Scenes from the Convention, Part 2
Chaffetz Explosion
It's hard to know exactly how much difference these convention speeches make. Chaffetz says his was the same speech he's been giving for more than a year, and he delivered it with gusto.
Stylistically, it was not astounding. But following on the light appetizers offered by Leavitt, the crowd was hungry for red meat and Chaffetz offered it up.
Not only did he touch on the hot button issues, he delivered roundhouse kicks: No amnesty, English only, no federal education system, entitlements slipping toward socialism, strong defense, limited government, on and on, for the full seven minutes.
Again, how much difference the speech made, we'll never know. But if there were uncommitted anti-Cannon folks in the house, it's a safe bet how they ended up voting.
Rusty Cannon
That leaves Cannon, who also trotted out a video presentation, and there could be no question he was the establishment candidate, rolling out party elders, but whiffing on his vision for the future. Cannon's video featured endorsements from John Harmer, the No. 2 to Gov. Ronald Reagan in his California days; Sens. Hatch and Bennett; and excerpts from the letter of endorsement by President Bush.
It's hard to believe that, had the White House not delivered on that letter a week before the convention, Saturday could have marked the demise of Chris Cannon. You also have to think, after putting themselves on the line like that, there were some nervous folks at the Republican National Committee who didn't want to see a Bush-backed veteran incumbent knocked off at convention.
Meet My Kids . . .
Bruce Hough, a form
er Utah GOP chairman, took an interesting approach in his bid for Republican National Committeeman: Did I mention my kids are on Dancing With The Stars?
Yep. Jullianne and Derek Hough are the pro dancers who perform on the show.
Hough won the spot. Quite easily, actually.
-- Robert Gehrke
It's hard to know exactly how much difference these convention speeches make. Chaffetz says his was the same speech he's been giving for more than a year, and he delivered it with gusto.
Stylistically, it was not astounding. But following on the light appetizers offered by Leavitt, the crowd was hungry for red meat and Chaffetz offered it up.
Not only did he touch on the hot button issues, he delivered roundhouse kicks: No amnesty, English only, no federal education system, entitlements slipping toward socialism, strong defense, limited government, on and on, for the full seven minutes.
Again, how much difference the speech made, we'll never know. But if there were uncommitted anti-Cannon folks in the house, it's a safe bet how they ended up voting.
Rusty Cannon
That leaves Cannon, who also trotted out a video presentation, and there could be no question he was the establishment candidate, rolling out party elders, but whiffing on his vision for the future. Cannon's video featured endorsements from John Harmer, the No. 2 to Gov. Ronald Reagan in his California days; Sens. Hatch and Bennett; and excerpts from the letter of endorsement by President Bush.
It's hard to believe that, had the White House not delivered on that letter a week before the convention, Saturday could have marked the demise of Chris Cannon. You also have to think, after putting themselves on the line like that, there were some nervous folks at the Republican National Committee who didn't want to see a Bush-backed veteran incumbent knocked off at convention.
Meet My Kids . . .
Bruce Hough, a form
er Utah GOP chairman, took an interesting approach in his bid for Republican National Committeeman: Did I mention my kids are on Dancing With The Stars?Yep. Jullianne and Derek Hough are the pro dancers who perform on the show.
Hough won the spot. Quite easily, actually.
-- Robert Gehrke
4:41 PM
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