ST. PAUL, Minn. - Republicans got back to the business of politics last night, shuffling their president out of prime time and beginning the condensed mission of contrasting John McCain with his Democratic opponent.
Seeking to wrest control of their convention from Hurricane Gustav, the GOP focused on "country first," a theme that ran from the opening prayer to the closing speech and was written on screens across the Xcel Energy Center. The program focused on reintroducing voters to the presumptive Republican nominee, his family, his military and public service, and his time as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.
Former senator and GOP presidential candidate Fred Thompson cast McCain as a rebel and a reformer, and swiped at Democratic nominee Barack Obama's patriotism.
"The Democrats present a history-making nominee for president," Thompson said. "History-making in that he is the most liberal, most inexperienced nominee to ever run for president."
The nation, Thompson added a moment later, "needs a president who understands the nature of the world we live in. A president who feels no need to apologize for the United States of America."
The Republican gathering also featured Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, the Democrat-turned-independent who was the 2000 Democratic vice presidential nominee. "I'm here to support John McCain because country matters more than party," said Lieberman, who gave the night's featured prime-time address.
"Both presidential candidates this year talk about changing the culture of Washington, about breaking through the partisan gridlock and special interests that are poisoning our politics," Lieberman added. "But only one of them has actually done it. ... Senator Obama is a gifted and eloquent young man who can do great things for our country in the years ahead. But eloquence is no substitute for a record, not in these tough times."
The evening's schedule came together on the fly after delegates largely stood down on Monday while Hurricane Gustav blew ashore in Louisiana, but the storm caused far less damage than had been feared.
"Tonight is a start," said Fred Davis, who along with his partner, Bill Kenyon, is creating McCain's television commercials and videos being shown at the convention.
"I'm a planner," Davis added. "For a planner, this is painful. You wake up in the morning and wonder what you're going to do during the day."
