Delco at the Republican Convention

Onward to Victory!!!(and home to delco)

2008-09-05T01:21:00.001-04:00

The atmosphere was electric. The vibe was intense. Expectations were high and the Pa. delegation had a front row seat! The reshaped stage moved the Ohio delegation to the side and left us with a birds eye view.

Former Governor Tom Ridge warmed up the crowd pointing out how his friend John McCain was a true American hero. While Cindy McCain, in her first major speech, detailed her upbringing and why she felt her husband was worthy of the trust of the American people.

Then it was finally time for the main event. After a moving video tribute highlighting his life, John McCain took to the stage amidst deafening applause. He embarked on a speech that highlighted his how his life experiences shaped his values and judgments. How he came to love his country in the prison of a foreign land and how he knew that peace in America would only come through strength.

If people want change in government, if they want reform, John McCain’s speech made it clear that he and Governor Sarah Palin deserve the vote of the American people.
In Congress, John McCain has been a consistent and vocal voice against pork barrel spending and government waste. McCain has been such a strong advocate against earmarks and wasteful spending that he earned the ire of his fellow Members of Congress who feed at the federal trough funded by taxpayer dollars. He was the author of campaign finance reform to cut the influence of special interests and lobbyists. Sarah Palin blew the whistle of Republicans in her own party for ethics violations. She used the Governor’s veto to cut more than half a billion dollars in wasteful spending in Alaska alone. And she defeated the sitting Republican Governor on platform of reform and rooting out corruption.

Both McCain and Palin have proven records of working in a bi-partisan manner and reaching across the aisle to work with Democrats to institute reforms and implement policy change. In contrast, Barack Obama had the most liberal voting record of any Senator in 2007. That is not leadership, that is playing to the left wing base of his own party. We need someone in the White House who will unite the parties and the American people. With their bi-partisan approach and a record of reform and integrity, it is clear that John McCain and Sarah Palin will get things done in Washington. They will back up their campaign promises with real results.

John McCain’s closing was immensely powerful and a call on the American people to unite. I don’t know that the media will quote it word for word so I include it here:

“I’m going to fight for my cause every day as your President. I’m going to fight to make sure every American has every reason to thank God, as I thank Him: that I’m an American, a proud citizen of the greatest country on earth, and with hard work, strong faith and a little courage, great things are always within our reach. Fight with me. Fight with me.

Fight for what’s right for our country.

Fight for the ideals and character of a free people.

Fight for our children’s future.

Fight for justice and opportunity for all.

Stand up to defend our country from its enemies.

Stand up for each other; for beautiful, blessed, bountiful America.

Stand up, stand up, stand up and fight. Nothing is inevitable here. We’re Americans, and we never give up. We never quit. We never hide from history. We make history.”

This experience was a dream comes true for me. I would like to thank the Republican men and women of Delaware County for the privilege of representing them here in Minneapolis. I will bring a wealth of new experiences and viewpoints back home tomorrow along with the enthusiasm necessary to propel the McCain/Palin ticket to victory. I would also like to extend my thanks to the Daily Times for the opportunity to share my experience.

Waiting for McCain

2008-09-04T15:36:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately no Sarah Palin at our delegation breakfast this morning. However, Tom Ridge and Arlen Specter revved up the delegation imploring us to take our enthusiasm back home with us. The weather here in Minneapolis has been mercurial. Sunday and Monday were hot. Wednesday was sunny and comfortable and today is cool and rainy. I have been pleasantly surprised by Minneapolis. The locals are” Minnesota” friendly and the food has been good. I still haven’t figured out how the RNC chose Minneapolis but Vito Canuso, Philadelphia GOP chair, had the best answer. He said that no other city really wanted it because of the enormous cost of security in a post 9/11 world. He certainly has a point because security is extremely tight, police are every where and porters have been cordoned off to small areas.
Lunch today was at a place called Brits Pub where the menu was fish and chips. The activity was lawn bowling (bocce ball to me).All of the talk centered on John McCain’s acceptance speech. Word has it that the stage has been reworked and the Pa. delegation is now front and center. Keep an eye out for Colleen Morrone and I. We will certainly be leading the cheers.

WOW!!!! Sarah Palin knocked the cover off the ball!!!!

2008-09-04T02:20:00.002-04:00

Governor Sarah Palin gave one of the best political speeches I have heard since the days of President Ronald Reagan. It appears that the Republican ticket has rock star of their own. She exceeded expectations and is clearly the game changer that John McCain wanted in a VP candidate. With the eyes of the nation upon her, she knocked the cover off the ball. The Phillies should have done as well as she did tonight. Her delivery was crisp and her message was on target. She showed poise and clearly engaged the crowd. I am going to go out on a limb here and predict that we are going to see plenty of Sarah Palin in Southeastern Pa.

She tore into the media and told them she was not going to Washington to seek their approval, she was going there to serve the people. Palin talked about he difference between Barack Obama and John McCain. She noted that some people, like Obama, try to use “change” to promote their career. Others, like McCain, make a career of implementing change. She pointed out how two-faced Obama has been on the campaign trail – saying one thing about small town, working people while campaigning in Scranton and then ridiculing them while campaigning in San Francisco. McCain, in contrast, is the same man wherever he goes

Palin hit back at Obama’s ridicule of her experience, noting that as a mayor, she had actual responsibilities, unlike Obama when he served as a “community organizer.” She noted that Obama has never authored a major piece of legislation – not in the U.S Senate and not when he served in the state legislature. She talked about how Obama has had the time to write two memoirs but never had time to author a major piece of legislation. That certainly shows where his priorities have been – self-promotion before the people’s business.

After this incredible performance, it is clear that McCain made the right choice in selecting Sarah Palin. And if I were a handler of Senator Joe Biden, I would be pretty concerned about the upcoming debates.

Mitt Romney, the former Governor of Massachusetts, gave a great speech about what makes America so great. As he noted, Democrats seem to think that we have a strong economy because we have a big government. On the contrary, we have a strong economy despite government interference, rising taxes, and over-regulation. What makes our nation so great is the independence and innovation of the American people. He also delivered one of the best lines of the night – where Republicans promote big ideas, Democrats promote big brother and big government.

Romney was also very insightful when he pointed out that not once did you hear the Democrats talk about Islamic extremism. Republicans, he noted, believe that there is in fact good and evil in this world. Ronald Reagan called the Soviet Union what it was – the evil empire. Make no mistake, our nation is in a struggle against violent Islamic radicals who believe that the Koran should be the only religion in the world, who believe that Islamic law should rule all mankind. Democrats choose to bury their heads in the sand about the danger this perverse distortion of the Islamic religion poses to freedom, democracy and world stability.

Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas, followed with another strong speech. He told a moving and true story about a teacher who before the first day of school had all of the desks removed from her classroom. She told her students that she would provide them with their desks when they told her how to earn it. The students stood throughout the day, offering a variety of guesses – good grades, good behavior, respect and many more. Her response to all of their guesses was no. The students stood throughout the day until news crews began showing up and filming this teacher who would not give her students desks until they told her how to earn it.

Finally, during the last period, the teacher told her students that she would provide them with their desks – that she did not think any of them would offer the right answer. And so she motioned out the door and twenty men – twenty veterans – came walking into the classroom carrying desks. Some wore their uniforms of the various branches of the military they served in. The teacher told her students that did not have to earn their desks. The men before them had already earned those desks for the students through their service to the country and defense of freedom and democracy. Too often we forget or overlook the sacrifices of our veterans, veterans like John McCain who risked their lives in defense of our nation, our freedom, and our way of life.

Rudy Giuliani did a great job of exposing the weak overall resume of Barack Obama. He talked about Obama’s experience as a so-called “community organizer” whatever that is. As a state legislator, Barack Obama had such a tough time making up his mind on key votes that he voted “present” 130 times. He couldn't make a yes or no decision. Does that sound like man capable of leadership? Does that sound like a man who is capable of making tough decisions in the Oval Office? Does that sound like a man who will able to lead our nation in a time of national crisis or in a military confrontation?

Rudy did a great job of using Obama’s own fellow Democrats words against him. He highlighted Senator Biden’s comments on Obama’s foreign policy inexperience and that the White House is no place for on the job training. And he highlighted Senator Hillary Clinton’s comments that Obama was not they type of person you wanted getting a call at 3 a.m. in the morning. How true.
The rumor circulating among the delegation at the after function was that Sarah Palin may be a surprise guest at our delegation breakfast tomorrow. If that happens I will post right away

Back on track and on message!!!

2008-09-03T03:23:00.002-04:00

At this morning's delegation breakfast we received notice that convention schedule was back on track but that the evening's speakers were not yet solidified. It is kind of amusing to watch all of the type A convention planners have to adjust their rigid schedules.

Today's breakfast speakers included Rick Santorum and State Treasurer Candidate Tom Ellis. Both of whom discussed the necessity of ground support for the McCain/Palin ticket. It is becoming increasingly clear that Pennsylvania and specifically the Philadelphia suburbs are crucial for both candidates. I have had the opportunity to speak with plenty of the national media folks who said that Pa is ground zero.

The pre convention function was at a place on one of the “thousand lakes”. It was quite nice and set the tone for the evening. I had the pleasure of dining with former Delaware County D.A. and possible candidate for Governor Pat Meehan. The topic of conversation centered on making sure that Pa. went for John McCain and Sarah Palin.

The convention session began around 630 pm and President Bush addressed the convention via satellite. Invariably the media started asking questions about the President's effect on the campaign. There is no doubt that this President’s policies are unpopular with a majority of Americans right now. But then again so were President Truman's at the close of his presidency. The point is that history and not today's commentators will ultimately render judgment on the soundness of this President's foreign policy. President Bush has proven to be an individual(good or bad) who does not take public opinion into account when making a decision and he certainly does not alter a policy simply because it not popular. If history determines, as it did with Presidents Lincoln, Truman, Kennedy and Reagan, that Bush's policies were correct He will be described with adjectives like "determined","principaled",and "dogged". If his policies are determined to be a failure then he will be described as"stubborn","unyielding" and "bullheaded". Only time will tell and I don't have a crystal ball. If I did I would use it for the powerball lottery numbers and not a history category in a trivial pursuit game.
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At the convention I sat next to fellow Delaware County Delegate and Concord Township Supervisor Colleen Morrone. We were both quite taken by the motivational videos of our Iraq war heroes and their struggles for our country. In my mind, Senator Joe Lieberman was one of the highlights of the night. The Democratic nominee for Vice President just eight years ago, Lieberman made a strong case as to why Senator McCain is the best choice to move our nation forward. His support and endorsement sends a clear message to moderate Democrats that it is okay to cross party lines and support John McCain.

It was a courageous speech and one that took a lot of guts. Why? Because the Democratic Party is sure to go after him now, likely stripping him of his Chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee. I hope they do it. In fact I think he dared them to do it. But Lieberman likely knew he world face such petty retaliation, which makes his decision to support McCain all the more powerful.

The post session event was at a place called Aqua. It was fun and for the first time since arriving in Minneapolis, I saw some of the delegates let loose. I also saw the Mary Tyler Moore/Mary Richards statue and now that part of my journey northward is complete. If only Ted Baxter was still alive. Until the big Palin speech tomorrow……..

An abbreviated first day at the convention

2008-09-01T21:56:00.003-04:00

At this morning's Pennsylvania delegation breakfast we were informed that the convention schedule had been officially shortened for today due to the hurricane along the Gulf Coast. Our speakers at breakfast adhered to John McCain's request that partisan rhetoric be toned down and that every one be mindful of the potential for severe problems in Louisiana. Our speakers this morning included former New York Governor George Pataki, former Secretary of the Navy John Lehman, Mr. Tom Moe, a former resident of the Hanoi Hilton and McCain friend, and surprise guest 96 year old Roberta McCain, John McCain's mother.
Governor Pataki focused on service and how John McCain didn't just speak about service, he lived it. Secretary Lehman, a McCain confidant, friend and often the person who introduces him (he did so in Springfield in March) spoke about John McCain's administrative skills as a squadron commander during the presidency of Jimmy Carter. Roberta McCain a spry, healthy and energetic woman spoke of her Pa roots (she lived here in the early 1940's) and how her son was counting on the delegates to deliver Pa for her son.
However the most motivational speaker of the morning was Tom Moe, who was housed in the cell next to John McCain. He related how the two men would communicate after their beatings and how they formed a support system for each other that has lasted right up to the present. You can't help but feel deep emotion when you hear about John McCain's experiences in Vietnam. It is an experience that we will hear about over the next two months, not because it happened but because it defined John McCain's character and influenced his entire life since then. It is why he has vocally disagreed with the administration on the interrogation technique known as water boarding and believes it is torture.

The actual convention business was cut short. The decision to cancel the bulk of the program was not made by the insider pols at the RNC but by John McCain. In fact the real story here is the unspoken infighting between traditional party types and John McCain. By all rights, the convention was supposed to be his opportunity to shape the message for the final two months of the campaign, to combat the Democrat attacks last week on his character and accomplishments, and to recover some of the bounce Barrack Obama received in the polls. But all of those elements – key pieces of the overall campaign -- don’t even seem to be on McCain’s radar. Instead, he’s focused largely on the relief efforts and receiving updates from the governors of the impacted states. He put the good of the people ahead of his politics. This is clear proof that a John McCain presidency will not be “politics as usual.”

The convention opened with an abbreviated session around 230pm by Congressman Mike Duncan. The rules and platform were adopted and the delegation was certified. At that point the convention was adjourned for an hour. I had always wondered what happened on the convention floor when the commercials were on and the chattering class was plying their trade. The answer is a big fat NOTHING. It was like halftime at a Birds game but without the Frisbee dogs.
After the convention resumed Laura Bush and Cindy McCain spoke for a few minutes and provided all the delegates with information on aiding the Gulf and the convention was adjourned.

The other big political news of the day was the McCain campaign’s confirmation of media reports that Sarah Palin’s 17 year old daughter is pregnant. I question how this is even news. How did Governor Palin’s daughter’s pregnancy become my business? What family hasn’t had some similar issue? And again why is it my business? At any rate, most politicians would have stayed away from her given the potential for this news to detract from the overall campaign message. But to McCain’s credit, he stood by his selection because he believed she was the best person for the job. Again, we are not going to get politics as usual from John McCain.

The evening concluded with an ice cream social sponsored by Pa. Senate Majority leader and Delaware County’s own Dominic Pileggi. Who said Republicans aren’t fun?

As of the writing of this entry, the overall schedule for the remainder of the week is still up in the air. I will keep you updated as I learn more.

Hurricane Gustav impacts the Republican National Convention

2008-09-01T00:51:00.003-04:00

I landed in Minneapolis on time and travel to the hotel was without incident. The airport was busy but they appeared to be well organized. The Pennsylvania Delegation is staying at the Marriott in Minnetonka. A nice hotel in a quaint town (lots of lakes) about twenty minutes from downtown Minneapolis. I had dinner with Delaware County GOP chairman Tom Judge, Chester County GOP chairman Skip Brion, Philadadelphia GOP chairman Vito Canuso and Marie Conley, the Pa convention organizer. The topic of our conversation and the conversations of the other attendees at the Republican National Convention are the dangers posed to the people of the Gulf Coast by Hurricane Gustav. Convention planners have announced that Monday's schedule will be abbreviated. The convention will open and rules will be adopted after which the session will conclude. Things are up in the air and plenty of ideas are being discussed. One idea that I fully support is using the platform of the convention to raise funds for humanitarian relief for the victims of the hurricane. We have a major stage in the form of national network news coverage that we can utilize to help those who may be in need as a result of this storm.

The theme for Monday is, appropriately enough, "Service." That is something that our party can rightfully highlight, not just on the national level, but on the local level as well. John McCain served his country in Viet Nam. And when he was captured by the Viet Cong and offered the opportunity to be released early, he said no. He abided by the military code of conduct that says the first prisoners captured should be the first released. That's not just service, that's a hero.

McCain's pick for Vice President, Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin, first served her community as a member of her PTA and then mayor of her town. She then went on to run for Governor against a sitting Republican from her own party because of what she saw as corruption and ethical lapses. That's not just service, that's integrity and commitment to good government.

Our local Congressional candidate, Craig Williams, has a long history of service to the nation. He most recently served as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Justice Department, prosecuting drug dealers, gangs and violent criminals. He also served our nation bravely in the U.S. Marine, including flying in F-18s during Operation Desert Storm.

I do not believe that service to country and community is something that receives enough acknowledgement or praise. Individuals who give their free time to serve as volunteer firefighters or EMS personnel, coach our kids sports teams, give their time to the Red Cross, or help in a variety of other ways deserve more recognition for what they do to improve our communities and our country.

I will keep you advised on the changes to the schedule. It appears that convention planners are playing it by ear and will wait to see the impact of the storm prior to altering Tuesday's schedule.

Getting ready for the Republican National Convention

2008-08-30T22:54:00.002-04:00

It is my pleasure to report from the Republican National Convention on a daily basis. I have never been to Minnesota and was told to bring my golf clubs and fly fishing rod. The only problem with that recommendation is that I don’t golf or fly fish. I don’t think I would have time for that kind of thing since I have seen a preview of our delegate schedule and it is packed.
This is my first convention as a delegate (I was a volunteer in Philadelphia in 2000) and I am extremely excited to experience politics on a national stage. I am scheduled to arrive in Minneapolis later today where I hope the travel logistics are smoother than Denver. A few of my Democrat friends told me that the city was nice but getting around was a nightmare.

I learned today that with Hurricane Gustav taking aim at the Gulf Coast the convention agenda and delegate schedule may change. Most of the delegates are extremely involved in their communities and there is talk that the convention may utilize us to assist in the disaster relief efforts. I will provide updates as soon as I find out more information.

As far as political discussions go, the non stop buzz has been about the surprise choice of Gov. Sarah Palin as the vice-presidential candidate. From a purely strategic perspective you have to give the McCain campaign its due. They kept a secret, chose a running mate who solidifies McCain’s maverick image, and did all this on a day that was supposed to have been reserved for the Democrats. Governor Palin’s clear objective for the convention will be to show the delegates and the nation that John McCain made the right choice in a running mate.

I will also be interested to see first hand what steps organizers have taken to make this convention the “greenest” Republican National Convention in history. With the nation focused on energy issues, the party showed real foresight when planning started last year and they decided to focus on sustainability and conservation. There is a fleet of hybrid and ethanol vehicles being used to shuttle attendees and organizers around, as well as an entire fleet of bicycles that attendees can pick up and drop off at will at various locations around the convention area. I also heard that the party asked its vendors to use recycled materials whenever possible – from the signage that will be hanging throughout the arena to the carpets made of recycled material on the floor. And of course, there will be the recycling containers located throughout the convention to cut down on waste.

At the Convention

2008-08-29T10:55:00.003-04:00

Check back this weekend as Mike Puppio blogs from the Republican National Convention.