Republicans sedate on convention eve

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- Just days after the Democrats’ celebratory bash in Denver, the New Jersey Republican delegation arrived at their hotel just outside Minneapolis today in a sober mood amid news that Hurricane Gustav was bearing down on the Gulf Coast.

State Sen. Bill Baroni (R-Hamilton), who’s heading up McCain’s New Jersey campaign, emceed the event’s first delegation meeting, a no-frills meeting where he acknowledged that this convention would be different than ones past.

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain “made it very explicit to all of us that this convention is about our country, and we’re going to put our country ahead of party,” said Baroni. “I know that sounds strange to say sometimes at a convention, but Sen. McCain today made that very clear, and for the entire length of his career, he’s meant it.”

And tonight, nobody was certain what events the convention had in store. Tomorrow, they knew, would be mostly business, with little celebration and no major speakers. The entire convention would be an exercise in schedule flexibility.

State Campaign Coordinator Rick Mroz implored the delegates and guests to donate to the American Red Cross, directing delegates and guests to computers in the hotel already linked to the aid group’s Web site.

“We’re going take our Republican hat off and put on one that’s American,” he said.

Assemblyman Sam Thomson (R-Old Bridge), was born in Mobile, Ala. and grew up in Franklinton, La. – about 80 miles northeast of New Orleans – before moving to New Jersey via North Carolina in 1968. He still has family there, including an uncle in the Gulf Coast who has evacuated.

“The folks down in the Gulf are pulling the heart strings. We have very important work we have to do here. We have to get a presidential candidate nominated, and some things in life you just have to go on take care of,” said Thomson. “I think it’s appropriate that Sen. McCain has indicated that for the next day or two, we’re going to focus on those people down there and whatever we can do to help them out. It’s very important because that’s what Republicans believe in.”