By Gary Drinkard

Gary Drinkard is a guest of the Tennessee delegation at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn.

Finally the convention has become what one expects — partisan speeches, fired-up delegates, and celebrities at every corner. Tuesday night as I was waiting for an elevator, several intense men stepped out and asked me to move to the side of the hall. They looked serious, so I complied immediately and soon learned why. Barbara Bush emerged in a cluster of ladies followed by a tall stooped George H. W. Bush in another cluster of aides. Barbara moved along pretty fast, but President Bush was more deliberate and looked around at those in the hall. Spotting a young lady with a baseball cap, he walked over to her and asked, “is that an Astros cap?” It turned out not to be, but I was struck by his courtesy, and when I saluted, he returned it. He continued to interact with people along his path clearly making his Secret Service detail nervous.

I don’t know where the Bushes waited, but I had taken my seat in the hall when they entered from the side of the arena without any formal announcement. A speaker was addressing the audience, but as people realized what was happening, a wave of applause swept across the hall and everyone stood up. The applause continued long after the Bushes sat down.

Throughout the day there has been speculation about how Gov. Sarah Palin would handle her first appearance before the convention. The underlying feeling was concern and anger because of the Democrat and media criticism she has been receiving.

The convention hall filled early, and there was anxiety about whether the lady from Alaska would stand up to the media expectations. Introductory speeches were given by Gov. Huckabee, Gov. Romney, and Gov. Lingle. Rudy Giuliani was the last speaker before Gov. Palin, and he got the audience revved up with a lot of humor and attacks on Obama.

When Palin came to the stage, she had to wait quite a while for the celebration to subside before she could begin. It did not take long for the audience to see they had no reason to worry about her stage presence. All reservations melted when she said the only difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull is “lipstick." She moved from topics of national issues and praise for Sen. McCain to remarks making clear her indifference to the media’s lack or respect. Her attacks on Obama’s celebrity status resonated perfectly with the mood of the convention. When she finished, the atmosphere in the hall can be compared to that in Neyland Stadium when Tennessee has defeated Florida 50-0.

The excitement lasted for several hours with a lot of high fives. I will never forget the facial expressions of the roaming media representatives. They must have been similar to those of the Iraqi army after a "shock-and-awe" barrage.

At breakfast today, we talked to several Alaska delegates (who are staying in our hotel), and they were swelled with pride for their governor. They claimed folks from the "outside," meaning all of us in the "lower 48," do not always give Alaskans the credit they deserve. But at this convention, Sarah Palin has not only won respect, but she has won the hearts and minds of the party faithful.