Don't know when I would be able to continue the day-by-day account of the convention but here is my convention report to the Northern Dallas Pachyderm club:


First thing first, I want to thank God for the opportunity to have been a part of the Texas delegation in New York. As promised, I want to tell you what happened behind the scene or what the press would not cover at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York.

Let me tell you that there weren’t all that many protesters, and a majority of them weren’t even New Yorker. There was this guy who is a delegate from New York hanging out with us. He loved the Stetson hats that all the Texas delegates wear so somehow we managed to find him one. Now, as he was walking outside on the streets, one of these protesters told him to his face up close that he’s not welcome in New York. He stepped right up to the guy and told the guy that he’s from Long Island and asked where was the guy from? The guy mumbled that he’s from California, took a few steps back and then walked away. Well, at least the protester was honest about being from California and didn’t flip-flop.

The closed to the press welcome party for the Texas delegation on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange was a great kickoff. We heard from the governor, lieutenant governor and House majority leader. We all got a chance to get onto the balcony where they rings the bell each trading day and had our pictures taken. The line was rather long and by 10:30 or so, the photographer wanted to stop but I am glad they were able to convince him to work on until all of us had our pictures taken.

Ann Coulter was a speaker at the Republican National Coalition for Life luncheon at New York City Tavern on the Green on Wednesday. As we were going in, there were four or five protesters behind barricade on the side of the gate. As we were coming out, it grew to about ten and they kept on yelling “Shame on You” but they weren’t all that enthusiastic. We found Ann on Thursday night hanging out with the Utah delegation on the floor and she was waving signs and being as excited as everyone else.

The press reported about House majority leader Tom DeLay nowhere to be found at the convention, that was because we had too much fun hanging out with him party after party. At the Harris County Republican Texas dinner celebration on Wednesday night, he and senator Cornyn and all of us there were so excited about secretary Martinez winning the Republican primary in Florida on Tuesday night with 11 points ahead of the next guy, Mr. Bill McCollum, who caved in under pressure on the embryonic stem cell issue.

Dr. Ralph Reed, the former chairman of the Christian Coalition, who is also credited with turning the whole state of Georgia around and in 2002 elected their first Republican governor since Reconstruction, was at the Faith, Family and Freedom rally at the Waldorf Astoria along with senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Hugh Hewitt on Tuesday.

I did not know who Pat Green was going in but the party AT&T threw on Tuesday night for the Texas delegation changed that for good. The party began after the third convention session ended at 23:00 until 02:00 in the morning on Wednesday, no wonder I could barely opened my eyes the next morning at the 07:30 breakfast.

The prayer rally governor Perry had for the Texas delegation on Thursday afternoon really ministered to our needs as half of the Florida delegation had left New York to return to their home state because of the hurricane and also the Russian terrorist attack. It was so refreshing to be able to sit down, relax and come to God for strength and grace, knowing that God is sovereign among the affairs of man.

One final note was from day one, our cowboy hats were so popular that there was a standing offers from the NYPD officers to trade their NYPD caps for our hats. Too bad I didn’t have an extra one to trade because mine had already have the autographs of the two best Christian lawmakers from Texas: senator John Cornyn and House majority leader Tom DeLay. Bill Burch did manage to come back with an NYPD cap!

I also want to thank Jan and Bruce Woody, Ken Kammerlohr and the Republicans of Texas 24th congressional district for giving me the opportunity to see New York, to nominate our president George W. Bush and vice president Dick Cheney for another four more years.