No one was sure what affect the storm Gusav would have on the Republican National Convention. After a weekend of heavy rain and evacuations in the Gulf Coast region, the convention was back on track. Before traditional convention discussions began, those present focused on collecting funds for the Red Cross and other NGOs helping with the storm.
Laura Bush’s speech was one of the first. While a vocal advocate for education and a better America, she rarely makes public appearances on this scale. Having some difficulty with the teleprompter (we understand), she said that when natural disasters occur “we are reminded that first, we are all Americans – and that our shared American ideals will always transcend political parties.
Along those lines of transcending political sides, I noticed a tendency of all the speakers to reference taking off their “Republican hats” and putting on their “American hats” as if they were different. From elephant hats, to baseball caps, to cowboy hats – man, the hats were great on the convention floor!
One of the highlights of the convention was a flag tribute with clips of moments in American history. Victoria Blackstone, a Minnesota High School student won a contest in which students answered the question, “What does the flag mean to me?”
The most talked about events were the speeches given by Rudy Guiliani, Governor Sarah Palin, and Senator John McCain. Guiliani, former mayor of New York City, was a Republican Presidential contender prior to McCain securing his party’s nomination. He began his speech by telling the crowd that Hollywood should not decide our next President and that the American people have to ask the correct questions and then decide. He likened the position of President to any other job process. “You’re hiring someone to do a job-an important job that involves the safety and security of your family. Imagine that you have two job applications in your hand-with the names and party affiliations taken off the top. They’re both good and patriotic men with very different life experiences that have led them to this moment in history,” Guiliani said.
While Guiliani suggested a good thought process for hiring a President, many were taken back by his laughter at community organizing. After speaking about McCain, he said in reference to Obama, “You have a resume from a gifted man with an Ivy League education. He worked as a community organizer, and immersed himself in Chicago machine politics. Then he ran for the state legislature-where nearly 130 times he was unable to make a decision yes or no. He simply voted present.” Guiliani was making the point that McCain is more decisive.
Guiliani’s closing was a highlight of his speech, “And were are the party that believes unapologetically in America’s essential greatness – that we are a shining city on the hill, a beacon of freedom that inspires people everywhere to reach for a better world.
