Senator John McCain accepted his party’s nomination for President in St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center last night in front of an enthusiastic audience. However, the excitement meter was turned down a bit from the previous night when Governor Sarah Palin spoke to the convention.

McCain’s address did not provide the drama, anticipation or the curiosity that the little known governor of Alaska offered the previous night. Then again, more drama was expected from a person that the Senator’s wife, Cindy, described earlier in the evening as “a pistol packing mother of five.”

As to McCain’s speech, the reviews from the California delegation were mostly positive. McCain was lauded for his direct approach and straight talk. I was told McCain understands the need to move the government forward with 21st century ideas. Others said he delivered the speech he had to give and did it well.

Vice-Presidential nominee Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska lit up the Republican National Convention last night and turned anxious delegates into wild cheerleaders. Many delegates admitted waiting with unease for what amounted to a coming out party for the little-known governor. If Palin didn’t perform well, the delegates felt the campaign for President would never gain momentum.

But measuring the feelings of delegates who witnessed the speech in the Xcel Center, all concerns were put to rest. Former California Governor Pete Wilson said she was subject to “uncharitable speculation” before the speech that she would not do well. He said he was confident going into the speech that she would succeed. After he heard the speech, Wilson said, “My confidence was more than vindicated. She connected with the audience here in the hall and in the living rooms all over America.”

Political strategist Jeff Randle said that Palin had no room for error after the pounding she had taken since John McCain’s announcement that he had chosen her as a running mate. Randle said she made no error. Anaheim mayor Curt Pringle admitted to being anxious about her performance before the speech but concluded after the speech that it was “great and she over-performed.”

Fred Thompson rocked the house at the Republican Convention last night in St Paul, Minnesota, but Sen. Joe Lieberman left a larger mark on the delegates at the convention.

Democrat Lieberman went farther than he was expected to go in support of Republican McCain according to a number of delegates in the hall. Despite a host of previous speakers, it fell to the Democrat Lieberman to first mention by name Democratic Presidential Nominee Barack Obama.

“Senator Obama is a gifted and eloquent young man who can do great things for our country in the years ahead. But eloquence is no substitute for a record -- not in these tough times,” Lieberman said. He added, “In the Senate he has not reached across party lines to get anything significant done, nor has he been willing to take on powerful interest groups in the Democratic Party.”

With all eyes fixed on Hurricane Gustav bearing down on the Gulf Coast the Republican Convention was prepared for a quiet, uneventful, first day. Then as one reporter labeled it, the “hot story” broke--the news that presumptive Vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin’s daughter, Bristol was pregnant. This was the number one issue for reporters to the delegates. What would the news mean to Palin’s candidacy? How will the news effect the convention? What kind of mother is Palin? Did the McCain team know and when did they know it?

The campaign’s response was that McCain knew ahead of time and that the media should leave the candidate’s children out of campaign reporting. Even Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama argued that the media should stay away from the story.

The delegates rallied around Palin. On nearly every occasion when the names of John McCain and Sarah Palin were mentioned from the podium, Palin’s name received the louder cheer.

Members of the California delegation to the Republican Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota responded to Senator John McCain’s request to limit convention activities the first day as Hurricane Gustav threatens the Southeastern United States. McCain wanted the focus to be on the potential natural disaster the hurricane might cause in the Gulf States, and declared that conventioneers should take their “Republican hats off and put their American hats on.”

Public Opinion Strategies pollster and GOP delegate Steve Kinney said, “This is what should happen. This is the John McCain we know. He would never put something over the interest of the country.”

Board of Equalization Member Michelle Steel understood the Senator’s motives but also emphasized that the business of the convention must go forward.

A rumor is floating in Sacramento about a budget solution re-doing part of the “triple flip” budget compromise of a few years ago. That compromise increased state sales tax, decreased local sales tax by an equal amount and backfilled the local sales tax loss by directing more property tax to the locals/schools.

This resulted in higher general fund money going to schools. The plan suggests the property tax would be taken back and funneled to the schools through the state meaning a smaller state obligation to the schools and therefore more money stays in the state general fund. At the same time, the local sales tax reduction would be eliminated essentially raising sales tax on the local level. This would be accomplished with a majority vote of the legislature.

John Pitney, professor of government at Claremont McKenna College spoke to the annual VICA (Valley Industry and Commerce Association) meeting in Studio City last October on the coming presidential race and offered a surprise suggestion for a Republican Vice-Presidential candidate: Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

Many of the attendees at the conference asked: Who? Many Americans this morning are probably asking the same question as John McCain announced he indeed selected Gov. Palin as his running mate.

Pitney said he looked to Palin at the time because “all the Republican presidential candidates were white males of a certain age and practical politics indicates you should balance the ticket.” Pitney said the issue of corruption in Washington D.C,. was high and Palin is seen as a reformer. “If you are looking for someone who is an outsider, you can’t get much farther than Alaska.”