Republican National Convention

MINNEAPOLIS -Washington's delegates had a solidly positive reaction to newly minted vice presidential nominee Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, and her speech last night resonated particularly among women delegates.

"I thought her speech was wonderful," said Linda Sturza, an alternate delegate from Camano Island. "Personally I am a mother and I think she spoke to all of us mothers. I was teary eyed because it was very heartfelt. I appreciate her perspective and she's just so real."

Sturza added that, although she had Alaskan relatives who spoke very highly of Palin, she had never really heard her speak before and did not have much in terms of expectations. As a result, Palin wildly exceeded Sturza's expectations.

"She blew me away," Sturza said.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Two representatives of the supporters of Ron Paul in Washington state addressed the Republican delegation this morning with a gesture of good will toward their party mates.

Washington elected four Ron Paul delegates to the national convention, accounting for ten percent of the total, and now that they have cast their votes for their preferred candidate, three of them have offered to give up their Thursday night floor passes so that McCain alternates could be present for McCain's acceptance speech tonight.

John Burke, an alternate delegate for Ron Paul, spoke on the Paul supporters' behalf this morning and congratulated McCain on his nomination, and later explained their thought process to PolitickerWA.com.

U.S. Sen. Trent Lott: Getty Images PhotoMINNEAPOLIS - Trent Lott, the former Senate Majority Leader from Mississippi, spoke to the Washington delegation this morning with an address full of jokes, old Senate stories, southern military history and recollections of the good times he has spend in Washington state.

He also complimented the Washington delegation on their organization for all getting together in the same room for breakfast.

"We Mississippians just kind of wander around the hotel lobby hung over," he joked.

Lott also touched on the idea of friendship and working together. He told stories of his camaraderie with former Sen. Slade Gorton, and the accomplishments that their friendship, which he said was very true, allowed them to achieve.

MINNEAPOLIS - The GOPAC is trying to build the Republican farm team, and executive director David Avella says Washington state is doing a fine job with the seeding process. Former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, who chairs the political action committee, was supposed to appear at yesterday's lunch at Rossi's Steakhouse in Minneapolis, but a schedule change at the last minute had him replaced with the group's executive director David Avella.

He told the delegates and guests that there were a few main reasons it was important for them to hear his speech. Number one, he said, they represent the diversity in the Republican party.

MINNEAPOLIS - The keynote speaker for the final Washington delegation breakfast of the Republican National Convention will be former Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.). In addition to Lott, the group is scheduled to hear from the Republican National Committee's e-campaign manager and the western regional campaign manager for the McCain-Palin ticket.

Also rumored to stop by is Vermont Governor Jim Douglas.

Ralph Munro, with hat: Politicker photoMINNEAPOLIS - For those unable to attend the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn. and are stuck watching the festivities from home, longing for a connection to Washington state, look no further than Ralph Munro's hat.

Arguably the most noticeable aspect of Washington's delegation, certainly on television, is sitting on top of the former secretary of state's already tall body, a blue baseball hat with a bright red feather tufted out on the back that says "McCain Victory Washington State".

"I just put it together for the convention," Munro said of his hat. "I know that conventions are a place where hats are always wild and crazy so I put one together for myself."

MINNEAPOLIS - Elway Research conducted a poll for the secretary of state's office the weekend after the "top two" primary to gauge voter approval of the new system and found largely positive results. The Olympian reports that the Elway poll found 76 percent of respondents approved of the new system with a margin of error of +/- 4.5 percent.

The poll, however, was not enough to change the mind of Republican Party Chair Luke Esser who, along with the Democratic Party, has been a longtime opponent of the top two system.

"First of all Elway, a couple weeks before the primary, had Christine Gregoire beating Rossi by 16 percentage points," Esser said, "so his numbers have been a little but suspect lately."

Former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson at the Republican National Convention: Getty Images PhotoMINNEAPOLIS - The Republican National Convention looked a lot more like a convention last night as former Senator Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) spoke to large crowds of delegates, media and guests at the Xcel Center in St. Paul, Minn. Thompson in particular fired up Republicans with a speech that emphasized John McCain's biography and went after Barack Obama, calling him the most liberal and inexperienced candidate in history.

"It was fun from my perspective to experience what we thought our convention would really be like last night," said state party chair Luke Esser, who enjoyed Thompson's red meat and Liberman's perspective on bi-partisanship.

"I thought he totally energized everyone," Republican National Committee Member Freddi Simpson of Wenatchee said of Thompson. "I think his comments were appropriate, they were dynamic. I really came back excited."