He wandered into the breakfast in an unassuming way Monday morning and asked for  a cup of coffee. After being recognized, Thomas J. Hudner, Jr., told the members of the Connecticut Delegation about service to country and how Sen. John McCain was the only candidate who could lead our country in times of peril.

“John McCain knows what dangers we face as a nation and what it will take to keep us safe,”said  Hudner. “He knows the military is about keeping us strong and safe.”

Hudner graduated from the Naval Academy in 1946, not too long after the V-J Day and he said many in his graduating class were frustrated that they were unable to serve in the greatest struggle of all time.

“Little did we know that we would be very busy in five short years,” said Hudner. “No one saw the Korean War coming.”

And then, his moment came to go beyond the call of duty.

“On December 4th, 1950, then Lt. Budner was flying a VF-32 Corsair fighter in support of a United Nations forces, brought his plane down on battlefield near the Chosin Reservoir to rescue a fellow pilot trapped in burning wreckage.  Lt. Budner brought his plane in, wheels up, and ran to Ensign Jesse L. Brown, who was pinned in his cockpit.  He packed the fuselage of Brown’s plane with snow to keep the heat and flames at bay, called in support and all the time, tried in vain to aid his fellow pilot.

President Harry Truman presented Lt.  Hudner with the Medal of Honor on April 13, 1951 at the White House. He has a long and distinguished career with the Navy, serving as Executive Officer on the USS Kitty Hawk and Head of Aviation Technical Training in the Office of Chief of Naval Operations. Capt. Budner retired from the Navy in 1973 as a Captain, worked as a Management Consultant and then as Commissioner for the Massachusetts Department of Veteran’s Services. Capt. Budner and his wife, Georgea, live a quite life in Concord, Mass.

Responding to Sen. John McCain’s plea to curtail all political activities at the Republican National Convention due to the impending arrival of Hurricane Gustav on the Gulf Coast, there will be an abbreviated, low-key schedule Monday night. Delegates and Alternates will be assembling at 3:00 CDT to approve reports of the Convention’s Standing Committee including Credentials, Permanent Organization, Rules and Resolutions. All floor demonstrations and speeches are cancelled.

The Connecticut Delegation will be canceling it’s River Boat cruise planned for Monday afternoon and will be planning other activities designed to help victims of Gustav.  Details are still being worked out but we urge all Connecticut residents to offer assistance to their local chapters of the American Red Cross and Salvation Army, according to Connecticut State Party Chairman Chris Healy.

The Connecticut Red Cross Toll Free Number is 1-877-287-3327.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to our fellow Americans along the Gulf  Coast,” said Healy. “Now is the time to think about how we can help rather than worry about partisan politics.”

As the bulk of the Connecticut delegation arrives in Minneapolis-St. Paul tomorrow for the 2008 Republican National Convention, they will touch down in a swirl of action - from a brand new Vice Presidential candidate to an impending storm that threatens to devastate the Gulf Coast and have a significant impact on the proceedings of the RNC.

Alaska Governor and now John McCain running mate Sarah Palin gave an encore performance in Washington, Pennsylvania to her terrific speech in Dayton.  She continues to wow crowds with her poise and confidence.  Though little complimented recently, Palin’s composure has been flawless over the past days, despite the flood of attention.  She is the buzz of the Convention delegates here in Minnesota, and Wednesday evening’s tickets are in high demand.

At the same time, Hurricane Gustav looks menacing out in the Gulf of Mexico.  Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, for example, was in Minneapolis as a member of the Platform Committee.  He departed the Convention on Wednesday to prepare his state for the coming storm.  Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal is up to his eyeballs in work and probably will miss the whole thing.  But most importantly, thousands of Americans are being evacuated in advance of Gustav’s wrath and we pray for their safety.

We’ll have more photos, blog posts, and more as the delegates arrive tomorrow.  Stay tuned.

Sen. Norm Coleman is running for re-election against Democrat Al Franken

Brand new piglets in the “Miracle of Birth” Center at the State Fair

Further proof that you can fry pretty much anything and put it on a stick.

Everyone was a winner at the State Fair

The Republican Party of Minnesota had a prominent spot at the fair.

The buzz amongst the growing assembly of Convention delegates, Republican State Party Chairs, and guests is that presumptive Republican nominee John McCain has hit a grand slam with his pick of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

The phone has been ringing off the hook with people gushing about the pick of the Alaskan. Social conservatives, pro-military types, and disaffected Republicans who were morose about the GOP stars are enthused at the bold and surprising pick.

Palin’s story is utterly remarkable - an Army mom, a gun owner, a devout Christian, and the mother of a 7 month old son. Her roots and background are blue collar, she is a union member, and she knows energy issues better than anyone.

Dumb Democrats are licking their chops when thinking about Joe Biden debating Sarah Palin - but they do so at their peril. She showed herself to be comfortable in the spotlight and a good fit for John McCain.

Watch the 6pm news on NBC30 or WTNH to see Chairman Healy’s comments on Gov. Palin from inside the Xcel Center, the site of the 2008 Republican National Convention. “Blogging by Blackberry”

John McCain has picked Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate for the fall. Palin, 44, is a decidedly bold pick for Vice President.

Palin is a hawk on energy policy and a dynamo with Social Conservatives who are/were a questionable bloc within the McCain machine - probably until today. She is a reformer, having taken on the Old Boy Network in Alaska and won. And she is a home run with the grassroots.

We’ll have more on this soon…

“Blogging by Blackberry”