History: Abraham Lincoln, the Rail Splitter

GRAND OLD PARTISAN, 5/8/2009 by Michael Zak - On this day in 1860, Abraham Lincoln acquired the nickname the Rail Splitter.

The Illinois Republican Party convention began with a grand gesture. At the invitation of the chairman, Governor Richard Oglesby, two childhood friends of Lincoln carried in two wooden rails he was said to have split thirty years earlier. Delegates then lifted Lincoln on their shoulders and carried him to the stage. The Republican dubbed him the Rail Splitter.

Meeting just a week before the Republican National Convention, the state convention helped propel Lincoln to the presidential nomination. Delegates voted to give him their unanimous support:

"Abraham Lincoln is the first choice of the Republicans of Illinois for the Presidency and their delegates are instructed to use every honorable means to secure his nomination, and to cast the vote of the state as a unit for him."

This image of Abraham Lincoln the Rail Splitter was a signal that, unlike the Democrats, Republicans revered the free market system and people who worked for a living. It also contrasted Lincoln's working-class sensibilities with the elitism of his Democrat opponent, Stephen Douglas, owner of a slave plantation in Mississippi.

Michael Zak is a popular speaker to Republican organizations around the country, showing office-holders, candidates and activists how they would benefit tremendously from appreciating the heritage of our Grand Old Party. Back to Basics for the Republican Party is his acclaimed history of the GOP from the Republican point of view. Each day, his Grand Old Partisan blog celebrates decades of Republican heroes and heroics. See www.RepublicanBasics.com for more information. Read More......

Ohio - Call For Constitutional Convention

Daily Herald - The 127th General Assembly of Ohio is applying to the Congress of the United States pursuant to Article V of the United States Constitution to call a constitutional convention for proposing amendments.

The resolution specifies that the state of Ohio requests the Congress to convene a constitutional convention within six months after the Congress receives the thirty-fourth application from the specified states. In addition, the resolution proposes the following amendments to the United States Constitution:

(1) Require the President to submit and the Congress to adopt only balanced budgets for all federal programs and agencies, except in times of war;

(2) Grant the President the authority to disapprove any item or items in any bill presented by the Congress to the President in addition to the President's authority to disapprove entire bills pursuant to Article I, Section 7 of the United States Constitution;

(3) Require the President to submit and the Congress to adopt budgets for all federal programs and agencies on a biennial rather than annual basis.

Article V provides that a constitutional convention may be called by Congress on the application of two-thirds of the state legislatures of specified states including Ohio. If this resolution is approved, a constitutional convention may be called by the U.S. Congress. LSC staff are not certain how many states have outstanding applications for such constitutional convention. Read More......

2008 Republican National Convention

Sept. 3: Letter From Maria Cino, President and CEO of the 2008 Republican National Convention

(Video) Those attending the 2008 Republican National Convention tonight - and those watching from home - witnessed a historic moment for our party and our country. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin gave a powerful and eloquent speech - and became the first woman to address a Republican convention as the party's presumptive vice presidential nominee. Her remarks concluded with a surprise visit from John McCain, who asked the crowd, "Don't you think we made the right choice for the next vice president of the United States?" The response was resounding as the crowd cheered in approval.

Palin's remarks - and McCain's visit - were part of an exciting program of events, which featured speeches by former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. The evening closed with the Roll Call of the States, during which the Arizona delegation put John McCain "over the top," allowing him to secure his position as our party's official candidate for the presidency of the United States.

Much of today's program was focused on the theme of reform. Remarks from each of the participants underscored John McCain's vision for a government that is transparent, principled, and worthy of the American people it serves. In his nearly three decades of service in the U.S. House and Senate, John McCain has fought special interests and opposed wasteful spending. When the challenges in Iraq were mounting, he had the vision and experience to call for the changes in strategy that now have America winning. And his decision to add Governor Palin, a strong leader and a proven reformer, to the Republican ticket is yet another example of his commitment to the right kind of change.

We look forward to hearing from John McCain tomorrow when he joins us again to accept our party's nomination for the presidency of the United States. We look forward to hearing his remarks - and capping off a week of events that will help launch him to the White House. --Maria Cino, President and CEO

Highlights from Wednesday Night's Speeches...
In her speech to the convention tonight that was both powerful and eloquent, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin announced her intention to accept the party‚s nomination for vice president tomorrow. She talked with the audience about her experiences as a public servant:

"I had the privilege of living most of my life in a small town. I was just your average hockey mom, and signed up for the PTA because I wanted to make my kids‚ public education better. When I ran for city council, I didn‚t need focus groups and voter profiles because I knew those voters, and knew their families, too. Before I became governor of the great state of Alaska, I was mayor of my hometown. And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves. I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a Œcommunity organizer,‚ except that you have actual responsibilities."

(Video) Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani shared why he believes John McCain‚s leadership and vision for America make him the best candidate to lead our nation forward. In particular, he emphasized the importance of this election:

"This is a time for choosing - and to those Americans who still feel torn in this election, I'd like to suggest one way to think about the choice you have to make in 2008: You're hiring someone to do a job - an important job that involves the safety and security of your family."

(Video) Former Arkansas Governor Huckabee expanded on the convention‚s overall theme, "Country First," as he discussed John McCain‚s love of America, vision for the future, and long record of service and sacrifice on our behalf. Of the type of change John McCain will bring to Washington, he said:

"John McCain doesn‚t want the kind of change that allows the government to reach deeper into your paycheck and pick your doctor, your child‚s school, or even the kind of car you drive or how much you inflate the tires."

(Video) Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney expanded upon the theme for the day‚s program, which was "reform," as he discussed John McCain‚s ability to repair Washington‚s partisan environment and restrain the unchecked growth of the federal government. Near the end of his remarks, he explained why he believes the McCain-Palin ticket is the right choice for the future of America:

"Just like you, there has never been a day when I was not proud to be an American. We inherited the greatest nation in the history of the earth. It is our burden and privilege to preserve it, to renew its spirit so that its noble past is prologue to its glorious future. To this we are all dedicated and I firmly believe by the providence of the Almighty, that we will succeed. President McCain and Vice President Palin will keep America as it has always been - the hope of the world."

To view or read the text of these remarks, please visit the convention‚s media portal by clicking here.
(Hat tip: Jeff Kubler)

Photo Credit: Reflections Photo Inc. 631 Pennsylvania Ave, SE Washington DC 20003 202-204-6700, www.reflections-photoinc.com

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GOP drops convention's opening night as Gustav nears

Houston Cronicle
ST. PAUL, MINN. -- Haunted by the federal government's failed response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Republican Party today canceled its political program for Monday's portion of its national convention as Hurricane Gustav threatened parts of Louisiana.

"This is a time when we have to do away with our party politics and we have to act as Americans," soon-to-be official presidential candidate John McCain said from St. Louis in a video conference with hundreds of reporters here. "We are going to suspend most of our activities tomorrow except for those absolutely necessary."

Instead of the prime-time opening night that was to include speeches by President Bush and Vice President Cheney, as well as rhetoric to fire up voters for McCain, the party will spend less than three hours carrying out legal and parliamentary formalities during the afternoon and put the rest of the four-day convention on hold, officials said.

GOP leaders said they are offering to fly home delegates from Texas and the other Gulf states and that a dozen delegates from Louisiana had accepted.
Political fundraising activities at the convention will be morphed into charity events for hurricane relief, they said.

After the devastation of New Orleans in 2005, President Bush and other officials admitted serious flaws with relief and repair efforts.

"I have every expectation we will not see the mistakes of Katrina repeated," McCain said after telephone briefings with Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who has canceled his trip to the convention, and with governors of Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi.

Officials said they were unsure when the convention could resume its normal presentation to the nation or whether it was certain McCain would appear here to accept the party's nomination.

"I hope and pray we will be able to resume some of our operations as soon as possible, but frankly, some of that is in the hands of God," McCain said.

Set back-to-back with last week's Democratic convention and nomination of Barack Obama, the GOP convention was expected to be the Republicans' showcase opportunity to feature McCain and running mate Sarah Palin to the world audience.

At least temporarily, Gustav has replaced the convention as the top national story.
McCain campaign manager Rick Davis said it was inappropriate to ponder the political costs of delaying and perhaps toning down the McCain showcasing and verbal attacks on the Democrats.

"We really don't have the luxury of trying to evaluate the politics of this situation," Davis said. "Right now, we have a hurricane bearing down on the Gulf."

The hurricane was a prime topic of conversation among Texas Republican delegates, but for some here, the show needed to go on.

"Every parade gets rained on somewhere in the country, and so some folks are not going to be able to come," said delegate Borah Van Dormolen of Salado, who was a prominent speaker at the Texas GOP convention in Houston in June.

"But we are a party that lives by principles and lives by rules. We're here as delegates to nominate our presidential candidate," she said in a video interview with the Associated Press.

Preparations proceeded routinely on several fronts as police and the Secret Service set up security systems around the convention facility here. And the first anti-war protest marches commenced.

Delegate Cathie Adams, Republican National Committeewoman-elect and president of the Texas Eagle Forum, said the GOP has important business to accomplish at the convention, although her thoughts are with the people affected by the hurricane.

"First of all, no one can take the excitement away that I have for this ticket," Adams said. "But I also think that we are here to do the business of the party, and so this is not a vacation."

She said concern for people in the hurricane's path is uppermost in delegates' minds: "Our hearts, our prayers go out to those people."

But, she added, "Everything that can be done is being done."

Texas delegate Gale Sayers, of Converse, said that "whatever the RNC decides to do, I'll take part in...I spent a lot of time volunteering in shelters during Hurricane Katrina. God is the one in charge of nature ... I'm not worried and whatever they do, I'll take part in."

But she also said she was "excited to be here spreading the pro-life and conservative message."

Instead of delivering what was expected to be a political farewell speech of sorts on Monday, Bush will meet with emergency workers in Austin and San Antonio and then go to Louisiana when conditions permit, according to the White House.

"(Bush) is fully committed to throw all the assets of the federal government into this fight," Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff said.

In Ohio, Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama said he will mobilize some of his supporters to provide relief work and money to hurricane victims if needed.
"I think we can activate an e-mail list of a couple of million people who want to give back," he said, according to AP.

Obama said he might visit storm-damaged areas when practical.

Bush today was at the FEMA Operations Center in Washington, thanking workers and monitoring preparations for the storm's landfall.

"There's been a lot of work done to get ready for the storm," Bush said. "Across the Gulf Coast, there's governors and state officials and local leaders that are taking this storm very seriously and are preparing proactively."

As the weekend progressed, White House officials took pains to demonstrate vigorous engagement in storm preparedness. Bush said that federal officials had teams of emergency managers, doctors and ambulances and aircraft on standby throughout the storm's target region.

"The message to the people of the Gulf Coast is, this storm is dangerous," Bush said. "It is very important for you to follow the instructions and direction of state and local officials. Do not put yourself in harm's way or make rescue workers take unnecessary risks.

"And know that the American people stand with you," Bush said. "We'll face this emergency together."

In a phone call early today, Bush told New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin that he was "getting ready to go through this with him again," said White House Press Secretary Dana Perino.

Chronicle reporter Julie Mason contributed from Washington. Chronicle reporter Richard Dunham contributed from St. Paul. Read More......