If you looked for the Eiland family, part of the California delegation, at today’s truncated convention session — you wouldn’t have found them. They ended up leaving to go to a local Irish pub to look for the most coveted and non-existant commodities at the Excel Center — food and beverage. Other than the finger food provided in the elite RNC members-only suite, there was none to be had. I don’t mean to make this the main point of a blog on the opening session of the convention. But…
By mid-way through the session, the circular walkway around the perimeter of the arena was packed with ravenous, parahna-like delegates, looking for anything to eat. The talk was that food intentended for delegates and convention goers had been diverted to the gulf coast.
I will always remember the look of relief on the face of Mindy Fletcher when incoming California RNC Committeeman Shawn Steel pinched a Diet Coke for her from the coveted and guarded RNC members-only suite.
At some point, towards the end of the session, someone wheeled out boxes of potato chips and chocolate chip cookies. If you can imagine a coy fish pond when they throw in the fish food, that was the scene at the Excel Center — while somewhere in the middle of the arena California Congressman Kevin McCarthy delivered the report of the Platform Committee.
I did go into the auditorim to hear Cindy McCain and Laura Bush make a plea for humanitarian aide for the hurricane victims, which was laudable. Putting aside my sarcasm for a moment, we all feel so bad for the people victimized by Gustav.
Tomorrow I am hoping to go to a convention session focused on why Republicans are awesome and how John McCain and Sarah Palin will be great for America. Oh yes, also some great rhetoric on how the far left-wing agenda of Obama-Biden would be horrible for this country.
In the meantime, the whole California delegation is off to a really cool bling-bling party (shhhhh). I hear there will be lots of food.
September 1st, 2008 at 12:00 am
That’s funny! i was thinking, that the lack of food was just helping you all connect, and stand in solidarity with our Southern brethren.
Now that the worst of Gustav is over….looking forward to a great convention.