I’ll have to admit – I miss being at this convention. I haven’t missed one since 1996 and I didn’t pick McCain, so I’m not a delegate. There’s nothing like being on the floor on Wednesday and Thursday night and feeling the electricity. it’s awesome. This year, I’ve found both conventions to be fascinating. Watching tonight’s speeches with myeleven year old son, Grant, was especially fun.He’s interested in all of it, and better yet, he seems to be especially sympathetic to the conservative side.

The Obama campaignreminds of a major league baseball team with a 17 game lead in July that goes into a funk and hits a couple of losing streaks. To stop their slide, they bring in an aging, but known quantity for the stretch run and it just doesn’t help. They slowly losetheir 17 game lead and wind up tied in September and heading for the home stretch without the momentum or inevitability they once had, and now, its anyone’s race. Meanwhile, the team catching up to them is full of old veterans who have stumbled badly– but seem to have one more stretch runin them. And what… Read More

There is overwhelming agreement here in Minneapolis — Alaska Governor Sarah Palin delivered the address of her life, and nailed it. We’ll see a lot of reviews about it tomorrow, but with high expectations, she exceeded them!… Read More

!… Read More

We’ve had a lot of great speakers tonight here in the ExCel Center. Romney hit it out of the park — and former Maryland Lt. Governor Michael Steele was awesome. Right now I am outside of the main hall, as I exercized my right to walk out on Mike Huckabee, whom FR readers know that I consider to be a fraud. We don’t need “Christian Liberals” as party leaders, who believe in bigger government in the name of social justice. He’ll be done soon and I will head in for Giuliani and the big speech by Alaska Governor and VP candidate Sarah Palin!”… Read More

Here are some thoughts for FR readers from our Republican Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner:

“There has been a media frenzy this week in St. Paul over the new darling of the Republican Party Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. I’ve done more than a dozen interviews and it’s one of the subjects that always come up.

Let me start off by saying that my heart goes out to the Palin family. As a fellow elected official, I know that the families of candidates often suffer unwarranted media attention on issues that are frankly none of anyone’s business. Her record is fair game, but the actions of her teenage daughter are not.

So let’s talk about the substance of Gov. Palin. When Sen. McCain wisely chose her as his Vice President, I did some research. The more I discovered, the better I liked her.

She’s tough and a reformer. She’s taken on the state party chair and won. She’s taken on the state’s attorney general. She beat a sitting governor en route to the Governor’s mansion. She worked to stop the bridge to nowhere.

She’s rooted out corruption even when it’s in her… Read More

Judge Peter Polos of the Orange County SuperiorCourt has issued a tentative ruling that Congressman John Campbell’s District Director may not use the "false" name "Lou Penrose" alonein his race for the Dana Point City Council in this November’s municipal election. Instead, he must include his real name, and the ballot will state: "Lou Penrose, a/k/a Luigi Rossetti Jr."A final hearing will be held tomorrow afternoon where Rossetti may discuss his reaction to the tentative ruling, and the Court can receive any argument for changes. However, the County of Orange, the City of Dana Point, and the Plaintiff have all agreed to the tentative ruling.

Rossetti adopted the name "Lou Penrose" as a radio personality for a small radio station in Palm Springs, CA a number of years ago. Rossetti kept the name for political meetings, but refused to legally change his name and uses the name "Luigi Rossetti, Jr." on his drivers’ license, and for legal documents, such as ownership of his home in Dana Point. He is registered to vote as "Lou Penrose Rossetti,… Read More

Just got to chat for a few minutes with Assemblyman Paul Cook. He (and his lovely wife) are on our bus to the ExCel Center. He’s a great conservative in addition to being one of the state legislators here being chided by the Governor. Once the Governor figures out there is zero will amongst his GOP brethren for a tax increase, perhaps we’ll be closer to a budget. Otherwise, why NOT be here?… Read More

A second person told me that Fred Thompson’s great speech last night was mostly the one Arnold Shwarzenegger was to give at the RNC Convention.

I assume it as the last have that didn’t deal with current events. It is your call, but would the Governor give a speech that included discussion of character? And attributes like "Strength. Courage.Humility.Wisdom.Duty.Honor."

If so it was a good thing he kept his word this time not to come.… Read More