The Republican National Convention began Monday in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Four delegates from El Paso County, state Rep. Kent Lambert, County Clerk and Recorder Bob Balink, County Commissioner Wayne Williams and Colorado Attorney General John Suthers will be reporting on it in dispatches to The Gazette throughout the four-day convention._________”TODAY’S NOTES” (so far)

by Bob Balink, Colorado delegateRepublican National ConventionMinneapolis-Saint Paul, MNSeptember 2, 2008

-“Gotcha” Journalism must end…let’s get the media to focus on theissues and the candidate’s solutions. In other words, raise the level of debate above the politics of personal destruction.

-The media reports that John McCain has abandoned his “Ready to Lead”theme for a “Change” theme? They suggest he’s co-opting Mr. Obama’s”agenda”?

Senator McCain has been advocating change for years- thus the Mavericklabel. John McCaib is THE advocate for change AND he is ready to lead!

-Change is NOT an agenda. Calling for change is not enough. Agendas have details and specifics- people want proposed answers to the most important issues we face as a nation.

-If this is of interest I’ve met with or have been in a small gatheringthe following (with a comment on each):

-Mitt Romney (charisma & leadership)-Wolf Blitzer (short)-William Bennett (genuine)-Karl Rove (intelligent)-Laura Bush (gracious)-Cindy McCain (generous)-John McCain’s Mother (a lady)-Chris Matthews (smiling blond)-Rudy Giuliani (respected)-Fred Thompson (good t.v. presense)-Michael Barone (articulate)-Megyn Kelly- FOX News- (all of the above)-Jan Brewer- Arizona Sec. of State (leading the charge on “Proof ofCitizenship” when registering to vote)-Andrea Mitchell -NBC- (Mrs. Alan Greenspan)-John Kacich (former Congressman from Ohio)

Media interviews are the norm for most Delegates. So far I’ve spokenwith:-Italian television-National Public Radio-KVOR eadio-KKTV- Ch 11-KRDO- Ch 13-The Gazette-Roll Call magazine

It’s 7:45pm and we’re enjoying a Tribute to Cindy McCain and theadoption of her daughter…and President Teddy Roosevelt.

More later.

An exciting and HUGE highlight in the hall this evening…

President George Herbert Walker Bush (#41) and former First Lady Barbara Bush just joined us.

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