What a roller coaster for the Republicans. Announcing a relatively unknown but energizing VP candidate on Friday, Hurricane Gustav over the weekend, and then the family challenges for the Palin’s on Monday. It was a quiet start to the convention.
The prime time session was cancelled, but the afternoon business session was conducted without much fanfare. The highlight – Laura Bush and Cindy McCain did energize the crowd with relatively short, but poignant comments, reinforcing the concern for the folks affected by Gustav.
Last week I had obtained a schedule of several off-site events, and arranged to attend a few of them. Yesterday I arrived at the site for an Affordable Housing luncheon, only to find that the event had either been cancelled or moved.
11:30 AM: I decided to hit the convention arena well before the afternoon session, and I’m glad I did. The arena was very quiet, as only a few technicians were working to prepare for the session. I was struck by the intimate but powerful setting for convention. As architects, we are sensitive to creating environments that facilitate the objectives of our clients, including our clients’ brands. The simple thrust stage, the large / high definition graphics, the seating arrangement (no bad seat on the floor), and the lighting all contributed to a successful setting.
Pre-Session
In-Session
2:30 PM: During a break in the proceedings, I ventured into a suite sponsored by US Conference of Mayors. I am the mayor of Excelsior, Minnesota, and am looking forward to meeting mayors from other cities in the US. I met one mayor from Ohio, and we had a short discussion on livable communities, but had to cut the discussion short to return for the final portion of the session.
4:00 PM: Attend a Romney reception at the St. Paul Hotel. While many of the conversations were political, most of the discussion focused on Gustav and the impact on the convention. Two large screen monitors were streaming CNN and FOX.
6:00 PM: Attended a dinner “The Next Agenda: Innovative Thinkers” Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney discussed key issues facing America. The take-a-way were comments regarding to the “supply” side of energy. The Republicans are interested in expanding all forms of energy. The demand side was not addressed in their comments, but I will be trying to find out more about the thoughts about smart design and conservation over the next few days.
8:30 PM: No partying for me tonight.
Nick Ruehl, AIA
Nick Ruehl is an advisor and resource to high-performing companies (and those striving to be) in strategic planning, business development and team building. He is an architect, and has been in business for 37 years. He can be contacted at nruehl@mchsi.com