was generally felt that this was a home run selection and the delegates were excited. There was concern though about Hurricane Gustav and what it might bring. We did learn later in the evening that the convention program for Monday would be truncated and that the governors of the affected states would not be in Minneapolis nor would President Bush come out to speak on Monday.

In the lull of Sunday afternoon and the start of the convention, a number of us went the Minneapolis Convention Center to hear a concert featuring Lee Greenwood and then to view the movie American Carol staring Leslie Nelson, Kelsey Grammer, and John Voigt among others. Afterwards we all attended the Welcome Reception hosted by the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. It was held also in the Convention center but in the area where they are holding Civic Fest. This is a display of presidential artifacts, including dresses from first ladies, an old Airforce One, a limo that was used by FDR, flags. It was fun to walk around and see all the exhibits.

Monday was the day that we had our first delegation meeting. Usually at these meetings representatives from the campaign appear and rally the troops. That was the case at this meeting. We heard from Senator Richard Burr, former Louisiana Governor Buddy Roemer, and Former Senator Dan Coates from Indiana. During their talks people's cell phones started going off. It was at this time that the breaking news came of Sarah Palin's daughter being pregnant and of her husband's DUI in 1986. The feeling was leave them alone. It is a family matter not a public matter. The only reason it came out this way was due to the stories that were being printed in the Daily Kos stating that Sarah Palin's youngest son was not her's but her daughter's. The family decided to stop the stories and release a statement.

Later in the day I as approached by a reporter and she asked me what I thought about Sarah Palin's daughter. My response was what was she running for? The reporter looked confused and said why vice president. No I said, the daughter, what is she running for? It took a couple of moments and the reporter finally realized what I was saying. To help her out a little I said that we should leave the children of Obama, Biden, McCain, and Palin alone. They are not running for anything. She then asked how did it fit with family values? My response was just fine. She decided not to have an abortion but to get married and raise the baby.

The convention proceedings were truncated today due to the hurricane in Louisiana. The convention was called to order and then recessed for about an hour so that the committees could meet. Once it was back in session the delegates quickly agreed to the rules and platform committee reports.

Then there was a collective gasp in the room as Laura Bush walked out followed by thunderous applause that went on for several minutes. She spoke about the storm and introduced a video from the governors of Alabama, Florida, Texas, and Mississippi. After these short videos, Mrs. Bush came back on the stage with Cindy McCain. Both women talked about the need for service and the need to help. They asked that the delegates take out their cell phones and text message 2help and type in give; this was an easy way to donate $5 each call which will be billed on the next statement. After that, the convention recessed until the call of the chair. We don't know as I write this whether there will be a session tomorrow or not.

It was not until we got back to the hotel and turned on television that we heard about the demonstrators. We did not see them nor hear them. They did, however, prevent the delivery of the box lunches for the delegates. The only thing that made it through the demonstrators was chips, cookies and water. No one knows what happened to the sandwiches!

All in all it was a good day. There was some grumbling from folks from Iowa who wondered why all the fuss about New Orleans; they had just been flooded out and no one had come to their aid. But everyone understood the concern and especially the symbolism of a hurricane in New Orleans.

-- Linda Petrou

*Disclaimer: Guest posts do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of The Washington Center.