The Chosen Ones
September 3rd, 2008 at 1:05 pm
There was some serious business worship at the Texas delegation breakfast this morning.
First came the worship. The opening prayer thanked God for the party’s nominees, John McCain and Sarah Palin, “whom you selected to be our next leaders.”
Then they got down with business. After Anita Perry talked about Hurricane Gustav relief efforts (what would people have been talking about if not Gustav these last few days?), the delegation heard from reps from two major corporations — BNSF Railway and the energy company, Koch Industries.
Matt Schlapp, of Koch, openly thanked the delegation for helping to create a friendly business environment in Texas. Schlapp is a former Bush White House aide who joined Koch’s Washington office as a lobbyist in 2005. (Schlapp also served as a Bush campaign aide in 2000 and took part in the infamous “Brooks Brothers” riot during the Florida recount.)
Matt Rose, chairman, president and CEO of BNSF, offered more platitudes for the business environment in Texas. The railroad was once based in Minnesota, but moved to the more friendly confines of Fort Worth.
But the belle of the breakfast ball was U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. She may have been snubbed for V.P., but she’s still a hit with this crowd. In brief, stately remarks, Hutchison reminded the delegation that future generations just won’t be safe without a Republican in the White House. Hutchison also pledged her ongoing support for offshore drilling (while admonishing restrictions on speculators, investigation of price gouging or buying a fuel-efficient car). She added that by remaining present in Iraq and Afghanistan, and showing our persistence, we are showing a good example to the world.
Meanwhile, the woman who did win the V.P. stakes, the embattled Palin, is slated to address the convention this evening.
(We should add — because you were wondering, and because the TO just doesn’t talk enough fashion — the Texas delegation last night was a vision in resplendently Republican red, monogrammed polos, topped off with cream-colored cowboy hats.)
Finally, the Democrats are trying to get their message out, at least a little, in St. Paul. Sign on a bus shelter several blocks from the Xcel Center:
