News Story - Idaho State Journal

Hurricane Gustav took center stage on opening day of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn. � 1,200 miles from where the storm slammed the Louisiana coast Monday� but delegates still managed to take care of business.

Christine King, of Pocatello, is attending the convention as an Idaho delegate. She said top priorities Monday included legal matters, such as calling the convention to order, certifying delegates and approving the platform.

Republican officials scaled back the convention schedule during the weekend pending the arrival of Gustav. President Bush even canceled his plans to attend the event, choosing instead to focus his attention on the hurricane and related relief efforts.

However, U.S. First Lady Laura Bush and Cindy McCain, the wife of presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain, both delivered speeches Monday. The women urged the GOP faithful to set partisan politics aside and focus on just being good Americans.

“They said we need to make sure residents of the Gulf states are well taken care of,” said King, the former head of AMIS in Pocatello.

Ron Nate, an economics professor at Brigham Young University-Idaho in Rexburg, is also serving as a delegate for the Gem State. He attended the 2004 GOP convention in New York as a guest, but like King, this is his first time as a delegate.

Nate said that despite the devastation on the Gulf Coast, he and the other convention goers are maintaining a positive attitude.

“We’re conducting all the business we need to, and we’re still able to have a good time,” Nate said. “We’re behind our candidates, John McCain and Sarah Palin. We’re ready to get them into office.”

Nate called Bush and McCain’s speeches “classy.” He said their message to support relief efforts in the Gulf region was appropriate given the circumstances.

King spent Monday evening getting better acquainted with her fellow delegates aboard Union Pacific Railroad cars the company provided for the convention, which will continue through Thursday.

“I’ve been watching conventions since I was 12 years old on TV,” King said. “I’ve always been fascinated with them. But given the hurricane, we’ll see how things go. There’s still a lot of things up in the air.”

This document was originally published online on Tuesday, September 02, 2008

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