No question, in all these interviews, it's clear what the GOP is going to be campaigning on this year. It's all going to be all about energy, including not only drilling more but also alternative energy and greater energy efficiency. This is an area where the policies of the Democratic party just don't offer any sensible answers, so there's a lot of political capital to be won. As gas prices go higher ANWR is going to turn into a badge of shame hung around the necks of every Democrat for failing the American people and betraying our security needs by not formulating any kind of sensible energy policy for the nation.
Friday, 6:30pm - As the Exhibit Hall Closes
The hall is closing and I have to head off for parties and meetings of various sorts, but I wanted to mention that I spent some time with the nice folks at the Republican Liberty Caucus of Texas booth. They were doing a compact version of the World's Smallest Political quiz, and they always seemed to have a lot of people at the booth. They actually seemed kind of overwhelmed much of the time. Next door to them was the Ron Paul booth which seemed strangelky abandonned much of the time. They sold out of Paul's new book on Friday morning and restocked and sold out again today. I think they must have sold over 2000 copies of the book, which is pretty impressive. The Paul supporters were all over the place all day, but from the reports they made zero ground on any of the votes. I have yet to look at the platform, but I hope they at least had some influence there. The good news is that while a good portion of them were pretty discouraged my impression is that the majority of them are going to stick with the GOP and try to make serious changes while working within the system.
So, I'm off to eat a very expensive steak and will try to file another report after my evening activities.
7:30pm - From Spencers Chop House
While I wait for my expensive pork chops to arrive I'm looking at the convention delegates pass by and it occurs to me that there are two fundamentally different types of people involved in the GOP at this juncture. There are the grassroots activists who are mostly young to middle aged and spend all of their time in meetings and in the exhibit hall and at the various caucuses, trying to push their particular issues and ideas and make a difference. They're also the talent pool from whom campaign staffers and eventually candidates are drawn. Then there are the 'blue hairs' who seem to mostly be over 70 and who I never see anywhere but when I'm eating or on the convention floor. They spend the whole convention sitting in the uncomfortable chairs, listening to speeches and then voting the straight party line on every issue. I suspect they're also the source of the truly powerful fundraising potential of the GOP, and that means that anyone who runs for office has to pander to them. They are a force for inertia and the wrong kind of conservatism - the kind which fears change just because it is change. I don't want to be mean, but for the party to move forward the old folks are going to have to go - or at least step aside. Time will presumably accomplish this eventually, but by then it may be too late to save the party.
Article comments
1 - Baritone
I don't want to usurp Dave's article here, but I just thought I'd note the passing of Tim Russert of NBC News.
This came out of left field.
I know there is little love here for the mass media, but I do believe that Russert was one of the best at what he did. He was clearly a tireless and endlessly enthusiastic news man who was never caught unprepared. The reaction of his compatriots in the business is testament to his having been a good man, a good husband, a good son, and a good father.
I will definitely miss the astute energy that he brought to everything he did both on and off camera. His Sunday morning "Meet the Press" program will definitely not be the same without him, and it will be strange indeed not having his voice chiming in with excitement come the night of the November election.
B-tone
2 - Dave Nalle
I heard about Russert on the escalator here in the convention center and I can confirm that Republicans had a great deal of respect for him as a journalist and interviewer. Everyone I've talked to was surprised and saddened. Seems like he deserved to have more time.
Dave
3 - Dave Nalle
I've done another update to the blog. Half a day of the convention to go tomorrow, but I might cut out a bit early.
BTW, if you searched "texas republican convention" on google news Thursday or Friday the first listing out of about 4000 was for my original liveblog which held the number one spot for 23 hours. It was then supplanted by this second liveblog segment which held the number one spot for about 6 hours, after which it got bumped and the original article came back and is currently still number 1.
Either being really, really long and wordy earns you points with google or something makes articles at BC extra popular.
Dave
4 - Tami
I am wondering after reading your blog why you are in the republican party. It seems obvious that you do not believe the way the majority of Republicans believe. Why would you want to associate with them, when it is so obvious from your believes, values, writings, that you are a democrat.
Leaves me wondering?
5 - Dave Nalle
Tami, almost everything I believe in is a belief I share with a majority or a very large minority of the GOP. My beliefs are also those on which the party was founded and which it continued to follow until relatively recently.
In addition, my beliefs have very little in common with those of democrats in the most important areas.
I would suggest that if you call yourself a Republican and find yourself disagreeing with me on fundamental issues like limiting government and protecting individual liberty, then YOU are in the wrong party and ought to consider becoming a democrat.
Dave
6 - lyle
Where is Saturday? I must say I was a (Ron Paul) delegate at the convention and my will was completely broken by the end of it all.
7 - Dave Nalle
Saturday is actually in a separate article at The Righteous Fist Rides Into the Sunset.
Dave