Deputized FrontBurnerer David Schenck files another report from the north. It begins:
After reading the responses with some amusement, I think I should start this post with some more general observations about this process and my humble role in it.
He goes on just a little bit — enough for a jump. (Photo is of Michael Williams who will introduce John McCain.)
More from Schenck:
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I’m not by habit a terribly public person and, before this election, had never really gone to work for a presidential candidate. By virtue of the nature of my work, I do know most of the judges and elected officials–Republican and Democrat–in our part of the world. I’ve come to admire and respect most of them. I met John McCain almost two years ago and urged him (along with millions of others) to run. I’ve since had the good fortune to meet with him in small and large groups many times since. I came here because he’s smart, worldly, sincere and plain spoken. He’s not a hairdo, a party hack, or an empty suit reading a teleprompter. In fact, he struggles to read a teleprompter and if you see him speaking contemporaneously to a small group, you’ll know why Obama fears the open format and town hall settings for debates.
That said, I find it ironic in the extreme that I’m labeled a wing nut for coming to St. Paul when for the last year I’ve been taking abuse or viewed with suspicion from those who imagine themselves to the right of me for supporting John McCain. As my old buddy Darrell Jordan would say, “So be it.”
Now, as for the actual proceedings, by the good graces of my friend Johnny Lopez, I was seated at the very front and first seat in the Texas delegation through most of the evening last night. I’ve seen only a little of the replay on the networks, and it’s odd how different the place sounds and looks on TV. It is much louder on the floor. (The applause for Pres. Bush was loud and stopped promptly when he started speaking because we couldn’t hear him when he started speaking over the applause and he obviously couldn’t hear us to wait before he started up again.) People on the floor were generally agreeing that the Thompson and Lieberman speeches were hugely successful. One of the Brits texted me after Thompson’s speech and said it was the best valediction they could recall.
After the event we were bussed over to Minnesapolis for a party hosted by AT&T. Michael Williams is not only eloquent and well versed on energy, I can now safely attest he’s a fine dancer as well.
I was visiting with Tina Benkiser about Sarah Palin a few minutes ago. She’s the state chair. She reports that the delegation is strongly behind her and looking forward to her having the chance to define herself. This is going to be a hugely important speech. —David Schenck
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