After a short morning walk we had lunch then headed toward the Excel Convention Center for business. The excitement was actually palpable, with both peace demonstrators and Republicans gathering in the neighborhood.
We were originally going to take the River Walk there, but we were promptly rerouted into a side door of the Center and I can only assume they did that because of the impending protests.
With my heart in my throat, I found my seat in the nosebleed section of the Convention Center. Buster and company were down on the floor of the Convention, right next to the stage. What a beautiful stage it was!
I sat with a new friend, Lisa, up in the balcony and we watched the proceedings unfold.
As previously set, the pomp and circumstance was more reserved in observance of the hurricane victims. I was particularly proud when I heard the majority of the convention singing along with Miss Minnesota for the National Anthem. Wonderful!
The Convention Center was gorgeous, of course.
However, I kept expecting an explosion to come from this particular press box:
The committees were introduced and instructed where they would be meeting (Rules, etc) and the Convention adjourned for an hour. Lisa and I went down to meet up with her husband Stan along with Buster, and we walked around the lower floors of the Center.
I looked over at one point and realized I was next to a press box for the ABC reporters. The reporter next to me, and I mean REALLY right next to me was Ann. Can’t remember her last name, because apparently I’m a friggin idiot. Geez I hope I’m at least getting her first name correct!!!
As Buster and I talked, we watched the other delegates walk by us on the big red floor. My son called and I instructed him to go in Grandma’s house and turn on the news so he could see where I was. As I was on the phone with him, Mitt Romney walked up. Mitt Romney! He stopped to say hello to a gentleman next to us. Buster and I both struggled to get our cameras up to take his picture, and unfortunately all I got was the top of his head. Oh well. Nice hair. Buster chased after and took a better pic, and he’s complaining right now because I’m asking him to send it over to my computer. Baby.
The big buzz was the question of whether or not Laura Bush would be appearing. We’ve been told all day that she would not be, but then when the convention reconvened I happened to be looking across at the teleprompter where it read, “Ladies and gentleman, please welcome the First Lady of the United States of America, Laura Bush.” So I jumped up before anyone else. At this point, Lisa and I are watching the convention on the same level as the delegate floor, in the media stands. I snapped a few photos, and for some reason my listening skills were kind of put to the side as I stood in awe looking at the First Lady.
It was my first First Lady. What interested me was Laura’s ability to stray from what the teleprompter was reading was fantastic. She talked freely at times and always sounded as though it was rehearsed over and over. She was at ease, and able to handle the convention audience like an old pro.
Then we were all actually very surprised with Cindy McCain’s appearance. Oh my gosh what a MINX!!! She was very hot, in her stylish attire; it made all us chickies feel frumpy. Meow.
The program was much more than what we expected, with videotaped messages from the gulf coast states' governors. An impromptu poll conducted determined the Texas governor was a bit of a hottie:
I got to get down close to the floor where the delegates were seated, and it was a neat feeling. Lots of excitement.
When the Convention concluded for the day, we all walked outside to the news that the protesters had gotten very out of hand and the city police had unloaded a lot of tear gas. Sure, there were the peaceful protesters, but then there were the a-holes who thought they were having a Rodney King riot in the streets. All the clean, friendly streets that we’d walked this morning were littered with the damage left behind by the hate mongers. They’d broken windows, trashed cars, and of course scared the pants off anyone who happened to be nearby. The news footage was quite dramatic. These people who called themselves protesters were actually masked and ready to fight. So I suppose they weren’t too surprised when the police and national guard responded with full force. I am told their goal was to prevent delegates from getting to the convention, which is just asinine. Geez, guys, put some of that energy to good use.
Tonight we have functions to attend so we are updating our blogs and reloading the cameras for more adventures. I think I’ll plug Buster’s camera into my laptop right now, so I can steal some of his excellent photos.
