The Virginian-Pilot
©
ST. PAUL, MINN.
If anybody can relate to the events that shaped the early moments of the Republican National Convention, it's U.S. Rep. Thelma Drake of Norfolk.
She lost her moment on the national stage.
Along with many other party officials, Drake's scheduled speaking slot was cut from Monday's convention agenda as the nation braced for the impact of Hurricane Gustav along the Gulf Coast.
Concerns about government response to severe weather are well-known to Drake, who represents a Hampton Roads region that is familiar with such storms and questions about how to evacuate residents.
Drake, 58, is a two-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives and a former member of the Virginia House of Delegates. She is locked in an election fight with former diplomat Glenn Nye, 33.
During a breakfast meeting with Virginia's delegation, Drake expressed disappointment that her speaking slot was eliminated. She noted the honor was mostly noticed by "clerks in the dry cleaner, cab drivers, people have looked at me these last few days and said, 'Wow, you get to speak.' "
Convention officials have said they hope to reschedule the displaced speakers for other times during the remainder of the convention, which was originally scheduled to end Thursday. But Drake is departing Minnesota this morning.
"After all, I am in a race," she said Monday. "And not just a race for myself, but a race for John McCain and Sarah Palin as well."
She said that her husband, Ted Drake, a state GOP delegate, will remain.
In an interview last Thursday, Drake said her speech would focus on McCain's "experience and judgment."
Republicans have questioned U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's readiness to be president, in part because the Democratic nominee is a first-term senator.
Julian Walker, (804) 697-1564, julian.walker@pilotonline.com
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Oh and by the way Ira
Anchorage has several schools where free and reduced lunches are the majority, can't speeak about Fairbanks as I have never been there but I can for Anchorage........you are so funny when you get confused!
Hey Ira
this forum is about Thelma Drake, not Sarah Palin, as such I am talking about Thelma's bad decisions. ANd you say I talk non-sense!
yes the stategy did work, but
the point is with no help to Thelma Drake. We cannot overlook the fact that Drake did not vote in favor of the bill becaudse she said Bush was going to veto it. Now that is just lame!
Beandaddy
The strategy worked though, didn't it? We got through a new GI bill that everybody on both sides (and the House and the Senate and the President) seems to love! I am not a politician because I hate "the art of the possible" and that it involves so much gaming, but sometimes the games work! Cheers, MGM
AAAAW poor Thelma
Not that I am watching this or anything..but Poor Thelma. I did get a chance to meet her opponent on July 4th when he spent the day at MT Trashmore getting the word out. She was there with bright red pumps and a too short skirt and spent all of 15 minutes there. I wish there was more active campaigning on behalf of Nye because even personality wise, he is the polar opposite of Thelma. She lost my interest with not voting for the new GI Bill because she knew Bush would veto it. That was the tip of the proverbial iceberg for me. Too much siding with Bush.
Mark Twine
Rapid City, South Dakota? Is the advertisement only running there? Haven't seen it here. And that news is definitely not out of Minneapolis-St. Paul. Amazing you found that headline--do you read all of the national papers daily, did it happen to be on Google, or did you find it some other way?
Unless that was a direct quote from John McCain, directly quoted in the Rapid City paper, I will reserve judgment until I see that ad for myself (do you have a link to Youtube or anything?). Thanks, MGM
marym63204
You are confusing The Who and The Order of vetting of multiple people with a very last minute & terribly superficial vetting of the candidate that could end up being the president.
Pregnant daughter
Husband member of Alaska succession party (AIP)
She courted same Alaska succession party
Trooper Gate
She tried to fire librarian with her attempt at book banning
JM met her twice & calls her his "soulmate"
Lying about her non-support of the bridge to nowhere
She has her own Reverend problem with the AIP director: "The fires of he** are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government," Vogler said. "And I won't be buried under their da** flag,"
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/512560.html
McSame flip-flop alert
RAPID CITY, S.D. - John McCain conceded in a new television commercial on Tuesday that "we're worse off than we were four years ago," and said he is the candidate best positioned to usher in an era of change.
"Washington's broken. John McCain knows it," says the commercial, which is implicitly critical of both President Bush and Barack Obama.
Well, that's progress I guess. At least he's flip-flopped into reality this time.
There is a god!!!
Thank god for small favors.Who wanted to hear Thelma Drake anyway?
E.L.
I try to gived you room for your non-sensical rants but you need to know something. She was a govenor of Alaska. The votes you are describing were made at the national level. Where exactly are these Alaskan "inner cities?"
Shouldn't you have an actualreason before you attack someone in a public forum?