Republicans put country first

Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele calls:

When Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele arrived in St. Paul, Minn., Monday, he was greeted with a problem. He spent his first few hours at the Republican National Convention making sure Connecticut's delegates and guests would have proper security for the remainder of the affair.

He learned upon arrival that a Connecticut group got accosted by protesters Monday.

But Monday was not a loss for Gov. M. Jodi Rell's stand-in. Even though the first day of the convention was shorted because of Hurricane Gustav, Fedele said it was an excellent day. Republicans did what needed to be done to officially open the convention and reinforced the idea of putting the country first, he said.

"I think that's key," Fedele said.

And Fedele said the idea of people putting their country first is something that was not seen at the Democratic National Convention, which he deemed a "Hollywood spectacle."

"We are really excited about the message we are bringing to this great country," Fedele said.

Today, Fedele is looking forward to hearing U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., speak. Lieberman and Fedele are both from Stamford.

But aside from wanting to listen to someone from his hometown, Fedele is also anticipating Lieberman's message. Having Lieberman, a former Democrat, address the crowd shows that Republicans are willing to put partisan politics aside, he said.

- Reported by Amanda Falcone

Festive atmosphere at Xcel Center

The photos below are courtesy of Sen. Leonard Fasano, R-North Haven.

The sign above welcomes Republicans to the convention.

The Xcel Center, above, is patriotic for the convention.

Fedele to check in from Minnesota

We have a new addition to our blog!

Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele will check in daily with the Record-Journal during the Republican National Convention. We are expecting his first phone call this afternoon.

Farrell talks about protesters

Jerry Farrell Jr. at 10 p.m. Monday, Minneapolis time:

As I reported earlier, the Republican National Convention formally began today. The Connecticut delegation left our hotel at noon, stopped for a brief bite to eat and then arrived at the Xcel Energy Center at 2 p.m.

As the delegation was making its way the two city blocks from where our bus dropped us to the convention center, we were attacked by a group of protesters. My aunt Lynne Farrell, here as a delegate herself, got shoved into a concrete wall. Fred Biebel, who many in the Wallingford area know from his service as the Republican state chairman many years ago, had a protester grab his neck and take his credentials from him and was doused with bleach. Others in the delegation also got shoved and had bleach tossed at them.

I am going to guess that Biebel is in his mid-80's and has been a delegate at every Republican convention going back to the 1956 convention. Not exactly the best commentary on these protesters that they chose someone in their mid-80's to physically assault.

Police in riot gear did move in as the melee continued, but somewhat after the fact. After the police moved in, we were able to make our way to the convention hall and Fred got checked out by a doctor. The Secret Service was also able to get his credentials back to him; apparently the protesters are said to want to put their hands on the credential "tags," in order to come into the convention hall itself.

As was expected, today's session strictly consisted of reports by the various convention committees - credentials, platform, rules - and motions to approve those committee reports. Following the motions, First Lady Laura Bush and Cindy McCain came on stage and made an appeal for delegates to donate to charities doing work to help those along the Gulf Coast.

The day's session concluded by 6 p.m. and we were back on the bus to the hotel, where Lynne and I chatted with Lt. Gov. Mike Fedele and his wife, Carolyn. After dinner, we were walking back from a local restaurant and encountered state Sen. Dave Cappiello, who is running for Congress and had just arrived here in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

The delegation will gather tommorrow morning (Tuesday) at 8 a.m. for breakfast, and hopefully, at that time will get a better idea of what the schedule will be for the next few days, as to which parts of the convention will proceed and which will be abbreviated.

That's all for tonight...I will report back in sometime tommorrow.

Fasano takes on protesters in scuffle

From Sen. Leonard Fasano, R-North Haven:

Monday was the second day of the convention and a lot was still up in the air. What was to be a routine, low-key day turned out rather exciting. The day began with breakfast at 8 a.m. followed by a get-to-gether on the Mississippi, which was really just a lunch. Then we headed over to the Xcel Center for the convention, and that is where it got exciting.

After the Connecticut delegates left the bus and walked about one block or so, some of us were accosted by protestors, apparently not Sen. McCain loyalist. These protesters walked toward us clapping their hands and yelling. State Sen. Tony Guglielmo, R-Stafford Springs, and I were separated from the delegation, and we were shoved into a wall. I shoved back and then a scuffle broke out at which point someone threw some liquid at Sen. Guglielmo who reacted to demonstrate his concern over their antics. At this point, the protesters circled around him and I came to help him and another scuffle broke out. The SWAT team came and separated us.

Guglielmo and I again got into a “discussion” with the protesters about politics at which point the police held back the protesters, and we proceeded into the convention.

At the convention, it was really exciting. To see the setup and all the different states was really cool. I managed to stick my face in on FOX News. First Lady Laura Bush and Cindy McCain spoke about everyone donating to the hurricane victims, and then like that it was over.

I ended the night acting like a kid and going to Dave and Busters for a burger and to play video games. By the way, I beat the Mayor of New Britain at basketball two out of three.

The word is President Bush will address the convention tomorrow. It should be fun.

Photo courtesy of Sen. Leonard Fasano. The SWAT team, above, at the Republican National Convention.

Breakfast speakers educate Connecticut

Jerry Farrell Jr. at 10:30 a.m. Minneapolis time:

Today marks the official start of the Republican National Convention. So, naturally, things become more serious in tone today, especially with Hurricane Gustav currently hitting Louisiana.

The Connecticut delegation began the day with an 8 a.m. breakfast at our hotel, at which Connecticut Republican party chairman Chris Healy brought us up to date on the schedule for today. The convention session, he confirmed, will run a brief two hours today, to take in some of the committee reports necessary to legally convene the convention and nominate John McCain. These would include reports from the platform committee, credentials committee, and similar convention committees.

Once this is done, the rest of today's schedule will not go forward. Where that leaves the speech by Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., which had been on the schedule for tonight, I cannot guess.

After being brought up to speed by Healy, there were three additional speakers at the breakfast. Michael Duhaime, a surrogate from the McCain campaign, spoke to the delegation. A number of people in the Connecticut delegation know Mike, as he was initially a Guiliani supporter (as was I in early 2008) and had been the Connecticut organizer for Guiliani. Mike set the tone for the somber nature of the next day or two, as convention delegates are being asked by McCain to focus on what is happening to the Gulf Coast more than on the political happenings of the convention.

Another informative speaker at the breakfast was Dorcas Hardy, who had been the head of the Social Security Administration in the Reagan admininstration. She spoke of some of the challenges that the Social Security program faces in the decades ahead, but generally was of the belief that with some minor tinkering (maybe raising the retirement age by a year), the program can be put on firmer ground and be there when I hit retirement age - some twenty five years from now. I think that's good news for everyone, those retiring soon and those whose retirement is decades out, that the money paid into the program will indeed be there when needed.

The breakfast speaking program was rounded out by a Captain Hudeck, one of a number of military veterans speaking on McCain's behalf. Like McCain, Hudeck was a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and spoke of his experience as a naval pilot in the Korean war and some of the parallels between the Korean War and the Vietnam War, in which McCain fought.

We leave our hotel at noon, stopping for lunch on our way to the Xcel Center, where the convention takes place. I will further report tonight when we have returned from the convention proceedings.

Farrell comments on Civic Fest

Jerry Farrell sends an update at 11:15 p.m. Sunday, Minneapolis time:

We have returned from Civic Fest, which was an interesting event held at the Minnesota Convention Center. Most convention delegates, I believe, attended it - there were thousands of people from all across the United States there.

Part of the fest was a series of historical displays having to do with the history of the race for the U.S. presidency over the last 200 years. That was very interesting. There was also an area where vendors were selling things that might appeal to convention goers. I bought three items, including two T-shirts; one for my two-year-old daughter Emilia and one for my one-year-old son Michael. Both shirts were emblazoned with the phrase, "Future Republican President."

Given how much Emilia talks for a two year old, she already has the "gift of gab" that goes far in politics. Michael, not talking quite yet, has a winning smile, also a helpful thing in politics. So, I want both of them to know that, yes, they can grow up to be the president of our country.

The other item that I bought was a pin commerating Connecticut resident Samuel Huntington. You thought George Washington was the first president of the United States? You are wrong - George Washington was the first president after adoption of the U.S. Constitution in 1789; Samuel Huntington was president under the prior Articles of Confederation in that period immediately after American independence came in 1783. I believe he was from the town of Scotland, Conn.

We have run into many people we know - former Congressman Larry Denardis, New Britian Mayor Tim Stewart, former Congressman Rob Simmons - and met new people - Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, Newington Mayor Jeff Wright and former Congresswoman Nancy Johnson. Rep. David Labriola, brother-in-law of former Wallingford Town Clerk Barbara Thompson, is here as well, and state Sen. Len Fasano has also arrived.

Tommorrow we will attend a very abbreviated session of the convention - about two hours - that must legally occur for the candidate to be nominated. We are also being told that there will be some major fundraising effort, perhaps for the American Red Cross, coming out of the convention. It would benefit those affected by Hurricane Gustav. I will report in again when I can get access to a computer.