Fasano writes while waiting for plane

State Sen. Leonard Fasano, R-North Haven, checks in:

Well, I have never blogged before, so forgive me if this doesn’t look like your typical blog. I figured I would kind of do this as a diary. Now, I have never been good at sending letters (or not to show my age, e-mails), so I hope I can keep up with this diary. I guess the best place to start a diary is at the beginning. While I wait for my plane, I thought I would share some thoughts.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell asked me to be her delegate to the Republican convention. I was truly honored about even being asked. I am excited about going to the convention, but I didn’t like missing my kids' first days of school. After having conversations with my wife and children, however, everyone agreed that this may be the only opportunity to go to a convention, and I decided to attend.

I was once a football player, and I had been a guest to a Super Bowl in California , which is a story for a different time. Nevertheless, I guess the Super Bowl of politics is a presidential convention.

After Sen. John McCain announced his running mate, Sarah Palin, I have done a number of interviews to talk about his pick. These interviews served to heighten my excitement about participating in the convention. I have no idea what to expect, don’t know how the convention will be handled, and I don’t know how I am going to react to it.

As I sit in LaGuardia International Airport waiting to take off, many people in this nation have their eyes fixed upon Hurricane Gustav, which, by all accounts, could pose a disaster for the southern region of the United States. My brother-in-law lives and works in New Orleans, and his house was practically destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. He called recently and said he and his entire family have already left the area and are heading east on Route 10 toward Atlanta to stay with my sister-in-law and her family.

Less than one year ago, they finished fixing the inside and outside of their entire house, because of the damage Katrina caused. Now, they face the same heartbreak and emotional stress that comes with a more powerful hurricane.

The impact of Gustav upon the lives in Louisiana and that region dwarfs the significance of the Republican convention. There is no doubt that all those attending, as well as the entire nation, will be focusing on those who will be the getting ready for this major storm. Already President Bush has cancelled his speech on Monday, as he should.

I guess we will have to see how the Republican Party can have the required convention and balance that against the possible human tragedy that could await this nation on Monday and Tuesday and maybe the entire week. Our prayers and thoughts are with them.