From the Floor: Opening Day

Kate Maxwell is a Virginia delegate to the Republican National Convention who will be blogging from Minneapolis-St. Paul for Virginia Politics. She is from Midlothian in Chesterfield County.

Hurricane Gustav hit the Gulf Coast this morning and in Minneapolis, we have suspended nonessential events. The committees continued to meet and the delegates are on the floor this afternoon to approve our party platform and officially nominate John McCain.

The atmosphere has been a bit more subdued today, as the hurricane, not party politics is on everyone's mind. John McCain is proving once again that "country first" is not just a campaign slogan.

First Lady Laura Bush is speaking as I write, and as she says: "Our American ideals always transcend our partisanship." Today that has been true. The McCain campaign is paying to fly all of the affected delegates home to be with their families.

Like many other delegations, instead of the traditional convention celebrations, Virginia has taken up a collection to help with the disaster relief. Though I am hoping for the chance to see John McCain this week, I am proud of the leadership he has shown today. I am more confident than ever in John McCain, his priorities, and his ability to bring, not only our party, but also our nation together in crisis.

-- Kate Maxwell