In a cab now headed back to Minneapolis...thanks for reading... read my regular blog @ hcrp.blogspot.com & get involved to help us win!!!

St. Paul is a great city..in fact, the Twin Cities have been great...we all agreed that the city made us feel very welcome & did great.

Just got out of the xcel center...gotta beat the crowds...convention a great experience...

Balloons & confetti coming with lots more to go...place is ROCKING RIGHT NOW....The close of that speech was great...

Helluva finish...crowd rockin to "raising mccainsong"...

We can elect a true American hero or an empty suit & a cute speech....i hope the voters see it...

The ending of this speech is remarkable..you can hear a pin drop as Sen. McCain talks of his service...incredible...

Sen Mccain got better as the speech went on...im looking up @ the balloons....

This is a good speech designed to let America see who is ready to be President...there can be bo doubt now...

Cindy mccain & Gov Palin just left their seats & are headed under the seats & around to obviously join Sen McCain...that happened right by us...

I'll admit to thinking McCain was in a bad spot on his Iraq stance last year...he was RIGHT...no objective observer can say it isn't true....

Wondering how the idiot protesters ever got in here...and wondering how this looks on TV...McCain handling it with grace...

There is a network tv cameraman right by me who has a personal camera & is taking pics of his own...interesting...

Wondering how that green screen looks behind him....McCain can't get started b/c of chants of USA...

McCain out...its very cool...hate to admit it in writing...but goosebumps...

The video is quite moving...McCain is what a President should be...

Roberta McCain is unbelievable...

There is a nice video playing on the big board here...

Podium gone again!! no podium...

I was wrong...there is a podium & teleprompter...but different than everyone else's...music playing Kool & Gang "celebration"...place ready!!!

They just did a set change on the fly for Sen McCain. It would appear the Senator will be "flying w/o a net"...interesting....

Ann Curry from the Today Show is about 20 feet from me now...the Today Show about the only part of NBC News that is worth watching...

These things are so interesting...i'm about 50 feet from Henry Kissinger now...and the media types just wander about...

This man told us that our convention was better organized & smoother...any doubt Republicans are better at running things? Not me.

had an interesting chat w/ a guy who professionally runs conventions...he was @ DNC last week in Denver...(more in next post)

I had my first protester annoy me today...a loudmouth punk with a megaphone thing right as we walked in...hard not to physically strike them

Cindy McCain is a great public speaker in her own right...

The stage is all re-worked...no podium...interesting...

She just came onto the stage escorted by her kids...all of them...pretty powerful....she's getting a standing O

Video now about Cindy McCain...she is a neat person....a pilot, loves race cars...

Just arrived into the convention hall & walking to my seat...

Pictures

Check out pictures of the convention on my regular blog at http://hcrp.blogspot.com.

I will resume mobile blogging on this site tonight from the Convention floor.

Thanks for reading!

I am curious to hear how she came off on TV...she was GREAT in person...

The teleprompter just had the word nuclear spelled "new-clear"...funny...that practice didn't work for Pres Bush...funny

She put the alaska jet on e-bay...i didn't know that!

I'm still standing on the floor & inching ever closer...i'm next to Michigan sign...

This place all pointed @ the NBC news/MSNBC booth that is safely tucked away next to al-jazeera & shouted "shame on you"...how right she is...

She is a HUGE hit with this crowd...her zinger's on Obama are classic...

The unscripted joke shows she is READY for prime time...

Where we are, we can see the teleprompter...the "hockey mom/pitbull" joke was UNSCRIPTED & NOT in her prepared remarks...

I think the speech is measured, professional, & warm...she is a poised person...

This is the single best political event I have ever done....ever...place is so noisy...feels historic...

Here she is.....SO LOUD ITS DEAFENING....

This place will be rockin' for Gov Palin...energy just incredible...

What can't be seen on TV is the incredible digital board behind Rudy & all the convention speakers...

Close enuff to stage now to really see stage very well...very exciting & fun...glad I waded onto floor...lucky that I could get down here..

NBC news is convniently placed to the LEFT of al-jazeera...HONEST...

Standing now near Texas spot on floor...standing nxt to Cincinnati's Bill Hemmer...about 50 feet from Rudy...

Decided to wade onto the floor..

Ok...i changed my mind...wading down into floor just for Palin...

Gov Palin's family,including several of her children just took seats in the special dais for family/dignitaries...

More sightings: former Sen. & former McCain adviser Phil Gramm...Gov Pawlenty is here

Chip Gerhardt & Brent Sanders decided to stay on the floor...not me...too crowded & no seats...its nice to be on floor, but overrated...

Last night we walked out with Brian Williams (NBC) & Jon Voight...there is no "secret" entrance...all come & go as we do...

For political junkies, these things are great...so far, i've seen, up close, Dick Morris, Mora Liasson (sp?) from Fox/NPR, Karl Rove...

The floor of the convention is a mass of people & nearly impossible to move...i'm gonna wade in now just to say hello to friends...

Huckabee called Obama's european trip "Barack's excellent adventure"...great line

Tonight, it was mrs. Romney & one of the Romney children...

We are sitting about 20 feet from the special dais where dignitaries sit...yesterday it was Pres. G.W. Bush & Barbara...and Cindy McCain

Mike Huckabee now speaking...he called the choice of Palin "unifying"...i couldn't agree more...huckabee is humorous & self deprecating...

I am sitting next to my friend & former colerain twp trustee Keith Corman...

What u can't see on TV? The party-like atmosphere in the arena between speakers...music gets loud & the Republicans are rockin'...kinda funny

Floor is packed tonight...we were on floor last nite, but not tonight...we are 4 rows back...Ohio is front & cnter

Romney speaking now...he is quite strong...this place is already buzzing & fuller than last nite..countdown & anticipation to Gov. Palin is real.

Just arrived on scene @ xCel Energy Center...let me offer a quick "Hello" to my son Michael who I know is following this blog...

Blog confusion

Because of painful technical problems, I am only able to blog from my mobile phone to this particular blog. My regular Party blog is at: http://hcrp.blogspot.com and I will be mostly posting there unless I am on-site at the convention. Thanks for your patience and to the many that have expressed an interest in what we are doing in Minneapolis.

Oh, and a Cy Young Award winning Hall of Fame pitcher named Jim Bunning was on the flight.

The flight was interesting. A stable of Republican stars was on board: Greg Hartmann, Maggie Nafziger, Chip Gerhardt.

guess this will be my first blog entry from convention...I'm on a plane to MN...excited about this now slim-downed convention...

Event ended...BIG hit...my phone dying...

Obama's "experience" is running for political office; Governor
Palin's experience is bringing people together to get things done.

Her remarks are electrifying this crowd...we will win this election!

Gov. Palin on the stage & about to talk...wow...she is awesome...when America learns about her, they will love her...

Gov. Palin will be in Cincinnati for a FUNDRAISER @ the home of John & Eileen Barrett...come meet her!

Mccain talking about Palin now...mccain has his daughter on stage with him...

One dumb hekler...NO class...

There is a microphone problem...but we can still here....

Crowd chanting McCain's name!

McCain here...DEAFENING loud...Obama has NOTHING on us...place is rocking.....

Lights down...thinking he's coming out...we are ready...

There are cheerleaders on the stage...i think they're from Monroe High School...they weren't allowed to go to school today.....joking...

Crowd doing the wave now...ROB PORTMAN DOING THE WAVE! That alone is worth the price of admission (tickets were free).

Been to so many poltical events...one of the best parts is to see the number of children...kids are the best...especially Republican ones :-)

Lights down now & video about mccain's service brought the place to a hush...the moving video of the Senator in that hospital bed is incredible.

Gov. Palin supports life!

Is Gene Simmons a Republican?

There is band playing right now...the singer is asking the crowd to sing along with the Kiss classic "I wanna Rock & Roll all night"...hmmm.

Learning more about Palin here...she is a mavarick for sure...has really taken on status quo...she is highly accomplished & professional...

And fries...

Palin took on the establishment in Alaska beating an incumbent Republican...SHE REPRESENTS SENSIBLE CHANGE! I am so excited about this pick.

Palin has been strong on energy independence, blocked the "bridge to nowhere," she has taken on the establishment & lead on ethics reform

Palin is the pick...i just received the official press statement...GREAT CHOICE! She will shake up the status quo in DC...2 mavaricks!

I do need a cheeseburger...

Greg, Joe, & I are all standing way in the back of the venue with no seats. We chose to do that & forego VIP seats to get a sense of the crowd

As Chairman of our Party, I was offered Gold VIP tix to this event. I passed...as did regional McCain Chair Joe Deters & Ham. Cnty Chair Greg H.

Rob Portman is a great emcee...he will be a great Governor. Mary Taylor, Ohio's impressive State Auditor, is now speaking. Another great Repub

she is a real star in our Party. She will bring great energy to this campaign and she will make history as the first female VP.

I am likely the last to know, but it appears that Gov. Palin of Alaska is the choice. That is great news. She is a pro-life conservative..and..

Rob Portman is the emcee of this event. Kevin DeWine, Vice Chair of the Ohio Republican Party, is speaking. Kevin is great!

Program starting...this place is just jammed...Obama has NOTHING on us folks...NOTHING...over 10k people in Dayton on a work day..WE ARE WINNING!

Trying to blog pictures with no luck.

Inside the venue...PACKED...people lined up outside...so full some may not get in...unbelievable energy.

We have now arrived at the Nutter Center...it is packed. All the media is reporting Sara Palin as VP...sounds very good!

Even if it is not Palin, she has gotten tremendous attention...

Hearing another rumor that it is NOT palin...i have nothing official from anyone...the speculation & excitement & feeding frenzy is GREAT!

Just boarded the bus to Dayton...hot rumor is Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska, as VP. That rumor was met with great enthusiasm from this crowd.

I'll be blogging from our bus ride to Dayton & about the rally. Anxious to hear who will be the next VP of America.

Thanks for visiting this mobile blog posting area. Using this site, I can send text messages that automatically become blog spots. Whatever.