Charger News

Republican Convention has major turnout

Jonathan McNabb, Charger Staff

The Republican National Convention was held on Aug. 30 - Sept. 2 in New York City.  It was the first time that New York has hosted the RNC in its one hundred forty-eight year history. The major festivities seen on television were held in Madison Square Garden, but, other venues were used throughout the city, including Jacob Javits Center.

With over fifty thousand delegates and many renowned Republicans, such as Senate Majority leader Bill Frist of Tennessee, attending the convention, New York traffic was much worse than normal. Although, the city did not have some of the major business problems that Boston had during the Democratic National Convention.

The keynote speakers for the week were Rudy Giuliani, Laura Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, and President George Bush, but the speakers that will always be remembered are Democratic Senator Zell Miller and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Democrat Miller’s flamboyant speech questioned his party’s actions and leadership surprised many and probably stained his political career. The funniest speech of the week was probably Arnold Schwarzenegger’s, with references to his many movies when saying, “Don’t be economic girlie men!” and when quoting a hospitalized soldier who told him, “Arnold ... I’ll be back!”
President Bush’s acceptance speech received positive reviews. President Bush remained relaxed and calm during much of his speech. With the Republicans gaining major ground in the polls after the RNC, many of them have claimed a large victory for the Bush campaign because the polls after the DNC hardly changed.