CD-5 Endorsing Convention - Liveblog

This is a first for SD63 since I didn't own a wireless card until about four weeks ago. 10:04 a.m. - Mark Kennedy just arrived and is making his way to podium. He received a very healthy standing ovation from the delegates and guests. 10:09 a.m. - This is my second time hearing the stump speech (from Kennedy) and it is changing a bit, but many of the same themes, specifically joking about his plaid shirts and talking about how it is time to get a CPA in the Senate versus all the lawyers (just look at the budget). 10:15 a.m. - Short and sweet and then he worked the crowd before exiting to the next convention. I like how he refers to himself as the "B Team" with his wife as the "A Team", that is true in my marraige as well. 10:18 a.m. - A surrogate is speaking on Senator Coleman's behalf right now. 10:22 a.m. - The wireless connection is spotty, some sites are working, but others timing out. I'm trying to get a look to see what is happening in CD-6, the is where all the excitement is today. 10: 25 a.m. - Earlier this morning (before I fired up the laptop) we heard John Uldrich speak. Uldrich is running for the U.S. Senate and he certainly listed of quite the record of achievements in his life. The problem is no one listened because the presentation was lacking. He spoke at the SD63 convention and his prsentation was much better there. The content was much more extensive here today. He would have been better served pulling about four things from his list of achievements and spoke more directly to the delegates. 10:30 a.m. - Harold Shudlick (spelling?) just wrapped up. All he did was attack Kennedy, the President and the system for the "kingmaker" claim. This 10:35 a.m. - It is announced the Rod Grams was just endorsed in CD-8. Now we are going to make it official for Alan Fine here in CD-5. 10:40 a.m. - The last Republican to represent CD-5 was 44 years ago. 10:45 a.m. - Alan Fine is being nominated and the delegates are getting worked up. Alan is a lifelong resident of CD-5, his grandfather immigrated to the United States and he flew over 22 missions in a B-24 Liberator during WWII. (Side note: I love the B-24, it was a beautiful and important tool in our efforts to defeat the Axis powers in WWII.) Alan's son attends a public school in Minneapolis, this is a noteworthy point because I suspect it is within their means to send their son to a private school. 10:50 a.m. - What a difference 4-6 weeks makes. It was not long ago that Alan was just one of four candidates speaking at the SD63 convention. This is my first CD-5 convention so I have no frame of reference, but I think I am safe saying this is the first time in years the CD-5 delegates have been energized behind a candidate. Obviously this is all possible because of the Sabo retirement. 10:55 a.m. - The signal is horrible now, but I am not surprised since I think my source is miles away at the airport. 10:57 a.m. - Alan is five minutes into his speech. He is stressing his teaching, business and economic background. He has researched the district and is ready to reach out CD-5 citizens. Clearly Alan has made the change from candidate for endorsement to one for Congress. 11:01 a.m. - Speech ends with a balloon drop and a third standing ovation for Fine. 11:02 a.m. - Motion to suspend rules and endorse by vote passes and Alan Fine is the CD-5 candidate. 11:07 a.m. - Interesting, I was standing next to Deputy State Party Chair Eric Hoplin and did not know it. He is pumping up the crowded and sharing state party chair Ron Carey's sentiments for this endorsement and stating the state party is ready to do all it can to support the Fine campaign. 11:15 a.m. - State Auditor Pat Anderson (spelling?) is here to say a few words. She vowed to serve Minnesota as a tough bulldog rather than a Democratic lapdog. 11:20 a.m. - Convention is in recess and the Governor is expected to arrive soon. 11:42 a.m. - Recess over and the governor is speaking now. 11:50 a.m. - He is shared one of his common and my favorite messages, pay for performance in the schools and at the capitol in St. Paul. He closed with a Billy Graham quote that I was not able to catch verbatim, but it great. The point being that when life gets tough in the major cities, many times the cities have turned to Republicans to lead them out of the tough times, the best example being Guiliani in New York. 11:53 a.m. - Another great point he ended with was that we are in a culture war, this is not ethinic or other war, it is a battle between worldviews. Many people do not realize how their worldview drives their life and they also do not understand how their view can be corrupted and skewed if they are not attentative to life aroudn them. 11:59 a.m. - We are into resolutions, so I think I'm done with the liveblogging.