It is rare that a regular Joe gets to be part of history, but I
got that opportunity Aug. 30 through Sep. 2 while attending the
Republican National Convention in New York City. It was amazing,
and I want to thank Colorado Republicans for electing me to
represent them.

The convention was part theater, part crashing of the minds –
not just their meeting. More than 2,000 people from every state and
territory met to decide in four days how the party will stand for
the next four years. The Average Joe directly influences the party
platform and nominees for president and vice president.

Aug. 30, the convention began with two long sessions.

Getting into the morning session was slow thanks to four
security checkpoints and hour-long lines. We decided rules under
which the convention would operate. We elected Rep. Dennis Hastert,
R-Ill., and Speaker of the House as convention chair, a ceremonial
post for a revered party member. We accepted the party platform,
which Gov. Bill Owens worked on.

The roll call of the states began, so Colorado cast its votes
for president and vice president. This is where every state
promotes itself. The person casting the ballots for each state has
to say, “The state of (so-and-so) casts (however many) number of
delegates for the candidate.”

But they first give lengthy overtures that could have been
written by their state’s tourism board. It took until Wednesday to
get enough votes to select the president and vice president at the
party’s nominees for the Nov. 2 ballot.

Contrary to popular belief, delegates are not bounded by state
primary results. We could have selected someone else to be our
nominee for president or vice president. But President George W.
Bush is an outstanding leader so had no challengers.

The evening session continued the roll call of the states.
Florida passed on nominating candidates for president. The state
otherwise would have given President Bush enough votes to be
nominated. It’s tradition that the incumbent’s home state finishes
the nomination.

We had good speakers that day: former New York mayor Rudy
Giuliani and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. The biggest response came
when Sen. McCain’s speech lambasted filmmaker Michael Moore. Moore
was in the press seats, and booing became so great police had to
escort him out.

Aug. 31, the convention convened after delegates completed
service projects across Manhattan. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger gave
a great speech telling his story and love for America. One can hope
every immigrant would love this country as much as the California
governor does.

Laura Bush gave a touching speech that made a great case for
America coming together and the re-election of her
husband.

Sept. 1, we finished the roll call of states, nominating
President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney for four more
years.

While we had many speakers that night, including Cheney, Sen.
Zell Miller, D-Ga., stole the show. Miller, a conservative
Democrat, gave a magnificent speech questioning Sen. John Kerry’s
touchy-feely approach to national security. He wondered with what
we would fight terrorism were Kerry elected, “spitballs?”

Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney preceded Miller with a reference
to Kerry’s catsup-heiress wife: “(Kerry’s) campaigned against the
war all year, but says he’d vote yes today. I don’t want
presidential leadership that comes in 57 varieties.”

President Bush accepted the nomination on Sep. 2 with a moving
and humble speech. President Bush governs by his conscience and
good heart, not by the latest poll sample.

The choice is clear: four more years of honest, effective
government or another New England liberal with European morals, or
lack thereof.

Jimmy Rivera, a delegate to the Republican National Convention,
lives in Parker.