RELATED STORIES

• Brent Batten: Delegates more than pleased with McCain’s VP pick
• Brent Batten: Gov. Palin fights back against her critics
• Brent Batten: Republican delegates put storm victims first at national convention
• Brent Batten: GOP must define who John McCain really is

Related Links

• Get the latest local and national election news in our special Election 2008 section.

More Columnists

• Brent Batten: Thompson won't follow the leader
• Gov. Charlie Crist’s weekly video address: Jan. 7, 2008
• Jay Ambrose: No disproportion in Israel’s efforts to defend itself

Tell us about it

• What would you add to this story? Tell us what we missed.
• Do you have photos from this event? Documents we need to see? Share with us.
• Upload photos & videos
• More ways to get your stuff online and in the paper.

STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

Share and Enjoy [?]

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The band was one indication things are getting back to normal at the Republican National Convention Tuesday night.

The full slate of speakers was another.

But the surest sign that the subdued mood that gripped the Xcel Energy Center Monday was passing was the return of the rhetoric.

On Monday Republicans managed to do without a live band, a scratchy recording of the National Anthem being the only song played. They got by with just brief remarks by First Lady Laura Bush and by Cindy McCain, wife of nominee John McCain, on the topic of relief for victims of Hurricane Gustav.

And they largely avoided partisan attacks against Democrats in general and that party’s presidential nominee Barack Obama in particular.

That changed Tuesday as U.S. Rep. John Boehner, chairman of the convention, laid into Democrats just moments after gaveling day two of the convention to order.

“When (Americans) look at the Democratic Congress, they see politicians more interested in taking care of themselves,” Boehner said.

He tried to portray Republicans as the party of reform, a mantle Obama has claimed for himself and his party.

“People sent a message in 2006,” Boehner said, referring to the election that saw Republicans lose their majority in both houses of Congress. “And reminded us they’re in charge. Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Barack Obama ignored it.”

He cited the inability of Democrats to reform the earmark process and to pass an energy bill as two examples of the party’s failure to embrace reform.

“Washington is broken and the Democratic Congress is its most visible symbol,” Boehner said.

The undercard of speakers leading up to featured addresses by former Sen. Fred Thompson, Sen. Joe Leiberman and President George W. Bush (via video), worked in subtle digs at Democrats as they pointed out differences between the two parties.

U.S. Senator Norm Coleman, a former mayor of St. Paul currently running for re-election against TV and radio personality Al Franken, repeated the theme of reform at the hands of Republicans. “Let’s offer America a genuine hope of change that Republicans can actually deliver,” Coleman said.

Then he got in a shot at the opposition. Delivering a brief lesson on the history of St. Paul, Coleman recalled a time when the mayor was quoted as saying, “I’m not indecisive, am I?”

“That could have been an Obama campaign slogan.”

U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota spoke about the importance of public service, whether through military duty, as exemplified by John McCain, or serving as a foster parent, as she has done. Then came the obligatory knock on Obama and his party. “Some presidential nominees know more about public service than others,” she said.

“Government is not a philanthropic organization. Government is not the family. Government is not the church. There are people who feel a little differently and we heard from them last week,” Bachmann said, adding, “They think you should be footing the bill.”

With the headliner speakers yet to appear, Tuesday’s rhetoric from the dais didn’t qualify as a full-bore offensive against Democrats, as Democrats waged against Republicans in Denver, but it was a move in that direction.

Another sign the convention is getting back to normal — Florida’s delegates were to head to a lavish Disney-sponsored party themed after the movie “National Treasure” right after Tuesday’s meeting closed.

* * *

The Republican Party platform adopted Monday is about half the size of the 40,000-word version it replaced.

But something’s been added that will be of interest to Floridians.

The party platform for the first time endorses the concept of a national catastrophic insurance program.

It doesn’t detail the specifics of what such a plan would look like but as generally envisioned, a fund would be available to augment existing state and private insurance policies, kicking in if damages reach a certain level. The theory is, rates could be held down if companies know their potential losses are limited. Coverage would be for disasters ranging from hurricanes to earthquakes.

Paul Senft of Haines City, a member of the Republican National Committee who helped draft the platform, said it’s the first time a national party has acknowledged the need for a national catastrophic insurance plan, or Cat fund.

The national Cat fund idea is not popular in the interior states, where hurricanes and earthquakes aren’t a factor. But those areas are prone to tornadoes and floods, Senft noted. The inclusion of the language in the platform indicates Republicans are nearing consensus on the topic, he said.

Democrats have traditionally been more supportive of a national Cat fund but didn’t include language supporting one in their platform adopted last week, according to Senft. “I hope the other party will amend their platform to include it. It doesn’t matter who gets the credit, it’s the people who need it,” Senft said.

Senft said the coincidental arrival of Hurricane Gustav just as Republicans were gathering to approve their 2008 platform was not a factor in including support for a Cat fund. The language was inserted a week ago, before the threat of Gustav was clear, he said.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain has not been in favor of a national Cat fund. But at least, Senft noted, he didn’t oppose it being in the platform.

* * *

After Monday’s prayerful and apolitical beginning, the convention was slowly transitioning back toward its envisioned agenda.

Florida delegates were asked to remember the Gulf Coast and reminded of prayer services today organized by the Louisiana and Texas delegations.

But at their daily breakfast meeting, they indulged in a few partisan jabs at the opposition.

Senft joked that daredevil Robbie Knievel was planning a stunt in the Twin Cities. “He’s going to try to jump over 5,000 (Barack) Obama supporters with a bulldozer.”

Most of the morning session was devoted to pollster Frank Luntz, who does work for Fox News. Luntz, author of the book, “Words that Work,” talked about ways to frame the political discussion to benefit Republicans.

Instead of talking about “tort reform,” Republicans should discuss “lawsuit abuse reform,” he said. “Drilling for oil,” should be “offshore energy exploration,” and the “estate tax” should be renamed the “death tax,” Luntz said.

Based on his work with focus groups, Luntz said Republicans should stress five areas where McCain enjoys an advantage over Democratic presidential candidate Obama.

First is accountability, the ability to mean what one says and say what one means, Luntz said. “There is no one in American politics with more straight talk than John McCain,” he said.

Other McCain strengths include his perceived wisdom, experience, his policies on energy independence and finally, “who John McCain is and what he’s experienced.”

McCain’s military service and captivity translate into an ability to stand up against lobbyists, bureaucrats and other impediments to good government, Luntz argued. “For 5 1/2 years they (Vietnamese) tried to break John McCain and they couldn’t. And he’s stronger today than he was then,” Luntz said.

Luntz shared a few predictions on the November election. The 18 to 24 age group is solidly behind Obama. “That’s not where the swing vote lies,” he said. Middle income Americans in the 40 to 59 age group are those most likely to come over to McCain, Luntz predicted.

McCain must win Florida to have any chance in the election, according to Luntz. He singled out Ohio and Michigan as two other states important to both candidates. A McCain win in Michigan would be a huge bonus, but he believes it is possible. “Michigan is fed up with Democrats,” Luntz asserted.

He said the presence of Sarah Palin on the ticket with McCain has energized Republicans but cautioned she still has tests ahead. “She has got to deliver an awesome speech Wednesday night,” he said.

It is important she be characterized as a reformer who took on a corrupt governor in Alaska, one from her own party, and won. “America wants a winner. In effect, she’s had it all, she’s done it all and she’s been successful.”

Luntz conceded that polling this far ahead of an election is unreliable but said he’s seeing reasons for optimism among Republicans. “Two months ago I would have told you there was no way John McCain was going to win. Now he’s got a reasonable chance,” Luntz said.

* * *

Collier County Republican Party Chairwoman Carla Dean offered the opening invocation at Tuesday’s delegation breakfast. Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp of Cape Coral was the honoree at an afternoon reception.

Speaking to delegates at the reception, Kottkamp turned his attention away from Florida and toward international affairs. Saying terrorists want to kill Americans and destroy our way of life, Kottkamp told delegates, “This is a high stakes battle we’re waging in the Middle East and John McCain understands that. We’re going to hear that starting tonight. We must win this election.”

* * *

Protesters by the thousands have been gathering in St. Paul to confront convention delegates. A group of them blocked a route Florida’s delegation buses were trying to take on their way from the Xcel Center to their hotel Monday, forcing the buses to take an alternate route.

Police estimate about 10,000 protesters are in town. Most of the demonstrations and marches have been peaceful, but police reported about 290 arrests Monday, roughly half for felonies. That is almost double the roughly 150 arrests recorded by Denver police during the entire Democratic National Convention last week.