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The Alabama delegation was treated well, no doubt about that. The delegation's position in the Xcel Energy Center wasn't great -- but it was better than many others. The accommodations couldn't be beat. The Marquette Hotel is an amazing place, and I highly recommend it for anybody staying in downtown Minneapolis.
But there was something that, by the end of the week, got on my nerves. At every event the Alabama delegation attended, "Sweet Home Alabama" was played. Mike Huckabee's band, the Capitol Offense, played it. That's OK; it was early in the week. And Huckabee's band is good, too Then, the song was played again at a reception for Alabama delegates paid for by Alabama Power Co. Then, "Sweet Home Alabama" was played again at a reception sponsored by Daimler. And at that party, when the band took a break, the original, by Lynyrd Skynyrd, was piped through the sound system.
Yes, in Birmingham they love the governor. We get it. OK?
Joey Kennedy
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin during her address to the Republican National convention Wednesday night.
Palin isn't going to draw many Hillary Clinton voters. They differ with her on the issues. But that wasn't the plan, anyway. What she has the potential to do is energize the Republican Party's base -- those staunch conservatives who aren't thrilled with McCain but have nowhere else to go. What Palin does is give them a reason to go vote, and McCain needs these conservatives voting on Nov. 4.
After the convention was clipped by Hurricane Gustav on Monday, it opened on full offense on Tuesday night. Just about all the Republican candidates McCain beat (with the exception of weirdo Ron Paul) got speaking roles. And to a person, they launched into the Democratic ticket. These Republicans know how to go for blood.
But on Thursday night, McCain played it cool. It was a good speech -- maybe the best I've heard McCain deliver (very few "my friends"!!!). But even McCain knew that the night before Palin stole the convention. And he was fine with that.
I've got to offer a hearty round of applause to the staff of the Alabama Republican Party. Those folks know what they're doing, and they do it well. One of the reasons that convention went off without a hitch for the Alabama delegation was because of the state Republican Party staff.
As for the host cities -- Minneapolis and St. Paul -- they did a fantastic job. I've been to four national political conventions. Two Democratic and two Republicans. This was the best run convention I've been to. The police seemed a bit heavy-handed with the protesters, but then, the protesters got out of hand sometimes. Anarchy is not good.
As a city, Minneapolis, where the Alabama delegation stayed, is amazing. Public transit is wonderful, there are sports teams ranging from the Vikings in football to the Twins in baseball, and even a convention center that would be the envy of most cities. Too, with about 372,833 residents in the city limits, there were only 25 murders as of Friday. Birmingham, with more than 100,000 fewer people, has a murder rate more than double that.
As I returned to Birmingham Friday afternoon, I was left wondering why we can't take the best ideas from other cities, like Minneapolis, to improve our own. It's a question that never has been answered.
Underestimate young Alabama Republicans at your own risk
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- They are young Republicans. Not the College Young Republicans, mind you. None of the five, 24/7 members of the Alabama Republican Party staff ever was a member of a college Republican organization. Yet, among the first questions one has when meeting these now-seasoned political pros is: Are they even old enough to vote? They look mighty...
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- They are young Republicans. Not the College Young Republicans, mind you. None of the five, 24/7 members of the Alabama Republican Party staff ever was a member of a college Republican organization.
Yet, among the first questions one has when meeting these now-seasoned political pros is: Are they even old enough to vote?
They look mighty young, to be sure. But they're not just old enough to vote; their No.1 expressed goal is to get Alabama to vote their way.
Party Executive Director John Ross is 29 years old, as is political director Michael Joffrion. The co-directors of fundraising, Kate McCormick and Sidney Rue, are 26 and 27, respectively. The geezer is Communications Director Philip Bryan, every bit of 31 years old.
"They're young, but they are very mature, very organized," said state party Chairman Mike Hubbard.
The five full-timers, along with seven interns who are even younger, are here this week taking care of the Alabama delegates and guests at their national nominating convention. They are an efficient, friendly group, and it might be tempting to underestimate their skills because of their youth.
Earlier this year, Paul Hubbert, executive secretary of the Alabama Education Association, learned what the young Republicans are capable of when he attempted to unseat two incumbent members of the state Board of Education. Stephanie Bell and Randy McKinney were targeted by Democrats in June's Republican primary. A week-and-a-half before the election, the state party office, which usually doesn't get involved in individual primary campaigns, broke that tradition.
"The Democrats, led by AEA, had recruited candidates disguised as Republicans to run," Hubbard said. "They were funded in a big way, too -- about $500,000."
That's an extraordinary amount to spend on school board races. Hubbard said the AEA was trying to regain control of the board to fire two-year college Chancellor Bradley Byrne.
"We put our team into action," Hubbard said, "and I think they sent a message."
In 10 days, the young Republicans exposed the AEA's involvement and may have turned the primary around; Bell and McKinney won big.
"That's a prime example of every element in our office coming together on a task," said Ross.
"Things like that are a mile marker," said McCormick. "We're building momentum. The second mile marker comes Nov. 4. And 2010 is the finish line."
Ah, 2010. While the quintet isn't overlooking this November's election, the ultimate goal is to help recruit and fund candidates for the next round of legislative races in two years. The goal of Campaign 2010 is to raise $4 million "to elect Republicans to public office," according to the four-color Campaign 2010 brochure.
But by electing "Republicans to public office," the party really means electing Republicans to the state Legislature.
"We can't fundamentally change our state until we change the Legislature," said Hubbard.
While Hubbard isn't predicting Republicans will take control, he does promise "we'll have resources like we've never had before."
Hubbard's eager staff is fully on board.
"We're committed to the goal," said Ross. "We're so excited. I guess everybody (on the staff) could be doing something else and making more money, but we believe in what we're doing."
And while 2010 may be the finish line, Ross said Republicans are looking at 2008 as a "dry run."
The McCain-Palin ticket is an almost sure be