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This being the week of the Republican National Convention—about which we can opine much—we are choosing instead to perhaps help readers who are not familiar with a political convention to have a greater understanding of what goes on at Conventions by sharing what I learned as a Delegate to our NCGOP Convention. This is a follow-up to our first blog on the event which we posted last Friday, July 12th, linked here.
On Friday morning, May 23, 2024, I arose early and eager to participate in the Convention. Here is the Schedule of Events for the day:
Notice the Breakout Sessions. What exactly were they? Here is the list of them:
I found it more beneficial to forego the Breakout Sessions and instead to wander around the whole venue and get to know people. There were hundreds who likewise chose to mingle rather than join all the breakout sessions.
One of the things I remember most from my favorite professor at the Ohio State University School of Journalism, was this aphorism: “You have to circulate to percolate.” He was noted in the School for his witticisms.
He also taught me the filing system which I use to this day, with modern modifications as my IT Manager, Jesse, and I adapt it to the digital world. Prof. Walter Seifert was the only conservative in the entire faculty of the J-School.
He took a lot of pummeling and attacks (verbal) from the libs and socialists therein. Unlike the liberal and socialist professors, though, Prof. Seifert had 30-plus years of real world experience in the field of public relations so he handled himself well.
He had a tremendous influence on my life for several reasons. He was instrumental in setting the stage for my conversion after graduation from a socialist-by-default to a clear-eyed conservative.
One way he had a great impact on me was his recommendation of a book which I read late in my years at OSU or just after graduation (can’t recall for sure). That book caused me to begin to question and to recognize all the Leftist propaganda I had been fed by the rest of the faculty, not just in the J-School but throughout all my classes. The book was called The Left-leaning Antenna—about bias in the news media.
So at the Convention I circulated among the roughly 1500 delegates and alternates, plus many friendly staff people, and the folks at the several dozen vendor booths at the Sheraton venue.
(The “Business” booklet)
Friday’s (NCGOP) Business Sessions, though, were a must-attend in my estimation. I had to see “how the sausage is made.” In our state, though, I was not repelled, gagging, and refusing to ever eat “sausage” again, because I was quite well pleased with what I learned.
Sure, there were several instances of some controversy in the meetings, but both the Chairman and the Master of Ceremonies (MC, who was a master of Roberts’ Rules of Order), explained clearly the various viewpoints of proposed rules changes, and changes to the 2024 Platform, and I found myself quite satisfied that fairness was exhibited to all.
One of the first reports in the business session was from the Credentials Committee Chair, a lady named Linda Devos. I had been back and forth with her in email correspondence in the several days preceding the opening day, and was finally able to get approved as a Delegate.
I later met her in person in the hallway and told her of my appreciation not only for personally dealing with my special situation, but for her overall handling of what I now perceive is an enormous task that requires a committee of about a dozen people devoting countless hours in the months leading up to the Convention and then probably 18 hour-days in the week of the Convention.
Linda reported the number of approved delegates, by county (there are 100 counties in NC), and those actually in attendance. Our county ended up with 18 delegates and I have no idea how many alternates and guests because they were not allowed to sit in our county section. Only Delegates could sit in the reserved sections. That way it prevents alternates and guests from voting.
(This compares to the current Republican National Convention underway as of last night in Milwaukee, which has just under 2500 approved delegates… and reportedly around 50,000 people are in the city for the Convention.)
Part of the day’s Business Sessions were concerning Rule Changes for the Convention. Some were minor, and others were of substantial importance. I won’t get into the weeds on that, but all of them that passed muster were reasonable in my view. Most of the voting was by voice vote and was easily discernible which way it went. There were several close ones though which entailed very time-consuming hand counts of hands raised pro or con.
On one issue (I think it was to ban electronic voting at the Convention), the hand count actually ended in a tie and the MC then voted with me and the hundreds of other Delegates in favor of the ban!
(Delegates seated by NC counties for the Business Session.)
The Business Sessions also addressed the proposed changes to the 2024 NCGOP Platform. There were perhaps a dozen proposed changes/additions to the Platform and some of the proponents had evidently not done their homework in following the existing Rules and were therefore not valid to be considered. Too bad, because some were worthwhile, but they can get more involved in the process and come back next year.
Several that were validly submitted and were passed on Saturday by vote of the Delegates present (a full auditorium) were the following:
All in all, it shows the Constitutional and conservative viewpoints of most of the Republicans in our state.
All the meals in a Convention-sponsored group setting were separately-ticketed events and were quite pricey, as they also served as fundraisers. So, I ate modestly at local restaurants and I limited my choice of the Convention-sponsored meal to the Friday evening Grand Old Party Dinner.
Counting people at a table, and the number of columns and rows of tables, I did the Ph. D.-level math (😁) and estimated there were approximately 1200 persons for the gala dinner. Here are a couple photos I took of that event.
(I could not get a shot of the entire ballroom gala dinner. Media row is at the back of the room, on the left (as usual) in this photo.
The guest speakers at this event were a couple of nobodies 😉: Eric Trump and his wife, Lara, a native North Carolinian, who is now Co-chair of the Republican National Committee along with our previous NCGOP Chair, Michael Whatley. They’re kinda busy this week 😊!
They each sat on a raised stool and simply had a conversation with NCGOP Chair, Jason Simmons…which was a nice change from a “red meat,” rah, rah, rah-type of speech. About five minutes into the “chat,” Eric looked at Lara and asked, “Hey, how about we see if we can get Dad on the phone and he can say a few words to the folks.” This was met with loud applause.
Thus we heard from The Donald for about eight or ten minutes with Eric holding his mobile phone up to the PA microphone. President Trump came through loud and clear, and as he signed off, he was cheered tumultuously like the great one that he is.
(A standing ovation for Eric and Lara Trump.)
It was a very delightful evening and I am so glad I chose that meal to help raise a few bucks for the Party. The meal was superb by the way, not the usual “rubber chicken” fare typical of many conferences. This was a five star dinner: a delicious filet mignon with tasty sides and an elegant dessert.
I am confident the national GOP is in very good hands with Lara and Michael. As time permits, I hope to share more.
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