This was another very big day. The Minnesota delegation was treated to an all-star lineup of speakers at the morning meeting. We heard from Governor Pawlenty, Mitt Romney, Tom Ridge, Carly Fiorina, Congressman Pete Hoekstra, Congressman Rob Portman, John McCain’s oldest son--Doug McCain, and former Vietnam POW Charlie Plumb. Plumb’s accounts of his experiences with John McCain in Vietnam stunned the room.

We spent the lunch hour stuffing care packages for those affected by Hurricane Gustav.

There was a high level excitement all day in anticipation of Governor Palin’s speech. Mayor Giuliani gave one of the best speeches I ever heard him make. The energy level on the floor was incredibly intense by the end of his speech.

I saw Sarah Palin for the first time when she was announced as McCain’s choice. It was clear then that she was a decent speaker. The speech she gave last night was amazing. I don’t think it was possible for a politician to have a better debut on the national stage. I don’t think any candidate would want to be in the position of running against her. She showed that she’s able to deal with accusations from the media and the opposition. She also showed that she’s potentially the best salesperson for the McCain candidacy. This is going to be a fun candidate to watch. I’m glad I was here to be a part of this.