This is the Way, Step Inside

The road inside the MSP (as us locals call it) convention is easier than the one inside the Denver convention. The reasons: more security gates, better organization, and, of course, less of a convention. With no one quite sure what the bill is going to be, until Gustav blows itself out, delegates and reporters walked in early in the afternoon just to get a sense of the logistics and to meet up with each other.

I walked into the main security gate on the west of the stadium as Maurice, see here, held up his Ron Paul signs. How long had he been here? "Since this morning." How many people had talked to him about Paul? "You're the first."

I did not meet any Paul delegates: the Paul agenda, unlike the main RNC agenda, is unaffected by Gustav. (Maybe this is why?) I did stroll through the XCel center gawking at and and talking to Republican delegates,
shuddering Ralph Steadman creations, all varicose veins and spite. Most everyone was in a hurry, although Oklahoma party committeewoman Bunny Chambers had camped out in a nice location handing out "STOP Obama Express" stickers to delegates, who went out of their way to grab them. "Sean Hannity says Stop Obama!" Every three or four people who took one asked: "Is he here?"

The extremely long and wide perimeter made access to today's war protests difficult, but I got through after about 15 minutes of searching.