2008 Republican National Convention Brainroom Briefing … · 2008 Republican National Convention Brainroom Briefing ... CONVENTION SECURITY ... • Formulation and adoption of a

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2008 Republican National Convention Brainroom Briefing Book

Bryan S. Murphy Sr. Political Affairs Specialist Fox News Channel Phone: (212) 301-5257 E-mail: [email protected]

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Table of Contents The CONVENTION................................................................................................................................................... 3

The Call ................................................................................................................................................................. 3 Convention Scheduling ......................................................................................................................................... 3 What Happens at the Convention ......................................................................................................................... 3 Selection of Minneapolis-Saint Paul ..................................................................................................................... 3 Convention Space................................................................................................................................................. 5

CONVENTION - DAY BY DAY................................................................................................................................. 6 Day by Day in Brief ............................................................................................................................................... 6 DAY ONE (Sept. 1) ............................................................................................................................................... 6

First Day Speakers............................................................................................................................................ 6 Sen. Joe Lieberman to Speak........................................................................................................................... 7 Farewell to the Bush Administration.................................................................................................................. 8

DAY TWO (Sept. 2) ............................................................................................................................................ 10 Second Day Speakers..................................................................................................................................... 10 Keynote Speaker – Rudy Giuliani ................................................................................................................... 10

DAY THREE (Sept. 3)......................................................................................................................................... 12 Third Day Speakers......................................................................................................................................... 12 Balloting........................................................................................................................................................... 12 Republican Keynote Speakers at National Conventions ................................................................................ 13

DAY FOUR (Sept. 4)........................................................................................................................................... 14 Fourth Day Speakers ...................................................................................................................................... 14 McCain’s Acceptance Speech......................................................................................................................... 15

CONVENTION SECURITY .................................................................................................................................... 16 CONVENTION PROTESTS & MEDIA ................................................................................................................... 18 REPUBLICAN CONVENTIONS, 1856-2004.......................................................................................................... 19 FINANCING THE CONVENTIONS ........................................................................................................................ 20

Public Funds to the Parties ................................................................................................................................. 20 Raising Money for the Conventions.................................................................................................................... 20

SELECTING THE DELEGATES ............................................................................................................................ 22 REPUBLICANS: STATES WON......................................................................................................................... 23

CONVENTION ORGANIZATION ........................................................................................................................... 24 THE PLATFORM.................................................................................................................................................... 25 THE CONVENTION BOUNCE IN THE POLLS ..................................................................................................... 27 VOTE IN PAST ELECTIONS – ALL 50 STATES................................................................................................... 30 Endnotes................................................................................................................................................................. 33

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The CONVENTION The Call The official “call” to the convention, customarily issued by the national committees of the two major parties some 18 months in advance, announces the dates and site of the national convention. Convention Scheduling In a tradition that dates to 1932, the party out of power has convened first, usually about a month before the party holding the Presidency.

McCain’s biggest convention problem might be the fact that Sept. 4 – the night he makes his nomination speech – also happens to kick off the 2008 NFL season. NBC will air a highly anticipated Washington Redskins vs. New York Giants game. If the game goes long, McCain could delay his speech.1

What Happens at the Convention

National conventions combine three important functions:

• Nomination of candidates for the office of President and Vice President;

• Formulation and adoption of a statement of party principles—the platform;

• Adoption of rules and procedures governing party activities, particularly the nomination process for presidential candidates in the next election cycle.

The first nominating convention by one of what emerged as our two major parties—the Democrats—was held in Baltimore, Maryland, between May 21 and 23, 1832. The first Republican nominating convention was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, between June 17 and 19, 1856.

This will be the 39th Republican National Convention.

Party conventions have largely become ratifying bodies that confer the nomination on the candidate who won it in state contests.

The nomination is conferred on the candidate who holds a majority of delegates at the party convention, but under the present system for choosing delegates one candidate is likely to emerge with a majority by the end of the primary season, if not sooner, and well before the convention meets.

The 1976 Republican National Convention in Kansas City was the most recent one at which the determination of a major party’s nominee was in any real doubt before the nominating ballots were cast. In 1976, President Ford prevailed over Ronald Reagan by 1,187 votes to 1,070 votes.

The last Republican Convention to go beyond one ballot occurred in 1948, when New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey won on the third ballot. Selection of Minneapolis-Saint Paul The convention runs Sept. 1-4 in St. Paul. The convention’s Committee on Arrangements says it’s the Minneapolis-Saint Paul convention, but the convention will, strictly speaking, be held at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Many in the press have made the mistake of saying that the convention is being held in Minneapolis. Minneapolis takes bragging rights in the easiest measurement of civic strength, population: It has about 100,000 more residents than St. Paul. It's the state's economic and cultural center, while St. Paul is the seat of state government. St. Paul has a downtown shaded by historic buildings and neighborhoods lined with block upon block of pristine Victorian homes. It's got science and history museums, pro hockey, two lakes and a smaller University of Minnesota campus. Literary heavyweight F. Scott Fitzgerald hailed from St. Paul. St. Paul is the city of Charles M. Schulz, the cartoonist who created the comic strip "Peanuts." Schulz grew up in St. Paul and sold his first panel cartoon to the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 1947. St. Paul was founded before Minneapolis and was larger for the first few decades of the two cities' existence. French-Canadian traders set up camp south of Fort Snelling on the Mississippi in 1840, dubbing the settlement

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Pig's Eye (the nickname of an original settler and bootlegger). In its earliest days, the area was the hub of the whiskey trade that catered to soldiers at the remote military outpost. Local Catholic leaders soon saw to it that the city was renamed St. Paul, cementing a relationship between the Catholic Church and the city's ruling class that exists to this day. By the time Minnesota became a state in 1858, St. Paul was its biggest city and a regional trading center. Minneapolis began as something of an industrial outpost of St. Paul, but a late-19th century boom in lumber and flour milling brought a population explosion. By the 1880 census Minneapolis surpassed St. Paul in population, sparking the "Census War" of 1890 that saw census takers on both sides of the river charged with padding population tallies.2 In 1885, St. Paul landed the Minnesota State Fair. To fight back, Minneapolis boosters urged building a grand exposition hall, large enough to hold a national political convention. Thus began Minneapolis' surprising and successful bid to host the 1892 Republican National Convention, the only national political convention held in Minnesota – until 2008. The choice of Minneapolis as convention city came as a surprise in 1892. No national party convention had ever been held west of Chicago, and the young milling city was distant and untested.3 Republicans hoped to tighten their grip west of the Mighty Mississippi by picking Minneapolis for their 1892 convention. West of the Mississippi, populist parties were tapping into farmers' anxieties in a region that had helped the GOP control the White House for most of the previous three decades. Minnesota's elite pitched a Minneapolis convention as part of a multistate strategy to help Republicans hold onto those states. Minnesota was still reliably Republican back then, with a GOP governor and an unbroken string of voting for GOP presidential candidates since statehood in 1858.There's a GOP governor again today, but his party is on the opposite side of the state's long Democratic presidential streak.4 In 1892, Republicans met at the Industrial Exposition Building to nominate Benjamin Harrison for re-election. He lost in the fall to Democrat Grover Cleveland.5 Yet the 1892 convention served as a milestone for the Twin Cities. It helped shift the nation's awareness of the region from a frontier outpost to booming twin cities, with enough moxie to win a convention over eight rivals, including New York and San Francisco.6 Minneapolis, the country's flour capital, was picked after top Minnesota leaders cut a deal to take Chicago out of the running in exchange for supporting Chicago's bid for the 1893 World's Fair. Convention boosters raised $50,000 and pointed out that major rail and telegraph lines connected Minneapolis to the rest of the country.7 Some 10,000 people flooded into the Exposition Building for opening speeches, but the real place to be seen was the prestigious West Hotel across the river, which put up delegates from New York, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and several other states. The Minneapolis Tribune described the scene in the lobby: "There is a constant ebb and flow of men, a continued hum of voices like the ceaseless murmur of a summer ocean." The buzz heading into the four-day gathering centered on Secretary of State James Blaine, a former presidential contender and Harrison appointee who became the sitting president's leading opponent for the nomination. Blaine fed into the speculation by resigning from the cabinet days before the convention. Blaine had already swept Minnesota in the 1884 presidential election, when Cleveland won his first term, and newspapers including the Minneapolis Journal made much of the possibility that Blaine might deny his boss the nomination. In the end, it wasn't even close: Harrison got 535-1/6 votes on the first ballot, compared with 182-1/2 for Blaine and 182 for William McKinley, who would win the nomination and the presidency four years later. The convention nominated New York Tribune editor Whitelaw Reid for vice president.

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Neither Harrison nor Blaine came to Minneapolis. For a candidate to appear at such a nakedly political gathering was considered unseemly. The first big political convention west of Chicago got mixed reviews, including complaints about the food from East Coast scribes. The convention ended a day early, prompting a crush at the train stations -- and some more snickering from eastern reporters -- as visitors tried to get out of town.8 Today, St. Paul and Minneapolis form the state’s only true urban center and the Twin Cities share an increasing diversity in population -- led in St. Paul by the Hmong ethnic group from Southeast Asia and China; and in Minneapolis by Somalis. They also share a Democratic Party dominance in city politics. The Democratic grip on the two cities has been a springboard to statewide success for liberal icons such as Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale and Paul Wellstone. But the state as a whole, from its agricultural south to its central lake country to its industrial Iron Range to its heavily forested northern reaches, has often overridden the urban vote. That's helped Republicans such as Harold Stassen, Norm Coleman and current Gov. Tim Pawlenty, not to mention the maverick independent former Gov. Jesse Ventura, win office. But the strong Democratic tilt of St. Paul and Minneapolis has helped prevent any Republican presidential candidate from carrying Minnesota in more than a third of a century.9 Minnesota hasn't gone for a Republican in the last eight presidential elections -- since Richard Nixon's landslide victory over South Dakota Sen. George McGovern in 1972. Republicans, holding their convention in St. Paul, certainly intend to put Minnesota into play.10

Convention Space The Xcel Energy Center opened in September 2000. The arena is the full-time home of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild and the NLL’s Minnesota Swarm. Some 3,000 seats have been removed from the Xcel Energy Center, normally a 20,000-seat venue, to create more work space.11 The podium in St. Paul is smaller than usual, and organizers say it brings the audience in closer to the candidate and other speakers. The podium is 50 feet wide and 4 feet tall. It joins a trend of shrinking convention stages for a more intimate appearance. Political observers say the closer the candidate is to the audience, the more the candidate can feed off the crowd.12 The more cozy GOP setting is more suitable to McCain, who feels more at ease talking in town hall settings than a stadium-type venue.13 The Republican stage is lower to the floor of the arena than the stage at the Democratic convention in Denver.14 A giant video wall rises behind the Xcel arena stage. The high-definition video wall measures 50 feet wide by 30 feet tall. In reality, the wall is 680 separate LED screens, seamlessly united. Short video vignettes will run between the speeches. And sometimes, the video wall will have scenic shots, such as a city park. Some old flourishes will be absent, including the live band, the tiered podium and the huge presidential seal. Above the convention floor are 350 lighting fixtures, and most of them are computer-controlled smart lights.15 The convention will host 475,000 square feet of media space, 25 miles of voice/data/coaxial cable and 135 miles of copper wiring. About 16,000 rooms have been booked at 102 hotels across the region.16 35,000 to 45,000 people are expected to come to the Twin Cities for the Republican convention.17

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CONVENTION - DAY BY DAY The overall theme for the convention is "Country First." There are themes that have been selected for each of the convention’s four days: service, reform, prosperity and peace. Day by Day in Brief Contemporary national conventions are generally held over a four-day period.

Both parties observe similar schedules.

A number of films honoring party officials will be shown during the convention.

A continuing procession of party notables offer short speeches throughout the proceedings.

Clergymen from various denominations offer invocations and benedictions to open and close each session.

DAY ONE (Sept. 1)

Theme: Service

First Day Speakers (not in order of speaking): • President George W. Bush

• Vice President Richard B. Cheney

• First Lady Laura Bush

• U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman (Conn.)

• Gov. Tim Pawlenty (Minn.)

• Gov. Rick Perry (Texas)

• Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (Calif.)

• Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.)

• U.S. Sen. Richard Burr (N.C.)

• U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman (Minn.)

• U.S. Sen. John Ensign (Nev.)

• U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch (Utah)

• U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann (Minn.)

• U.S. Rep. Tom Cole (Okla.)

• U.S. Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (Fla.)

• U.S. Rep. Thelma Drake (Va.)

• U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk (Ill.)

• U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (Calif)

• Maria Cino, President and CEO of the 2008 Republican National Convention

• Jo Ann Davidson, Chairman of the 2008 Republican National Convention Committee on Arrangements

• Tommy Espinoza

• Maj. Gen. Rick Goddard, U.S. Air Force (Ret.)

• Bill Gross

• Ashley Gunn

• Chris Hackett

• Doug Leatherdale

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• Jay Love

• Cynthia Lummis

• Erik Paulsen

• Capt. Leslie Smith, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Program participants will include

• Victoria Blackstone, Stars and Stripes Winner, will lead the Pledge of Allegiance

• Boy Scout Troop 738 of St Louis Park, Minn. will serve as the Color Guard The first day of a national convention is generally devoted to routine business.

The convention is called to order by the national party chair, the roll of delegations is called, and the temporary chair is elected.

Welcoming speeches are delivered by the mayor of the host city and often the governor of the state in which the convention is held.

Committee appointments, which have been previously announced, are ratified.

Sen. Joe Lieberman to Speak Former Democratic vice presidential nominee Joseph I. Lieberman, an independent senator from Connecticut and an abortion-rights supporter, will have a featured speaking role at the Republican convention.

Lieberman, who ran with Democrat Al Gore in 2000, supports his former party enough to give it control of the Senate but is an ardent backer of McCain, a longtime friend and colleague. His address on the opening night of the convention is intended to signal McCain's independence.18

Lieberman and McCain bonded in the 1990s as they tried to build bipartisan coalitions on foreign policy, campaign finance changes and environmental issues. Their alliance has strengthened in recent years over their support of the Iraq War.

Lieberman's views have infuriated many Democrats. He lost the Democratic Senate primary in 2006 to anti-war activist Ned Lamont but won the general election running as an independent.19

Lieberman won by 10 points with the support of 70 percent of Republicans and 54 percent of independents. He got only a third of Democrats in a state he had represented in the Senate for three terms as a Democrat.

After winning reelection, he insisted that he was still a Democrat -- a crucial decision, since Democrats needed his vote to form a Senate majority.

He also felt somewhat alienated from the party -- and from Sen. Barack Obama. Obama was one of the few Senate Democrats who gave Lamont money, and just before the primary he sent an e-mail to about 5,000 Connecticut residents urging them to back Lamont.20

Jim Manley, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), said Reid is ambivalent about Lieberman's decision to speak at the Republican convention. "Senator Lieberman can speak to whatever group he wants.21

The decision to schedule an address by Lieberman, the 66-year-old independent from Connecticut who caucuses with Democrats in the Senate, recalls 2004 when former Sen. Zell Miller, a Georgia Democrat, spoke to the GOP convention.22

Miller delivered his speech as a lame duck, months away from leaving politics. Lieberman, a member of the Senate Democratic majority, has another four years to serve.23

Miller criticized the Democratic ticket as weak on defense, but Lieberman said that's not his intention.

"I'm going to the Republican convention not to attack the Democratic candidate, but to explain to the American people why I support John McCain," Lieberman told the Associated Press. "Sen. McCain asked me to do it, and I strongly support him."24

''I'm not going to go to that convention, the Republican convention, and spend my time attacking Barack Obama,'' Lieberman said.25

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Lieberman said he will explain his decision to cross party lines and support McCain and convince Democrats, especially Clinton supporters, why they should do the same.

“I have a lot of respect for Senator Obama,” he said. “I don’t think he’s ready to be our president now — maybe sometime in the future.”26

As an ostensible Democratic voice praising McCain, Lieberman has been welcomed by the GOP. But conservatives quickly turned on him this week as the McCain campaign floated his name as a possible running mate.

Lieberman is a hawk on defense, supporting the war in Iraq. But he supports gun control, gay rights and abortion rights, three issues that put him sharply at odds with many Republicans.27 Lieberman mostly still votes with Democrats, especially on domestic issues.28

Jim Leach, a former 15-term Republican congressman from Iowa, spoke on the first night of the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Other Republicans scheduled to appear at the Democratic National Convention: Jim Whitaker, the mayor of Fairbanks, Alaska, and retired Navy Rear Admiral John Hutson, president of the Franklin Pierce Law Center in Concord, N.H.29 Farewell to the Bush Administration The first night of the convention will make the customary first-day nod to the outgoing administration — President Bush, first lady Laura Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney will all speak.30 President Bush is scheduled to speak on the first night of the convention, a Monday, Labor Day, and then leave town.31 The White House said that the president will spend the night at Camp David following his address in Minnesota.32 That will allow the spotlight to shine on McCain, and whomever he chooses as his running mate, the rest of the week.33 "There is absolutely no way to avoid having the incumbent president address the convention in this day and time," said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics. "Is Bush going to help him [McCain]? Yes, with the Republican base. He will hurt with independents and swing voters. It's obvious." And if McCain snubs Bush at the convention, that may hurt him more, Sabato said. The Bush speech on opening day may help anti-war activists. They hope to attract 50,000 people to a protest on Sept. 1, and if the president is speaking, their potential crowd could grow.34 The scheduling isn’t unusual. The last time a sitting president handed the reins to his party's nominee was 2000. That year, President Clinton addressed the Democratic convention on its first night, and nominee Al Gore gave his address on its last night. In 2000, like this year, the nominee had a complicated relationship with the outgoing president; Clinton was embroiled in personal sexual scandal, with which Gore did not want to be associated, but he said Clinton had maintained his popularity as president.35 At the 1988 Republican convention in New Orleans, President Ronald Reagan spoke in favor of the party’s imminent nominee for president, Vice President George Herbert Walker Bush.36 Reagan’s promise of campaign assistance and his call for Bush to “win one for the Gipper” was a lift for Bush supporters, who had been disturbed by Reagan’s previously pallid endorsement of their candidate.37 First Lady Laura Bush will give a short address on Monday night, but she will not introduce her husband.38 Until recently, first ladies were seen but not heard at conventions. That tradition was broken in 1940 when Eleanor Roosevelt spoke at the Democratic convention. Then in 1984, Nancy Reagan delivered a glowing tribute to her husband.39 McCain is hoping to attract independents to his cause and to establish himself as his own man, while accepting whatever help the departing president can give him. That situation puts McCain on a tightrope, as does the lack of personal warmth between him and Vice President Cheney.40 There had been doubts about a speech by Cheney.41 The announcement that Vice President Cheney will speak at the Republican convention on the same day as President Bush suggests the vice president's enduring

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popularity within the Republican base overcame concerns from some GOP insiders that his appearance would pose a political complication for McCain.42 Cheney has low approval ratings and is widely regarded as a secretive, behind-the-scenes power broker. But his approach plays well to conservatives. Democrats are working hard to link McCain to Cheney, mindful of his unpopularity with the general public and his villain-like status among their party's rank and file. On Tuesday, Obama linked the nation's energy problems to Cheney and contended that McCain was following "the Cheney playbook." The DNC rolled out a new Web site recently called "The Next Cheney." It assails McCain's potential vice presidential picks and links each to Cheney. McCain is quoted on the page as saying to Cheney in 2001, "With a little more luck, I might have been able to ask you to be my vice president."43 In recent history no sitting vice president has skipped his party's nominating convention, in large part because he has been either re-nominated for vice president or nominated for president. Even the vice presidents who were not part of the GOP national ticket — in 1976 Nelson Rockefeller and in 1952 Alben W. Barkley — addressed delegates.44 Cheney leaves the day after his convention speech for an overseas trip to Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine and Italy.45 McCain and Cheney have not appeared together at all since the Arizona senator clinched the GOP nomination, while Bush and McCain have not been seen together publicly since a fleeting May embrace on the airport tarmac in Phoenix.46 Worth Noting Gov. Tim Pawlenty will speak on both the opening and closing nights of the convention. Sen. Norm Coleman will speak on both the opening night and the third night of the convention.47

Platform. The party platform, a statement of principles and policy proposals, is prepared in advance by the Platform Committee, but is sometimes amended on the floor through minority reports. These reports are filed by those who were unsuccessful in incorporating their views into the draft version. Consideration of minority reports by the convention is contingent upon obtaining a threshold level of delegate support.

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DAY TWO (Sept. 2):

Theme: Reform

Second Day Speakers (not in order of speaking): • Former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani

• Gov. Jon Huntsman (Utah)

• Gov. Linda Lingle (Hawaii)

• Gov. Sarah Palin (Alaska)

• Former Gov. Mike Huckabee (Ark.)

• Former Gov. Tom Ridge (Pa.)

• Former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (Md.)

• U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn (Okla.)

• Former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson (Tenn.)

• House Republican Leader John Boehner (Ohio)

• U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.)

• U.S. Rep. Luis Fortuño (Puerto Rico)

• U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam (Fla.)

• State Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth (Calif.)

• Rosario Marin, California Secretary of the State and Consumer Services Agency

• Chris Collins

• Carolyn Dunn

• Phil Hayes

• Lisa Keegan

• Ruth Novodor

• Dr. Elena Rios

• Shirley Sadler

• Joe Watkins

Program participants will include:

• Mary Leavitt will lead the Pledge of Allegiance

• The VFW of Red Lake, Minn. will serve as the Color Guard

• Rabbi Ira Flax will lead the convention in prayer

• Dr. Robert Certain will lead the convention in prayer

Keynote Speaker – Rudy Giuliani Socially moderate former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, who once thought he would be the one accepting the GOP nomination, will deliver the keynote address on the Tuesday night of the convention.

Giuliani is the two-term mayor who led New York through the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.48

He ran for president this year but the mayor's unorthodox campaign never found favor with the party's faithful, and he ended his presidential bid without winning a single delegate.49

He withdrew after a crushing loss in Florida, endorsed McCain the next day and has since campaigned for McCain.50

Giuliani remains a popular figure among Republicans and is thought to appeal to Democrats and independents.51

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The Keynote Address: The keynote address sets the themes and tone of the convention and often of the general election campaign to follow. Keynote speakers are usually prominent office holders or party officials, chosen because of their national appeal and speaking ability, or because they may be viewed as “rising stars” in the party.

The keynote address is highly partisan in tone and content. It extols the party record and the incumbent President, when the party holds the White House. It attacks the opposition candidates, policies, and record.

Keynote addresses once were major national events. More recently, however, the keynote address has diminished in importance.

Credentials. Routine convention business often spills over into the second day of proceedings, as reports of the credentials, rules, and platform committees are debated and approved by the delegates.

The acceptance of delegate credentials is usually a perfunctory procedure.

Rules. Adoption of the Rules Committee report, setting convention procedures, is another important function usually completed on the second day of the convention.

Consideration of the committee report has occasionally been accompanied by spirited debate, particularly in a close convention when delegates have sought to boost their candidate's chances by securing rules changes.

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DAY THREE (Sept. 3):

Theme: Prosperity

Third Day Speakers (not in order of speaking): • Cindy McCain

• Republican Party’s Vice Presidential Nominee

• Gov. Bobby Jindal (La.)

• Former Gov. Mitt Romney (Mass.)

• U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman (Minn.)

• U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (Texas)

• U.S. Rep. Mike Pence (Ind.)

• Mayor Mick Cornett (Okla.)

• State Sen. Abel Maldonado (Calif.)

• Carly Fiorina, Victory ‘08 Chairman for the Republican National Committee and former Chairman and CEO of Hewlett-Packard Co.

• Meg Whitman, National Co-Chair for McCain 2008 and former President and CEO of eBay

• Renee Amoore

• Anne Beiler

• Jessica Colon

• Christy Swanson

• Raul "Danny" Vargas


• Sharon Clahchischillage will lead the Pledge of Allegiance

• The Law Enforcement Memorial Association of Minnesota will serve as the Color Guard

• Father Edward Reese will lead the convention in prayer

• Rev. Eva Rodriguez will lead the convention in prayer

The third day of national conventions is usually reserved for the nomination of the presidential candidate. In recent years, the nomination is accomplished in one evening, with only one ballot.

The last Republican Convention to go beyond one ballot occurred in 1948, when New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey won on the third ballot.

The Nominating Speech. Prominent or promising party figures are usually given the task of placing the names of candidates in nomination, followed by a series of seconding speeches.

Balloting. Following completion of the nominating and seconding speeches, the roll of states is called, by the clerk of the convention, a position usually filled by the permanent secretary of the party’s national committee. Although rules in both parties require the roll to be called alphabetically, states may "pass" on voting until a second run through the roll.

The tally of delegate votes in each state is announced by the chair of the delegation, often the party’s highest ranking elected official in the state.

A running count of vote totals is maintained, usually culminating in a “spontaneous” demonstration for the nominee when he or she receives enough votes to go “over the top” to secure the nomination.

The Republicans frequently give the over-the-top honors to a candidate's home state. Texas put George H.W. Bush over the top in 1988 and 1992.

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Republicans have, in some recent conventions, spread balloting over four days to allow more states to play featured roles.

Wyoming, vice president-to-be Dick Cheney's home state, put President Bush over the top in 2000, setting off one celebration. Texas ended the presidential roll call the next night, setting off another.52

Following the completion of balloting, the chair usually entertains a motion to demonstrate party unity by making the nomination unanimous by acclamation.

In 1984, the Republicans departed from tradition by nominating incumbent President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George Bush in a joint ballot.

The Delegates: Barring any late changes, the 39th Republican National Convention will have a total of 2,380 delegates. 1,191 delegates is the majority necessary in order for a Presidential or Vice-Presidential candidate to be nominated. Florida, New Hampshire, Michigan, South Carolina, and Wyoming each lost half of their delegates to the National Convention.53 California has the largest delegation at 173 delegates. Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have the smallest delegations at 9 delegates and 6 alternate delegates each. Delegates from Northern Mariana Islands travel the furthest to attend the convention in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, traveling for 24 hours and roughly 6,897 miles.54

Republican Keynote Speakers at National Conventions: 1900-2004

1900 E. O. Woolcott CO 1904 Elihu Root NY 1908 Julius C. Burrows MI 1912 Elihu Root NY 1916 Warren G. Harding OH 1920 Henry Cabot Lodge MA 1924 Theodore E. Burton OH 1928 Simeon D. Fess OH 1932 L. J. Dickinson IA 1936 Frederick Steiwer OR 1940 Harold E. Stassen MN 1944 Earl Warren CA 1948 Dwight H. Green IL 1952 Douglas MacArthur NY 1956 Arthur B. Langlie WA 1960 Walter H. Judd MN

1964 Mark O. Hatfield OR 1968 Daniel J. Evans WA 1972 Edward W. Brooke MA; Richard G. Lugar IN; Anne Armstrong TX 1976 Howard H. Baker, Jr. TN 1980 Guy Vander Jagt MI 1984 Katherine Ortega NM 1988 Thomas Kean NJ 1992 Phil Gramm TX 1996 Susan Molinari NY 2000 No traditional keynote speaker, but prominent speaking roles given to Colin Powell, John McCain and Laura Bush. 2004 Zell Miller, GA

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DAY FOUR (Sept. 4):

Theme: Peace

Fourth Day Speakers (not in order of speaking): • Sen. John McCain (Ariz.)

• Gov. Charlie Crist (Fla.)

• Gov. Tim Pawlenty (Minn.)

• U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback (Kan.)

• U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.)

• U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez (Fla.)

• Former U.S. Sen. Bill Frist (Tenn.)

• U.S. Rep. Mary Fallin (Okla.)

• Michael Williams, Chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission

• David Flaum

• Christopher Fussner

• Lt. Gen. Carol Mutter, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.)

• Charlie Smith


• The 934th Airlift Wing Air Force Reserves Joint Color Guard of Minn.

• Pastor Dan Yeary will lead the convention in prayer

• Archbishop Demetrios will lead the convention in prayer

The fourth day of the convention is usually dominated the presidential nominees’ acceptance speech.

Acceptance Speech. Following his or her nomination, the presidential nominee’s acceptance speech is the last major activity of the convention.

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McCain’s Acceptance Speech McCain has sought to lower expectations about his speech, saying his delivery would not compare to Obama's. "I know, by the way, and you know, that Senator Obama will give great speech at their convention before 75,000 people in Denver," McCain told the crowd in early August. "And I don't expect to match up to that. . . . But I think its going to be substance that matters. And I think it's going to be vision for America and I think it's going to be concrete plans of action." 55 McCain said his upcoming speech poses "an opportunity as well as a challenge" because Obama is a "very talented" rival whose gift for oratory exceeds his own. McCain has repeatedly cast himself as a low-key David to Obama's speechmaking Goliath -- "I'm the underdog". "He's probably going to give a very impressive speech that will be very well-delivered," McCain said. "I'm sure he'll do a far better job than I could ever do. ... I hope we can convey the fact that I am the most qualified to lead, in both national security and domestic challenges." McCain said he hasn't reviewed previous convention speeches, but he praised Ronald Reagan's 1980 address attacking President Carter and Reagan's 1984 speech on conservatism. McCain has pointed out that he delivered three well-received convention addresses, including in 1996 when he entered Bob Dole's name in nomination.56 Mark Salter, the top aide and longtime speechwriter for McCain, had written a "working draft" of the McCain's address by early August and was circulating the draft to a very limited number of his aides.57 Salter’s final draft was seven typed pages, 14-point font, which is "bumping up against (McCain's) comfort level," one official said. McCain usually takes three minutes to read a page, but with applause, that should stretch to a traditional 30 or 40 minute speech. Salter batted ideas around with McCain before sitting down to type, but drew on little else. While some speech writers famously study scores of former speeches, Salter went back and reread only one: George H.W. Bush's speech two decades ago to the GOP convention at the Superdome in New Orleans. In that address, Bush famously promised "Read my lips: No new taxes." Ironically the Superdome achieved notoriety under the current President Bush. Thousands of refugees took shelter there after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city in 2006, and their misery formed the backdrop for countless stories about the current Bush administration's stunningly slow response. Salter, who was at the 1988 convention, considered the Bush speech a game-changer. Until then, the Democratic nominee, Michael Dukakis, led in many polls, including one that supposedly detected a 17-point gap as he came out of the Democratic convention.58 Plans were for the Salter speech to be circulated among McCain's top advisers for several days, with a final draft delivered by Salter to McCain by Aug. 18.59 Salter and aides are tight-lipped about what McCain will say, though the candidate will likely stick to themes he’s already touted on the trail, including his military service and his time as a prisoner of war. McCain will also likely flash his willingness to buck his party, though its unclear how far he’ll go to distance himself from President Bush, who is still popular with hardcore conservatives.60

Adjournment. Immediately following the nominee’s acceptance speech, the presidential nominee is joined on the podium by the vice presidential nominee, their spouses, families, defeated rivals and other party leaders for the traditional unity pose.

Shortly afterwards, the convention is adjourned sine die.

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CONVENTION SECURITY These are the second set of conventions since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. But, perhaps surprisingly to some, al-Qaida is not the leading concern. Not that the terrorism potential is being overlooked. But the Secret Service and FBI are giving special attention to the possibility of action by other extremists -- radicals from the left or right, anarchists, crazies acting alone -- who might be attracted to the conventions because of the significance and high visibility. According to an April federal intelligence assessment, hardened structures, like the convention stadiums, are unlikely targets for al-Qaida. The assessment said security officers and barriers are a deterrent as far as al-Qaida is concerned. There has never been an assassination attempt at a presidential convention, the Secret Service said. The Secret Service budgeted more than $15 million for both conventions, but it will cost a couple of million more because of Democratic candidate Barack Obama's decision to accept his party's nomination at an open-air stadium in Denver. Each convention city was also given $50 million from the federal government for security efforts.61 St. Paul Police officials have shared some details on how they intend to spend a $50 million security grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. The majority of the money, $34 million, is being spent on overtime salaries for officers on loan from other jurisdictions, as well as other contracts such as for satellite and cell phone service. About $1 million will be spent on meals, $3.5 million on training non-St. Paul officers and $1 million for private guards. The city, which has about 600 sworn officers, has been trying to increase its ranks to about 3,500. The city has signed agreements with other agencies in order to reach the goal. A bit less than $5 million will be spent on other city personnel, including public works and Fire Department workers. About $4.6 million will go toward equipment. That includes a $560,000 command post vehicle filled with computers and communications equipment, $612,000 for radios and $900,000 for fencing and metal detectors. About $5 million will be spent on supplies that include $1.9 million for chemical irritant, $308,500 for fuel and $1 million for chemical masks.62

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A look at federal, state and local efforts to secure St. Paul during GOP convention

• The Xcel Energy Center can seat 20,000 people in the enclosed arena.

• 90 state and local agencies will provide about 3,500 officers to secure the event.

• $34 million will be used to pay law enforcement officers overtime.

• $16 million will be used to train officers on how to work in large crowds and to purchase motorcycles, bicycles, radios, fuel, helmets, first aid kits and other emergency supplies.

• 50,000 protesters are expected.

• About 2,100 Army and Air guardsmen will help to secure facilities and be ready to respond to chemical,

biological, radiological or nuclear incidents. This includes a 500-man team, whose members look like riot police and carry batons, as well as another 500-man team with bio-suits in case there's a report about

suspicious chemicals, for instance. Thousands of other guardsmen are available if necessary.

• About 50 Transportation Security Officers (airport screeners) will help the Secret Service with screening at the convention center. In addition, special TSA strike teams comprised of air marshals, transportation security inspectors and officers, behavior detection officers and bomb-sniffing dogs, will conduct security

sweeps before and during the convention.

• The Secret Service established 17 working groups for each convention that include officials from other federal, state and local agencies. The groups include, air security, counterterrorism, public affairs,

credentialing, crisis management and consequence management.

• The U.S. Coast Guard's Deployable Operations Group (DOG) will provide maritime security, including boarding small boats, and air support.

• The Federal Aviation Administration has restricted area airspace around Minneapolis-St. Paul and

designated that space "National Defense Airspace."

• Special gamma-imaging machines used at ports will be at the convention to inspect vehicles and packages 24 hours before the event starts.

• Analysts from I&A Homeland Security's Intelligence directorate will be in St. Paul.

• Customs and Border Protection will help in securing airspace around the convention sites.

• The National Nuclear Security Administration will do a sweep of the venues for nuclear material, and

undercover officials will walk around during the conventions with radiation detection equipment.

Source: Associated Press Newswires, “A look at federal, state and local efforts to secure St. Paul during GOP convention,” 20 August 2008.

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CONVENTION PROTESTS & MEDIA Anti-War Protest Protestors have a permit from the city of St. Paul for a Sept. 1 antiwar demonstration at the Republican National Convention. The permit lists a public assembly starting time of 11 a.m. at the State Capitol in St. Paul, where a rally is scheduled, followed by a march to the Xcel Energy Center, where the convention will be in session. The permit, issued by St. Paul police, says that the march will be completed by 5 p.m. ET but that protesters can stay on at the Capitol grounds until 8 p.m. ET. The main slogan for the demonstration is "U.S. Out of Iraq Now," and organizers say they expect it to draw 50,000 people. Estimates have ranged up to 100,000 although some observers have speculated that turnout could be considerably smaller.63 Nader Rally The independent presidential campaign of Ralph Nader and Matt Gonzalez has scheduled what it is billing as a super rally in Minneapolis during the Republican National Convention. The rally at Orchestra Hall on Sept. 4 is a call for opening the presidential debates. The event will be at 7:30 p.m. and donations are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.64

Conventions and the Media:

The first political convention to be televised was the Republican National Convention in June 1940 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania when Wendell L. Willkie was nominated for president. The telecast was made by station W2XBS of the National Broadcasting Company, located in New York City.

Full-scale television coverage of national conventions began in 1952.

The first color telecast was the Republican National Convention in Miami Beach, Florida in August 1968; both NBC and CBS broadcast the proceedings.

Convention sessions, once primarily conducted during the day, are now largely scheduled for peak viewing hours, in order to attract the widest television audience. Lengthy speeches have largely been curtailed or eliminated.

Soon, about 15,000 members of the media - from local anchors to national-news icons - will descend on Denver and look for the big story and the best backdrop.

In 1976, the networks carried 26 hours of coverage. In 2004, citing low ratings, ABC, CBS and NBC devoted a mere three hours to each convention (one hour a night for three nights, skipping the night an unknown Barack Obama made his now-famous speech).65

In 2008, CBS, ABC, and NBC have committed to do slightly more coverage of the Democratic and Republican gatherings than they did in 2004, when they were chided for carrying prime-time reports on only three of the four nights of each convention.

This year, all three networks have committed to producing live hourlong news specials each night, airing at 10 p.m. ET. The networks' daily newscasts will also originate from St. Paul.

PBS' Jim Lehrer will be anchoring three hours of live coverage each night on "The NewsHour," beginning at 8 p.m. EDT.66

With the broadcast networks doing limited coverage of the conventions, the cable channels see an opening to dominate these events and position themselves as a destination for political news throughout the fall. They hope to expand on a trend that began in 2004, when Fox News got higher ratings for its coverage of the GOP convention than the broadcasters.67

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REPUBLICAN CONVENTIONS, 1856-2004 Year City Date Presidential Nominee Ballots 1856 Philadelphia June 17-19 John C. Fremont 2 1860 Chicago May 16-19 Abraham Lincoln 3 1864 Baltimore June 7-8 Abraham Lincoln 1 1868 Chicago May 20-21 Ulysses S. Grant 1 1872 Philadelphia June 5-6 Ulysses S. Grant 1 1876 Cincinnati June 14-16 Rutherford B. Hayes 7 1880 Chicago June 2-8 James A. Garfield 36 1884 Chicago June 3-6 James G. Blaine 4 1888 Chicago June 19-25 Benjamin Harrison 8 1892 Minneapolis June 7-10 Benjamin Harrison 1 1896 St. Louis June 16-18 William McKinley 1 1900 Philadelphia June 19-21 William McKinley 1 1904 Chicago June 21-23 Theodore Roosevelt 1 1908 Chicago June 16-19 William H. Taft 1 1912 Chicago June 18-22 William H. Taft 1 1916 Chicago June 7-10 Charles E. Hughes 3 1920 Chicago June 8-12 Warren G. Harding 10 1924 Cleveland June 10-12 Calvin Coolidge 1 1928 Kansas City June 12-15 Herbert Hoover 1 1932 Chicago June 14-16 Herbert Hoover 1 1936 Cleveland June 9-12 Alfred M. Landon 1 1940 Philadelphia June 24-28 Wendell L. Willkie 6 1944 Chicago June 26-28 Thomas E. Dewey 1 1948 Philadelphia June 21-25 Thomas E. Dewey 3 1952 Chicago July 7-11 Dwight D. Eisenhower 1 1956 San Francisco August 20-23 Dwight D. Eisenhower 1 1960 Chicago July 25-28 Richard Nixon 1 1964 San Francisco July 13-16 Barry Goldwater 1 1968 Miami Beach August 5-8 Richard Nixon 1 1972 Miami Beach August 21-23 Richard Nixon 1 1976 Kansas City August 16-19 Gerald R. Ford 1 1980 Detroit Jluy 14-17 Ronald Reagan 1 1984 Dallas August 20-23 Ronald Reagan 1 1988 New Orleans August 15-18 George H.W. Bush 1 1992 Houston August 17-20 George H.W. Bush 1 1996 San Diego August 12-15 Robert Dole 1 2000 Philadelphia July 31-August 3 George W. Bush 1 2004 New York August 30-Sept. 2 George W. Bush 1 Source: National Party Conventions: 1831-2004 | 2005 | CQ Press

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FINANCING THE CONVENTIONS Public Funds to the Parties

Federal election law permits all eligible national committees of major and minor parties to receive public funds to pay the official costs of their presidential nominating conventions.

The public funding portion of presidential elections is financed by the Presidential Election Campaign Fund, which receives funds through dollars voluntarily "checked off" by taxpayers on federal income tax forms.

Each of the two major political party’s convention committees will receive $16,356,000 from the U.S. Treasury for planning and conducting their respective 2008 presidential nominating conventions.

Each major party convention committee is entitled to receive $4 million, plus an adjustment for inflation (since 1974).

Originally, the limit was $2 million, plus COLA. That figure was increased to $3 million, plus COLA, for the 1980 conventions and to $4 million, plus COLA, for the 1984 conventions.

The payments for each major party convention historically have been:

1976 - $ 2,182,000 1980 - $ 4,416,000 1984 - $ 8,080,000 1988 - $ 9,220,000 1992 - $ 11,048,000

1996 - $ 12,364,000 2000 - $ 13,512,000 2004 - $ 14,924,000 2008 - $16,356,000

Raising Money for the Conventions

Corporate contributions to “host committees” and “municipal funds” are now the primary vehicle for subsidizing convention business.

Federal regulations permit unlimited private contributions to “host committees” and “municipal funds.”

Host committees are not required by law to reveal details of how they spend their money until after the convention.

Conventions remain the only activity where federal candidates can raise unrestricted amounts of money from wealthy donors, unions or corporations -- donations typically called "soft money."

Why? Because the recipients are convention host committees, which technically are not political entities.

Top donors are giving $1 million or more to these committees, with a few dozen corporations, including AT&T, Coca-Cola, Pfizer and Qwest, contributing to both conventions.

McCain was one of the lead authors of legislation that in 2002 did away with soft money to the political parties -- a law that many watchdog groups say should have been applied to the conventions as well.

Business and labor interests have donated millions to the Democratic and Republican convention host committees in exchange for premium seats and special access. Many institutions will also hold parties and receptions where lawmakers can get an earful from lobbyists and their clients.68

The Twin Cities Host Committee recently turned for help to a strong supporter of McCain's candidacy, Robert Wood "Woody" Johnson IV, owner of the New York Jets. Six weeks before the convention executives had found they were about $10 million short of what they needed for a celebration they already had scaled back. More recently, the Republican convention committee has said it is close to meeting its goals.69

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New ethics restrictions have changed the comfort level for convention parties and receptions. The rules permit food and refreshment of a nominal value, but not a meal. That limitation has turned questions once left to the kitchen, such as when finger food is more than just an hors d'oeuvre, into head-scratching legal issues.

The rules aim to do away with the lavish extravaganzas of past conventions, where powerful members of Congress were feted by interest groups pleading their legislative cases.70

Source of Funding for Democratic Party Presidential Nominating Conventions, 1980-2004 (millions of dollars):

Year 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004

Private Contributions (Through host committees and ‘municipal funds’) 0.4 2.4 1.7 6.2 20 36.1 56.9

Local and State Gov’t Funding (Direct and through host committees) 4.5* 7.6 15.8 21.1 15 35.8 0

Federal Grants to Party Convention Committees 4.4 8.1 9.2 11 12.4 13.5 14.9

Total Convention Contributions 9.3 18.1 26.7 38.3 47.4 85.4 71.8

Private Contributions as a % of Total 4.3% 13.3% 6.4% 16.2% 42.2% 42.3% 79.2%

* These figures or percentages exclude first time federal grants of $50 million each for homeland assistance security to the city governments of New York and Boston in 2004, and Federal Law Enforcement Assistance grants of $3.2 and $3.5 million to the Detroit and New York City governments in 1980. Source: Inside Fundraising for the 2008 Party Conventions: Party Surrogates Gather Soft Money While Federal Regulators Turn a Blind Eye | June 2008 | The Campaign Finance Institute Parties The two biggest invitation-only parties are expected to attract thousands of news media members attending the Republican National Convention, in one case, and delegates to the convention, in the other. The evening parties, traditionally among the largest at the conventions, are sponsored by the host committee and the convention cities. They are paid for with private funds from local and national corporations that make tax-deductible donations to the host committee. About 15,000 members of the news media are expected to attend the Sept. 1-4 convention, and around 10,000 are expected at the media party on Aug. 30. It will be held under tents next to the Mississippi River in Minneapolis behind the Guthrie Theater and the Mill City Museum. The delegates party, open to the 4,600 convention delegates and alternates and an estimated 3,500 other guests, will be held Aug. 31 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. CivicFest is taking place at the center from Aug. 29 to Sept. 4, featuring 35 exhibits about American and Minnesota history and the U.S. presidency. While CivicFest is open to the public at other times, both parties are closed to the public and only those with credentials will get in. Because the host committee is sponsoring the parties, the events are exempt from congressional ethics rules that put restrictions on entertainment and on what members of Congress and their staff may eat.71

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SELECTING THE DELEGATES

The Primaries:

Nominations today are usually won during the primary campaign rather than at the convention.

During the prenomination phase candidates compete in state primary elections and caucuses for delegates to the national party conventions.

The primary season gradually reduces the field of major party candidates.

Under the present system for choosing presidential nominees, state parties use two main electoral devices: the primary and the caucus/convention system. State parties combine the two in a variety of ways to choose delegates to the national conventions.

The nomination is conferred on the candidate who holds a majority of delegates at the party convention, but under the present system for choosing delegates one candidate is likely to emerge with a majority by the end of the primary season, if not sooner, and well before the convention meets.

The days when a candidate could compete in a select number of primaries to demonstrate popular appeal have passed: the nomination goes to the candidate who has amassed a majority of delegates in the primaries and caucuses.

Party conventions have largely become ratifying bodies that confer the nomination on the candidate who won it in state contests.

The 1976 Republican National Convention was the most recent one at which the determination of a major party’s nominee was in any real doubt before the nominating ballots were cast.

Delegate Selection: In Minneapolis-St. Paul this week, members of the Republican National Committee are expected to push for their national convention to adopt the same window and to concur with Democratic rules that permit very few states to hold their primaries or caucuses before the window opens. "We're trying to stay in close contact," said Rep. James Roosevelt, D-Mass., the co-chair of the Rules and Bylaws Committee of the Democratic National Committee. He has been communicating with David Norcross, chairman of the Rules and Bylaws Committee of the Republican National Committee. "We're very much in concert on setting the start date later." Having the parties on the same page this week is critical to establishing at least a modicum of order for the presidential nominating process. Although the DNC has extraordinary flexibility about when it sets its party's nominating rules, the RNC does not: Rules governing the GOP's 2012 nominating process must be adopted next week at the convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Norcross advocates adopting the first Tuesday in March as the start date and permitting only a few states to go earlier. "We're on the same wavelength [as the Democrats]," Norcross said. "Enough to make it exciting and very disappointed if we don't get it done." But agreeing on when to open the 2012 window isn't the same as agreeing on which states could go earlier. This year the DNC allowed Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina to go early, but that mix could change.72

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REPUBLICANS: STATES WON John McCain Mitt Romney Mike Huckabee

Alaska Colo. Ala. Ariz. Maine Ark. Calif. Mass. Ga. Conn. Mich. Iowa Del. Minn. Kan. Fla. Mont. La.

Hawaii N.D. Tenn. Idaho Nev.

Ill. Utah Ind. Wyo. Ky. Md.

Miss. Mo. N.C. N.H. N.J. N.M. N.Y. Neb. Ohio Okla. Ore. Pa. R.I. S.C. S.D.

Texas Va.

Wash. Wis.

W.Va. Vt.

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CONVENTION ORGANIZATION Permanent Chair and other Officers:

Although conventions of both parties are opened by a temporary presiding officer, election of a permanent chair is usually one of the first points in the order of business.

The Permanent Chair, who presides for the balance of the convention, is usually a senior party figure, most often the party leader in the House of Representatives.

House Minority Leader John Boehner (Ohio) will be the "permanent chairman" of the GOP convention. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) will be "temporary chairman" of the GOP convention. Basically, the two leaders will co-chair the convention, but every four years the "temporary" and "permanent" title flip between the GOP's House and Senate leaders.73

Deputy permanent co-chairs for the convention include Arizona Secretary of State Jan Brewer; former New Hampshire State Chairman Steve Duprey; David Roederer of Iowa; Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla.; Kathleen Shanahan of Florida; and Michigan National Committeeman Chuck Yob.74

U.S. Rep. David Dreier of California will serve as Parliamentarian; South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster will serve as Chief Sergeant at Arms; former Massachusetts Republican State Chairwoman Jean Inman will serve as Convention Secretary; and James S. Bookwalter of Connecticut will serve as Chief Page.75

Convention Committees:

Committees of the national conventions prepare reports for the conventions on delegate credentials, rules of procedure, and party platforms.

There are four Convention Standing Committees: Permanent Organization, Credentials, Platform and Rules.

The full convention ratifies or amends the respective recommendations from each of these committees.

List of Convention Committees:

• Permanent Organization Committee functions continuously between conventions, has as its primary role the selection of convention officers.

o Former State Chairwoman Jayne Millerick of New Hampshire will serve as Chairman of the Committee on Permanent Organization.

• The Credentials Committee examines and rules on the accreditation of state delegations to the convention.

o Mississippi Republican Party Chairman Jim Herring will serve as Credentials Committee Chairman.

• The Rules Committee recommends procedures under which the national convention is conducted.

o Georgia National Committeeman Alec Poitevint will serve as Convention Rules Committee Chairman.

• The Platform Committee has responsibility for the task of drafting the platform.

o U.S. Representative Kevin McCarthy, of the 22nd Congressional District of California, will serve as Chairman of the Convention Committee on Resolutions ("Platform Committee") and U.S. Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina will serve as Platform Committee Co-Chairman.76

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THE PLATFORM Approval Process: The platform committee, made up of 112 members, met to draft the document in Minneapolis just before the convention. Committee members had two days to debate and alter the platform before taking it to the convention floor on Monday, where its passage is the first item on the agenda. That will happen hours before prime-time television coverage begins and should take "less than 90 seconds," says Steven Duffield, executive director of the platform committee. Instead of fighting with party activists to form the platform around his own ideas, Sen. McCain has taken a hands-off approach.77 The platform has been purged of the dear-leader tributes that turned statements of party principles into an incessant hailing of the chief. The draft platform approved by the GOP platform committee on Aug. 27 mentions McCain and President Bush only once. The 2004 platform ran over 40,000 words, many of them turgid. It found 80 things to "applaud," 17 to "hail," a dozen to "commend" and several hundred opportunities to say what a great job Bush was doing and would continue to do. It was more than twice the length of the Democratic platform. Now it's been cut roughly in half.78 Members of the GOP platform committee adopted a platform Aug. 27 that proclaims their party united behind McCain while skirting some enduring points of contention. The 112-member committee working on the statement of party principles in Minneapolis is trying not to stray too far from McCain's views, while also satisfying the conservative base. They voted to stick with an energy plank that doesn't mention drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, saying it would only highlight an area where they differ with the Arizona senator. McCain opposes drilling in that protected land, and some committee members said they would rather bring him around on the issue once he's in the White House than widen their disagreement now. Delegates endorsed expanded drilling generally, both offshore and in Alaska, North Dakota and Montana, and declared that the Alaskan refuge should not be put off limits to the oil industry permanently. The panel turned back a move to deny citizenship to U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants. Opponents raised constitutional concerns and said the proposal would complicate life for McCain, who has sponsored legislation giving illegal immigrants a path toward legal status but now prioritizes border security. The platform calls for a border fence and English as the official language, and opposes amnesty, driver's licenses, in-state tuition rates, Social Security and other government benefits for illegal immigrants. GOP delegates also aim to block federal funds to cities that bar police from working with immigration authorities under so-called sanctuary ordinances. Republicans are also doing a balancing act on climate change. The platform acknowledges a human role in increased carbon emissions -- although a sentence linking those emissions to "a warming effect on the earth" was yanked. The GOP is calling for climate change policies that are "global in nature, based on sound science and technology" and don't hurt the economy. The document also decries "no-growth radicalism" and says solutions should not "force Americans to sacrifice their way of life or trim their hopes and dreams for their children." Before the final vote, delegates waded deep into a debate over embryonic stem cells -- another area where many differ with McCain, who supports relaxing federal restrictions on the funding of such research. They voted to ban human cloning and "the creation of or experimentation on human embryos for research purposes." The platform next goes before the full Republican National Convention.79

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Platform Committee Structure

The Platform Committee Chairman is Rep. Kevin McCarthy (CA-22) and the Platform Committee Co-Chairman is Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC).80 McCarthy, 43, is a freshman House member and Burr, 52, is a freshman senator, but both are considered policy wonks in their respective GOP conferences.81 The Subcommittee structure and leadership for the 2008 Platform Committee is as follows: "Expanding Opportunity to Promote Prosperity" Subcommittee: The "Expanding Opportunity to Promote Prosperity" Subcommittee is responsible for economic policy, including technology and innovation, taxes, trade, economic development, labor, and related issues. It will be led by Subcommittee Chairman, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour. Barbour will be joined by two Subcommittee Co-Chairmen, Santa Mendoza of Connecticut and Tony Sutton of Minnesota. "Defending the Nation, Securing the Peace" Subcommittee: The "Defending the Nation, Securing the Peace" Subcommittee is responsible for national security, including foreign policy, military personnel, defense policy, homeland security, border security/immigration, and related issues. The subcommittee’s chairman will be Rep. Heather Wilson (NM-01). Wilson will be joined by Subcommittee Co-Chairmen Scott Lingamfelter of Virginia and Joe Nunez of Colorado. "Reforming Government to Serve the People" Subcommittee: The "Reforming Government to Serve the People" Subcommittee is responsible for government reform and spending, including fiscal responsibility and the federal budget, limited government, entitlement reform, domestic disaster response, and related issues. The Subcommittee will be led by Georgia State Rep. Mark Burkhalter. Burkhalter will be joined by Subcommittee Co-Chairman Priscilla Rakestraw of Delaware. "Guaranteeing Energy Independence and a Cleaner Environment" Subcommittee: The "Guaranteeing Energy Independence and a Cleaner Environment" Subcommittee will handle policy relating to growing our American energy sources and protecting the environment. The subcommittee’s chairman will be Ann McLaughlin Korologos of Washington, D.C. Korologos was Secretary of Labor and undersecretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior during the Reagan administration. Korologos will be joined by Subcommittee Co-Chairman Trey Grayson of Kentucky. "Protecting Our Families, Preserving Our Values" Subcommittee: The "Protecting Our Families, Preserving Our Values" Subcommittee is responsible for criminal justice policy issues and social policy issues such as culture of life, traditional marriage, the right to bear arms, and related matters. It will be led by Subcommittee Chairman Jane Orie, Pennsylvania state Senate's Majority Whip. Orie will be joined by Subcommittee Co-Chairman Mike Fair. "Advancing a Healthier and More Competitive America" Subcommittee: The "Advancing a Healthier and More Competitive America" Subcommittee is responsible for policy relating to health care reform, as well as primary, secondary, and higher education. It will be led by Subcommittee Chairman Mary Mertz of Ohio, an attorney in Columbus, Ohio. Mertz will be joined by Subcommittee Co-Chairman Steve King of Wisconsin.82

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THE CONVENTION BOUNCE IN THE POLLS Effect of Conventions on the Polls: • The convention bounce varies from a record-high 16-point bounce for Bill Clinton following the 1992

Democratic convention, to a -1 decrease in Gallup's estimation of the bounce for Democratic candidate John Kerry after the 2004 convention.

• Clinton's record 1992 bounce was in part due to the fact that independent candidate Ross Perot dropped out just as the Democratic convention was ending.

• The average bounce for Democratic candidates across all conventions in these 11 elections is 6.2 points says Gallup.

• Republicans averaged a 5.3-point bounce.

• It is unclear at this point whether 2004 marks the start of a trend away from post-convention bounces, or is a historical anomaly. One thing that distinguishes 2004 from earlier elections is that voters were already tuned in to the campaign well before the conventions took place and likely already had given some thought to how they would vote. Thus, the happenings of the conventions arguably would have had little effect on their preferences.

• In earlier elections, the conventions may have been the first time that many voters began to pay attention to the presidential race, and thus their preferences were more subject to change. So far, 2008 looks more like 2004 than earlier elections in terms of pre-convention voter interest levels, and if the convention bounces of 1964 through 2000 were largely a product of low pre-convention levels of voter attention, then there may not be big surges in candidate support this year.83

Post-Convention Increases in Support, 1964-2000

Election Candidate (incumbent in boldface) Bounce Convention Order

2004 George W. Bush 2 points 2nd

2004 John Kerry -1 point 1st

2000 George W. Bush 8 points 1st

2000 Al Gore 8 points 2nd

1996 Bill Clinton 5 points 2nd

1996 Bob Dole 3 points 1st

1992 Bill Clinton 16 points 1st

1992 George Bush 5 points 2nd

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1988 George Bush 6 points 2nd

1988 Michael Dukakis 7 points 1st

1984 Ronald Reagan 4 points 2nd

1984 Walter Mondale 9 points 1st

1980 Ronald Reagan 8 points 1st

1980 Jimmy Carter 10 points 2nd

1976 Jimmy Carter 9 points 1st

1976 Gerald Ford 5 points 2nd

1972 Richard Nixon 7 points 2nd

1972 George McGovern 0 points 1st

1968 Richard Nixon 5 points 1st

1968 Hubert Humphrey 2 points 2nd

1964 Lyndon Johnson 3 points 2nd

1964 Barry Goldwater 5 points 1st

Source: Bush Gets Small Convention Bounce, Leads Kerry by Seven | Sept. 26, 2004 | GALLUP NEWS

SERVICE • The candidate with the bigger bounce, of course, doesn't necessarily go on to win:

o In 1988, Democrat Michael Dukakis got a one-point-higher bounce than George H.W. Bush did, but Bush won.

o In 1984, Democrat Walter Mondale got a larger bounce than incumbent Ronald Reagan did, but Reagan won re-election handily.

o In 1980, Democrat Jimmy Carter got a slightly larger bounce than challenger Reagan did, but Reagan won.

o In 1964, Republican Barry Goldwater got a larger bounce than incumbent Lyndon B. Johnson did, but Johnson was way ahead in the polls and stayed that way, ultimately defeating Goldwater by an overwhelming margin.

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Factors That Affect the Bounce • Idiosyncratic circumstances can make a big difference in the degree to which candidates enjoy the fruits of

their party's labors at their conventions.

• There are, however, several recurring dimensions that theoretically could affect the size of a convention bounce:

o The order in which the conventions occur

o There appears to be a very slight advantage in terms of a ticket's bounce when that party's convention comes first. But that average advantage across the 11 elections since 1964 appears to be based for the most part on the extraordinary 16-point bounce Bill Clinton received in 1992. Excluding that election, the bounces for the first and the second conventions appear to be no different.

Calendar order Average bounce Average bounce excluding

1992

First conventions 6.3 points 5.3 points

Second conventions 5.2 points 5.2 points

Source: Bush Gets Small Convention Bounce, Leads Kerry by Seven | Sept. 26, 2004 | GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

o The partisan effect o With or without Clinton in 1992, the Democrats seem to generate slightly larger bounces with

their conventions than do Republicans.

Political party Average bounce Average bounce excluding

1992

Republican conventions 5.3 points 5.3

Democratic conventions 6.2 points 5.2

Source: Bush Gets Small Convention Bounce, Leads Kerry by Seven | Sept. 26, 2004 | GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

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VOTE IN PAST ELECTIONS – ALL 50 STATES

State 2004 General Election Results

2000 General Election Results




Alabama Bush – 62.46% Kerry – 36.84%

Bush – 56.48% Gore – 41.57% Nader – 1.10%

Dole – 50.1% Clinton – 43.2%

Perot – 6.0%

Bush – 47.6% Clinton – 40.9% Perot – 10.8%

Bush – 59.2% Dukakis – 39.9%

Alaska Bush – 61.07% Kerry – 35.52%

Bush – 58.62% Gore – 27.67% Nader – 10.07%

Dole – 50.8 Clinton – 33.3 Perot – 10.9

Bush – 39.5 Clinton – 30.3 Perot – 28.4

Bush – 59.6 Dukakis – 36.3

Arizona Bush – 54.87% Kerry – 44.40%

Bush – 51.02% Gore – 44.73% Nader – 2.98%

Clinton – 46.5 Dole – 44.3 Perot – 8.0



Arkansas Bush – 54.31% Kerry – 44.55%

Bush – 51.31% Gore – 45.86% Nader – 1.46%


Clinton – 53.2 Bush – 35.5 Perot – 10.4


California Kerry – 54.30% Bush – 44.36%

Gore – 53.45% Bush – 41.65% Nader – 3.82%




Colorado Bush – 51.69% Kerry – 47.02%

Bush – 50.75% Gore – 42.39% Nader – 5.25%

Dole – 45.8 Clinton – 44.4

Perot – 6.6



Connecticut Kerry – 54.31% Bush – 43.95%

Gore – 55.91% Bush – 38.44% Nader – 4.42%




Delaware Kerry – 53.35% Bush – 45.75%

Gore – 54.96% Bush – 41.90% Nader – 2.54%




Dist. of Columbia Kerry – 89.18% Bush – 9.34%

Gore – 85.16% Bush – 8.95% Nader – 5.24%



Dukakis – 82.6 Bush – 14.3

Florida Bush – 52.10% Kerry – 47.09%

Bush – 48.85% Gore – 48.84% Nader – 1.63%




Georgia Bush – 57.97% Kerry – 41.37%

Bush – 54.67% Gore – 42.98% Nader – 0.52%


Perot – 6.4



Hawaii Kerry – 54.01% Bush – 45.26%

Gore – 55.79% Bush – 37.46% Nader – 5.88%




Idaho Bush – 68.38% Kerry – 30.26%

Bush – 67.17% Gore – 27.64% Nader – 2.45%




Illinois Kerry – 54.82% Bush – 44.48%

Gore – 54.60% Bush – 42.58% Nader – 2.19%




Indiana Bush – 59.94% Kerry – 39.26%

Bush – 56.65% Gore – 41.01% Nader – 0.84%




Iowa Bush – 49.90% Kerry – 49.23%

Gore – 48.54% Bush – 48.22% Nader – 2.23%




Kansas Bush – 62.00% Kerry – 36.62%

Bush – 58.04% Gore – 37.24% Nader – 3.36%


Perot – 8.6



Kentucky Bush – 59.55% Kerry – 39.69%

Bush – 56.50% Gore – 41.37% Nader – 1.50%




Louisiana Bush – 56.72% Kerry – 42.22%

Bush – 52.55% Gore – 44.88% Nader – 1.16%




Maine Kerry – 53.57% Bush – 44.58%

Gore – 49.09% Bush – 43.97% Nader – 5.70%


Clinton – 38.8 Perot – 30.4 Bush – 30.4


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Maryland Kerry – 55.91% Bush – 42.93%

Gore – 56.57% Bush – 40.18% Nader – 2.65%




Massachusetts Kerry – 61.94% Bush – 36.78%

Gore – 59.80% Bush – 32.50% Nader – 6.42%




Michigan Kerry – 51.23% Bush – 47.81%

Gore – 51.28% Bush – 46.15% Nader – 1.99%




Minnesota Kerry – 51.09% Bush – 47.61%

Gore – 47.90% Bush – 45.50% Nader – 5.20%




Mississippi Bush – 59.45% Kerry – 39.76%

Bush – 57.62% Gore – 40.70% Nader – 0.82%


Perot – 5.8

Bush – 49.7 Clinton – 40.8

Perot – 8.7


Missouri Bush – 53.30% Kerry – 46.10%

Bush – 50.42% Gore – 47.08% Nader – 1.63%




Montana Bush – 59.07% Kerry – 38.56%

Bush – 58.44% Gore – 33.36% Nader – 5.94%




Nebraska Bush – 65.90% Kerry – 32.68%

Bush – 62.24% Gore – 33.25% Nader – 3.52%




Nevada Bush – 50.47% Kerry – 47.88%

Bush – 49.52% Gore – 45.98% Nader – 2.46%




New Hampshire Kerry – 50.24% Bush – 48.87%

Bush – 48.07% Gore – 46.80% Nader – 3.90%




New Jersey Kerry – 52.92% Bush – 46.24%

Gore – 56.12% Bush – 40.29% Nader – 2.97%




New Mexico Bush – 49.84% Kerry – 49.05%

Gore – 47.91% Bush – 47.85% Nader – 3.55%




New York Kerry – 58.37% Bush – 40.08%

Gore – 60.21% Bush – 35.23% Nader – 3.58%




North Carolina Bush – 56.02% Kerry – 43.58%

Bush – 56.03% Gore – 43.20%


Perot – 6.7



North Dakota Bush – 62.86% Kerry – 35.50%

Bush – 60.66 Gore – 33.06% Nader – 3.29%




Ohio Bush – 50.81% Kerry – 48.71%

Bush – 49.97% Gore – 46.46% Nader – 2.50%




Oklahoma Bush – 65.57% Kerry – 34.43%

Bush – 60.31% Gore – 38.43%




Oregon Kerry – 51.35% Bush – 47.19%

Gore – 46.96% Bush – 46.52% Nader – 5.04%




Pennsylvania Kerry – 50.92% Bush – 48.42%

Gore – 50.60% Bush – 46.43% Nader – 2.10%




Rhode Island Kerry – 59.42% Bush – 38.67%

Gore – 60.99% Bush – 31.91% Nader – 6.12%




South Carolina Bush – 57.98% Kerry – 40.90%

Bush – 56.84% Gore – 40.90% Nader – 1.46%


Perot – 5.6



South Dakota Bush – 59.91% Kerry – 38.44%

Bush – 60.30% Gore – 37.56%


Bush – 40.7 Clinton – 37.1


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Perot – 9.7 Perot – 21.8

Tennessee Bush – 56.80% Kerry – 42.53%

Bush – 51.15% Gore – 47.28% Nader – 0.95%




Texas Bush – 61.09% Kerry – 38.22%

Bush – 59.30% Gore – 37.98% Nader – 2.15%


Perot – 6.7



Utah Bush – 71.54% Kerry – 26.00%

Bush – 66.83% Gore – 26.34% Nader – 4.65%


Bush – 43.4 Perot – 27.3

Clinton – 24.7


Vermont Kerry – 58.94% Bush – 38.80%

Gore – 50.63% Bush – 40.70% Nader – 6.92%




Virginia Bush – 53.68% Kerry – 45.48%

Bush – 52.47% Gore – 44.44% Nader – 2.17%


Perot – 6.6



Washington Kerry – 52.82% Bush – 45.64%

Gore – 50.16% Bush – 44.58% Nader – 4.14%




West Virginia Bush – 56.06% Kerry – 43.20%

Bush – 51.92% Gore – 45.59% Nader – 1.65%




Wisconsin Kerry – 49.70% Bush – 49.32%

Gore – 47.83% Bush – 47.61% Nader – 3.62%




Wyoming Bush – 68.86% Kerry – 29.07%

Bush – 67.76% Gore – 27.70% Nader – 2.12%




Source: FEC & Congressional Quarterly. Presidential Elections: 1789-1996. DC: CQ Press, 1997.

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Endnotes 1 WallStreetJournal.com, “Bush, Cheney to Speak Opening Night of GOP Convention,” August 8, 2008. 2 Associated Press Newswires, “Republican host St. Paul gets day in the sun,” 20 August 2008. 3 St. Paul Pioneer Press, “DIFFERENT TWIN CITIY, BUT A SIMILAR TALE 116 YEARS LATER,” 11 August 2008. 4 Associated Press Newswires, “Minneapolis 1892: Republicans reached west as discontent with their president simmered,” 25 August 2008. 5 Associated Press Newswires, “Republican host St. Paul gets day in the sun,” 20 August 2008. 6 St. Paul Pioneer Press, “DIFFERENT TWIN CITIY, BUT A SIMILAR TALE 116 YEARS LATER,” 11 August 2008. 7 Associated Press Newswires, “Minneapolis 1892: Republicans reached west as discontent with their president simmered,” 25 August 2008. 8 Associated Press Newswires, “Minneapolis 1892: Republicans reached west as discontent with their president simmered,” 25 August 2008. 9 Associated Press Newswires, “Republican host St. Paul gets day in the sun,” 20 August 2008. 10 Minneapolis Star Tribune, “Reliably Democratic, state may be competitive,” August 26, 2008. 11 The Washington Times, “Twin Cities promise double fun for GOP,” 3 August 2008. 12 Associated Press Newswires, “GOP convention podium smaller for more intimate look,” 15 August 2008. 13 New York Post, “'CONVENTION'AL STAGE CRAFT,” 23 August 2008. 14 The New York Times, “Contrasts in Political Stages,” 23 August 2008. 15 St. Paul Pioneer-Press, “GOP planners hope for ‘simple but classy’ theme vs. DNC's glitz,” August 23, 2008. 16 The Washington Times, “Twin Cities promise double fun for GOP,” 3 August 2008. 17 Star-Tribune, “Minneapolis to put best face forward,” 7 August 2008. 18 Washington Post, “Giuliani, Lieberman Will Speak at GOP Convention,” August 21, 2008. 19 Chicago Tribune, “Lieberman gets prime role at GOP convention,” 21 August 2008. 20 The Miami Herald, “Republican Party taps Sen. Lieberman,” 21 August 2008. 21 Washington Post, “Giuliani, Lieberman Will Speak at GOP Convention,” August 21, 2008. 22 Associated Press Newswires, “Huckabee, Giuliani set for GOP convention speeches,” 21 August 2008. 23 The Hartford Courant (MCT), “Lieberman To Open GOP Convention,” 20 August 2008. 24 Associated Press Newswires, “Huckabee, Giuliani set for GOP convention speeches,” 21 August 2008. 25 The Miami Herald, “Republican Party taps Sen. Lieberman,” 21 August 2008. 26 Norwich Bulletin, “Road to the White House: Lieberman quiet on McCain pick,” August 26, 2008. 27 The Hartford Courant (MCT), “Lieberman To Open GOP Convention,” 20 August 2008. 28 Chicago Tribune, “Lieberman gets prime role at GOP convention,” 21 August 2008. 29 CQ TODAY ONLINE NEWS – POLITICS, “Leach Leads List of Crossover Convention Speakers,” Aug. 26, 2008. 30 Pioneer Press, “Rising stars of the GOP will dominate the podium in the coming convention,” August 21, 2008. 31 NY Times, “Cheney Will Speak at G.O.P. Convention,” August 9, 2008. 32 The Hill, “Bush heads to Camp David after convention speech,” August 25, 2008. 33 NY Times, “Cheney Will Speak at G.O.P. Convention,” August 9, 2008. 34 St. Paul Pioneer Press, “RNC OPENS WITH A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT,” 24 July 2008. 35 St. Paul Pioneer Press, “RNC OPENS WITH A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT,” 24 July 2008. 36 NY Times, “Cheney Will Speak at G.O.P. Convention,” August 9, 2008. 37 National Party Conventions: 1831-2004 | 2005 | CQ Press 38 WashingtonPost.com, “Cheney to Speak at Republican Convention,” 8 August 2008. 39 The Swamp – Chicago Tribune, “Laura Bush to speak at convention,” August 22, 2008. 40 NY Times, “Cheney Will Speak at G.O.P. Convention,” August 9, 2008. 41 AP, “Cheney to speak at GOP convention on opening night,” August 8, 2008. 42 WashingtonPost.com, “Cheney to Speak at Republican Convention,” 8 August 2008. 43 St. Paul Pioneer Press, “WILL CHENEY SHOW AT CONVENTION?” 6 August 2008. 44 AP, “Cheney to speak at GOP convention on opening night,” August 8, 2008. 45 The Hill, “Bush heads to Camp David after convention speech,” August 25, 2008. 46 WashingtonPost.com, “Cheney to Speak at Republican Convention,” 8 August 2008. 47 Minneapolis Star Tribune, “RNC: Pawlenty, Coleman scheduled to speak twice,” August 27, 2008. 48 Associated Press Newswires, “Huckabee, Giuliani set for GOP convention speeches,” 21 August 2008. 49 Washington Post, “Giuliani, Lieberman Will Speak at GOP Convention,” August 21, 2008. 50 Associated Press Newswires, “Huckabee, Giuliani set for GOP convention speeches,” 21 August 2008. 51 Washington Post, “Giuliani, Lieberman Will Speak at GOP Convention,” August 21, 2008. 52 Wall Street Journal, “These Days, the Delegate Tally Is No Longer the Roll Call of the Wild,” August 26, 2008.

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53 The Green Papers 54 2008 Republican National Convention Committee on Arrangements. 55 WashingtonPost.com, “Republican Doesn't Plan Long Speech,” August 9, 2008. 56 USA Today, “For Senate veteran, 'I'm the underdog,'” 22 August 2008. 57 WashingtonPost.com, “Republican Doesn't Plan Long Speech,” August 9, 2008. 58 LATimes.com, “John McCain aide Mark Salter working on the boss' convention speech,” August 8, 2008. 59 WashingtonPost.com, “Republican Doesn't Plan Long Speech,” August 9, 2008. 60 Newsweek, “Solitude For McCain’s Wordsmith,” 1 September 2008. 61 Associated Press Newswires, “Secret Service's job: secure political conventions,” 20 August 2008. 62 Star-Tribune, “St. Paul police lay out RNC spending,” 6 August 2008. 63 Star-Tribune, “Protesters say they won't challenge revised permit,” 14 August 2008. 64 Associated Press Newswires, “Nader plans rally in Minneapolis during Republican convention,” 12 August 2008. 65 Denver Post, “Got it covered,” 6 June 2008. 66 Los Angeles Times, “At the networks, reined-in coverage,” 17 August 2008. 67 Los Angeles Times, “Gotcha, 24/7,” 17 August 2008. 68 Associated Press Newswires, “Conventions blend money, parties, ethics rules,” 20 August 2008. 69 Los Angeles Times, “The hard reality of 'soft money,'” 16 August 2008; St. Paul Pioneer Press, “HARD FUNDRAISING TIMES SEND GOP SCRAMBLING,” 11 August 2008. 70 Associated Press Newswires, “Conventions blend money, parties, ethics rules,” 20 August 2008. 71 Star-Tribune, “Party details released, and you're not invited,” 14 August 2008. 72 National Journal, “Both Parties Looking Into Revamped 2012 Schedules,” August 26, 2008. 73 The Washington Post, “Who's Who at the Parties' Parties,” 21 August 2008. 74 Star-Tribune, “Ohio Rep. Boehner named chairman of GOP convention,” 7 August 2008. 75 PR Newswire (U.S.), “RNC Chairman Announces Officers for the 2008 Republican National Convention,” 6 August 2008. 76 PR Newswire (U.S.), “RNC Chairman Announces Officers for the 2008 Republican National Convention,” 6 August 2008. 77 The Wall Street Journal, “Campaign '08: McCain Takes Hands-Off Approach With Platform,” 20 August 2008. 78 Associated Press Newswires, “GOP platform writers aim to help McCain by steering clear of Arctic wildlife refuge drilling,” 27 August 2008. 79 Associated Press Newswires, “GOP platform writers aim to help McCain by steering clear of Arctic drilling, other issues,” 28 August 2008. 80 Targeted News Service, “RNC: RNC Announces 2008 Platform Subcommittees,” 9 August 2008. 81 The Washington Post, “Who's Who at the Parties' Parties,” 21 August 2008. 82 Targeted News Service, “RNC: RNC Announces 2008 Platform Subcommittees,” 9 August 2008. 83 Gallup, “Conventions Typically Result in Five-Point Bounce,” August 20, 2008.

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