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By Aaron LeClair Boomerang Staff Writer
Two Laramie residents who attended the Republican National Convention (RNC) in St. Paul, Minn., this week said they are excited about their party’s candidates as they advance to the general election in November.
Kristi Wallin and Tammy Johnson, both of Laramie, said the RNC turned out to be an inspiration and exciting event, even though Hurricane Gustav cut the first day short.
“We just had a pretty short business meeting,” Wallin said of the RNC events on Monday. “Fortunately, when the hurricane was less severe (than everyone had believed it would be) we went back to business as usual on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.”
Wallin served as a non-voting delegate this time around, since the Republican National Committee penalized the Wyoming Republican Party for moving its convention up to January by cutting its number of delegates in half.
While she couldn’t vote, Wallin still enjoyed the atmosphere inside the Xcel Energy Center, which is St. Paul’s sports arena for the NHL’s Minnesota Wild.
“It was so exciting,” she said. “As the days progressed, it just got more exciting.”
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s speech on Wednesday electrified an already pumped-up crowd, Wallin said.
“When Sarah Palin spoke … it was electric,” she said. “She did such a great job.”
Wallin said she was more than impressed with Sen. John McCain’s pick for vice president.
Palin, according to supporters, is a reformer who would join McCain in transforming Washington D.C.
“Washington’s just not working for the best, for either party,” Wallin said. “So we have to shake it up somehow.”
While there were some pundits — both liberal and conservative — who had criticized McCain’s speech on Thursday night, Wallin said he did a fine job in telling his personal story and explaining his plans for bipartisanship and reforming Washington D.C.
“It was solid,” she said. “He talked a little bit about his time as a POW, but he talked a lot about being a servant-leader and putting the country first. This is somebody I am behind.
See Delegates, page 3
continued from page 1
“I’m going to come back and tell everybody that I know that John McCain and Sarah Palin are our team,” Wallin said.
For Johnson, the 2008 RNC was her first national convention.
“It was an overwhelming experience,” she said. “I was honored.”
Johnson, who had participated on the Rules and Proceedures Committee, was pleased with McCain’s acceptance speech on Thursday.
“To me, what really stood out is he said, ‘I am an imperfect servant, but I’m here to serve my country,’” she said. “To me, that really spoke volumes. To me, that really came from the heart.”
Johnson said she also enjoyed how McCain shared with the delegates his life story and experience as a prisoner of war in the Hoa Lo Prison (Hanoi Hilton) from Oct. 26, 1967 to March 14, 1973.
“He sort of gave you … it was a little bit of background so that you would know that’s what made him the person that he is today and the choices that he makes and what he believes in,” she said. “It made him realize, when he was a prisoner of war, everything that he took for granted when he didn’t have it anymore. I realize, how, the integrity and character of the man.”
Like Wallin, Johnson said she was exicted that McCain selected Palin for vice president.
“As you start to find out more and more about her, the excitement grows,” Johnson said.
Some have said that Palin will not have enough time to catch up on international and economic issues before the vice presidential debate, which takes place on Sept. 26 at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.
Johnson, however, is confident that Palin will do well against Sen. Joe Biden of Deleware, the Democratic vice presidential nominee who has 35 years of experience in the U.S. Senate and is chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.
“I think she’s very capable,” she said. “Everybody has strengths and weaknesses. Certainly, Biden has his strengths and he also has his weaknesses, as well.”
Palin’s experience as governor of Alaska, Johnson added, is nothing to belittle, since governors have executive experience and are held accountable by the people of their state.
“To be a governor of a state … that’s a big thing,” Johnson said. “I think she’s had baptism by fire in the governor’s office.”
Moving forward
In addition to voting for the McCain-Palin ticket on Nov. 4, both Wallin and Johnson said they would focus on getting Republican or conservative candidates elected to local, state and federal offices.
Their efforts will include ensuring that the Republican Party secures the two U.S. Senate seats, the state’s lone U.S. House of Representatives seat and the Wyoming Senate and House seats that are up for grabs.
“We’ll be working hard on those races,” Wallin said. “Frankly, I think that the local races are the most important. They’re the ones that really impact our day-to-day lives.”
“It is those local races,” Johnson said in agreement with Wallin. “Those are the (people) that make the decisions that impact our community.”
For more information about the McCain-Palin ticket, visit http://www.johnmccain.com, http://gov.state.ak.us and http://www.ontheissues.org.
Kristi Wallin and Tammy Johnson, both of Laramie, said the RNC turned out to be an inspiration and exciting event, even though Hurricane Gustav cut the first day short.
“We just had a pretty short business meeting,” Wallin said of the RNC events on Monday. “Fortunately, when the hurricane was less severe (than everyone had believed it would be) we went back to business as usual on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.”
Wallin served as a non-voting delegate this time around, since the Republican National Committee penalized the Wyoming Republican Party for moving its convention up to January by cutting its number of delegates in half.
While she couldn’t vote, Wallin still enjoyed the atmosphere inside the Xcel Energy Center, which is St. Paul’s sports arena for the NHL’s Minnesota Wild.
“It was so exciting,” she said. “As the days progressed, it just got more exciting.”
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s speech on Wednesday electrified an already pumped-up crowd, Wallin said.
“When Sarah Palin spoke … it was electric,” she said. “She did such a great job.”
Wallin said she was more than impressed with Sen. John McCain’s pick for vice president.
Palin, according to supporters, is a reformer who would join McCain in transforming Washington D.C.
“Washington’s just not working for the best, for either party,” Wallin said. “So we have to shake it up somehow.”
While there were some pundits — both liberal and conservative — who had criticized McCain’s speech on Thursday night, Wallin said he did a fine job in telling his personal story and explaining his plans for bipartisanship and reforming Washington D.C.
“It was solid,” she said. “He talked a little bit about his time as a POW, but he talked a lot about being a servant-leader and putting the country first. This is somebody I am behind.
See Delegates, page 3
continued from page 1
“I’m going to come back and tell everybody that I know that John McCain and Sarah Palin are our team,” Wallin said.
For Johnson, the 2008 RNC was her first national convention.
“It was an overwhelming experience,” she said. “I was honored.”
Johnson, who had participated on the Rules and Proceedures Committee, was pleased with McCain’s acceptance speech on Thursday.
“To me, what really stood out is he said, ‘I am an imperfect servant, but I’m here to serve my country,’” she said. “To me, that really spoke volumes. To me, that really came from the heart.”
Johnson said she also enjoyed how McCain shared with the delegates his life story and experience as a prisoner of war in the Hoa Lo Prison (Hanoi Hilton) from Oct. 26, 1967 to March 14, 1973.
“He sort of gave you … it was a little bit of background so that you would know that’s what made him the person that he is today and the choices that he makes and what he believes in,” she said. “It made him realize, when he was a prisoner of war, everything that he took for granted when he didn’t have it anymore. I realize, how, the integrity and character of the man.”
Like Wallin, Johnson said she was exicted that McCain selected Palin for vice president.
“As you start to find out more and more about her, the excitement grows,” Johnson said.
Some have said that Palin will not have enough time to catch up on international and economic issues before the vice presidential debate, which takes place on Sept. 26 at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.
Johnson, however, is confident that Palin will do well against Sen. Joe Biden of Deleware, the Democratic vice presidential nominee who has 35 years of experience in the U.S. Senate and is chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.
“I think she’s very capable,” she said. “Everybody has strengths and weaknesses. Certainly, Biden has his strengths and he also has his weaknesses, as well.”
Palin’s experience as governor of Alaska, Johnson added, is nothing to belittle, since governors have executive experience and are held accountable by the people of their state.
“To be a governor of a state … that’s a big thing,” Johnson said. “I think she’s had baptism by fire in the governor’s office.”
Moving forward
In addition to voting for the McCain-Palin ticket on Nov. 4, both Wallin and Johnson said they would focus on getting Republican or conservative candidates elected to local, state and federal offices.
Their efforts will include ensuring that the Republican Party secures the two U.S. Senate seats, the state’s lone U.S. House of Representatives seat and the Wyoming Senate and House seats that are up for grabs.
“We’ll be working hard on those races,” Wallin said. “Frankly, I think that the local races are the most important. They’re the ones that really impact our day-to-day lives.”
“It is those local races,” Johnson said in agreement with Wallin. “Those are the (people) that make the decisions that impact our community.”
For more information about the McCain-Palin ticket, visit http://www.johnmccain.com, http://gov.state.ak.us and http://www.ontheissues.org.
