Random Thoughts On The Republican Party Of Texas Convention

No, Capitol Annex did not get credentials to blog the Republican Party of Texas 2008 Convention. In fact, we didn’t bother to apply. Even if we got them (perhaps in return for a right-leaning site getting credentialed at the TDP Convention?), there isn’t enough anti-nausea medication in the would that would have kept us from repeatedly vomiting all over the convention floor.

We found no small amount of irony in the fact that the first day of the convention coincided with the first day that CVS pharmacies started selling over-the-counter paternity tests in Texas ($29.99!!!).

Luckily, we have a couple of first hand reports from bloggers that were credentialed for the event. Pondering Pengiun tells us:

I first met a fellow blogger, a friendly black conservative man and he also blogs for Senator Cornyn. I spoke with another writer who was with the kind of renegade group I find interesting, a group that sends delegates to convention from the county level instead of abiding by all the state rules. She was telling me about some confusing overlaps between county and state levels of representation. Seems some of the delegates were denied floor admission.

I met and enjoyed a little visit with a reporter for the local NBC affiliate, who concentrates on all things political and blogs for the news station. She is a very friendly and approachable black woman who got a bit of a chuckle out of the fact that my son would rather have been attending last week’s Democrat convention in Austin than the one today!

Bless this poor blogger’s heart. She sounds as though she’s never seen an African America before (and blogged about the only two she’s ever seen!). Granted, there may not be that many African Americans in the Republican Party of Texas, but seriously. If you look at Democratic bloggers’ coverage of the TDP Convention last week, you didn’t see any of us talking about the race of bloggers we met. I guess it is because that’s not something we pay much attention to; it just isn’t that much of a novelty. We know our blogosphere has diversity.

That aside, Tina Fish Benkiser was making love to the Convention today, attempting to hold on to power at the helm of the party:

She emphasized the need for “traditional family and marriage” and said to those who disagree with her on anything, “I love you anyway.”

Perry has the backing of a scattered group of delegates who think that Benkiser hoards power by refusing to follow procedural rules for the convention under state law.

Yeah, we love you too, Tina Fish. Make me a sandwich. Kirk Watson is thrilled.

After all that Republican blasphemy, I guess I’d better head off to the convention Prayer Station. I hear there is a huge line and that the are charging $25 a head to use Mark Foley’s special “prayer closet.”