Good Friday morning from Minneapolis-St. Paul,
The culmination of the 2008 Republican National Convention came on Thursday night when John McCain gave his acceptance speech as our candidate for President of the United States.
We had learned earlier in the day from one of the speechwriters for the McCain campaign that Cindy McCain would be delivering the first public speech of her life. I personally liked the style she gave her remarks, not behind a podium but instead in the town hall design that Sen. McCain feels most comfortable with when he speaks.
I think Cindy McCain's remarks and the video shown before her speech set the tone to introduce her and John to the American public: that they are compassion people who care deeply about our people and our country.
That theme set up Sen. McCain's acceptance speech. All week we heard from others about John McCain's five-year experience as a POW in Vietnam and how it shaped his love and compassion for his country. Sen. McCain came across to many of us in the Kentucky delegation as a man who wears his heart on his sleeve. A person who truly dislikes war but knows we can back out on our commitment to Iraq.
We also heard from Sen. McCain about his plan to utilize clean coal technology, build more nuclear plants and drill off our shores while we search for dependable sources of alternative fuels. He also discussed how "education was the civic rights issue of our generation" and how he would use community colleges like KCTCS to help train workers for new jobs and grow small business.
Thursday night marks the end of the 2008 Republican National Convention. The lights in the Xcel Energy Center will dim and the delegates will travel home. But the road to the White House for Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin is only beginning. As I write this note to you our ticket has already left Minnesota on their way to a campaign appearance in Wisconsin.
We must continue to work hard here and across the country, knocking on doors, calling our friends and getting the word out that real change is needed. That we need straight talk, not someone telling us what he thinks we want to hear. Come November 4th we need John McCain in the White House and send the "Mavericks" to clean up Washington!
Sincerely,
Michael Goins
