GOP Convention Getting Back On Track UPDATE: Huck Angry. Huck Smashes In Defense Of Palin

After yesterday's abbreviated session, the GOP convention is taking on a more normal look tonight with a revamped lineup of speakers.

Republicans say Fred Thompson and Joe Lieberman will speak on Tuesday at the Republican National Convention.

Convention organizers and John McCain's campaign adjusted the schedule of the four-day gathering with Hurricane Gustav bearing down on the Gulf Coast. The storm now has weakened. That means Republicans will resurrect their program with some changes.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani had been scheduled to give the keynote address. But Thompson and Lieberman will take the podium instead. Republicans say the two will talk about McCain's biography and their friendship with him.

Not to diminish the impact Gustav had on those directly affected but it's clear at this point we aren't looking at a Katrina level national disaster so it will be interesting to see if a partisan edge starts to return tonight.

All in all, given that yesterday was Labor Day, I'm not sure the party lost all that much by not having a regular session. With Gustav behind us and Palin on everyone's mind, people should be much more focused on what the party has to say.

UPDATE:

I'm not a big Mike Huckabee guy to say the least but he can be a very effective speaker and advocate. Today he's come out swinging in defense of Palin.

Here's a taste.

"Over the past few days we’ve been hearing all this stuff about how Gov. Palin doesn’t have experience let me tell you something I can assure having been a governor myself for ten and a half years, she’s had more executive experience in 2 years than her counterpart Joe Biden has had in all the years that he’s been making speeches because she’s been making decisions he’s been making just simple speeches," Huckabee told the crowd.

"In fact I don’t know if you realize this but Sarah Palin got more votes running for mayor in Wasilla Alaska than Joe Biden did in 2 quest for the presidency that oughta tell you something,

I guess the partisan edge is back, at least if Huck has anything to say about. I like it.

posted by DrewM. at 12:48 PM

| Access Comments