I guess Voice of America can't very well broadcast the real story going on....
...Apart from the storm, many Republicans here are excited by the choice of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as Senator John McCain's vice presidential running mate.
Texas delegate Rex Teter says a lot of the people he has talked to are anxious to hear Governor Palin speak to the convention later this week. "There is a certain part that we would like to do some of the business. We would certainly like to see Senator McCain, who we believe will be the next president of the United States. I would like to see Governor Palin. For many people, she is new to us. You know, we are just revved up
for her, and for her being on the ticket," says Teter.
Former Congressman Bob Michel of Illinois once served as the leader of the House Republicans, and has chaired three previous Republican nominating conventions. Michel says he was surprised by McCain's choice of Palin, a relative unknown, but he adds that the pick is generating excitement among Republican activists. "First of all, I was rather taken aback by the choice of McCain with Sarah . But the more people I talk to, my gosh, it is amazing how enthusiastic they are for her and the fact that when you analyze it, she has had more executive experience than Obama has," says Michel.
Republicans have accused Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama of lacking experience. He, in turn, has charged that McCain represents a continuation of the policies of President Bush. Political analyst Norman Ornstein says McCain's pick of Palin is proving popular with those attending the convention, especially social conservatives. Ornstein says Palin's reputation as a maverick and reformer could help McCain put some political distance between himself and President Bush. "He has now got an energized Evangelical conservative base in places where he had some shakiness going for him otherwise. He has erased, to some considerable degree, though not entirely, the problem that he was four more years of George Bush."
Most of the Republican delegates here seem upbeat about this week's convention, and don't seem concerned about public opinion polls that have long shown a majority of the country wants to go in a different direction after eight years of the Bush administration.
http://voanews.com/english/2008-09-01-voa48.cfm