RNC "View from the Floor" - Day 4

From Mark Crowley...

Sorry for the delayed posting. Friday was a VERY long travel day, with flight delays and missed connections.

Well, last day of the convention and what a way to wrap things up. Admittedly, after Sarah Palin's night on Wednesday, it was going to be a tough act to follow. Thursday featured the redesigned stage, to create a more intimate "Town Hall" feel.

Because seating is at a premium on the final night, delegates were encouraged to arrive early. Still, my usual seat had to be ceded to of all people, Governor Mitt Romney! I wasn't about to tell him to get out of my seat, so I settled for right behind him. It was quite an honor to be seated right among him and many other dignitaries from our delegation. Everyone was jockeying for the prime spot, assuming that when the cameras focused on Romney, they'd be seen as well.

I'll be honest, the energy on the floor wasn't as intense this night. The speaker line up included Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, Senator Lindsay Graham, and Governor Tom Ridge - none of which were particularly inspiring (Glad none of them got picked as VP, as they all were considered...).

Still, when McCain took the stage, the place went out of control with excitement. Our "handlers" in the aisles tried to cut our applause to a minimum, but with minimal luck. It was tough to catch some of his better lines, especially at the very end, because the crowd noise was so deafening. I'll have to catch it on tape later.

The balloon drop is, of course, the big finale and what a finale it was. With the blizzard of confetti, you couldn't see a thing! Many of us took to standing on our chairs to dance the night away (and if you watched CNN, you very likely saw me getting my groove on...)

This past week has been one of the most exciting in my life. I've heard it said that everyone should attend a convention at some point in their life. Now I know why. The crowd, the energy, the history. All of it makes for an unforgettable experience. I'll prepare a photo gallery of all my shots from the convention and put them online.

58 days until victory! And then, the next big party is in January!


...Mark