How can you have a Republican National Convention without Anderson Cooper? It’s just plain un-American.

But folks, that’s the deal today as the delegates descended upon Minneapolis and St. Paul and Cooper left town, heading to the Gulf to fill sandbags. It’s got this convention off on the wrong foot, and the Republicans know it.

The word at the party was that on Monday, CNN planned to cover 90% Gustav and 10% RNC. Ouch!

In addition to the media, the Repubs will probably also argue this week that Gustav took their celebs away too. But, I’m doubtful they ever had any to begin with.

I asked a Cosmo Girl reporter (because she was the cutest looking reporter in the room) if she had spotted any celebs other than Lee Greenwood at the Red Carpet Extravaganza and she shook her head.

But, she did give me this flyer, which was distributed to the delegates during the evening: a Dress-Up Little Liberal doll.

But before I headed home to play with my doll, I really let my hair down.

Here are some RNC pages just palling around. I told them to be careful with text messages this week.

David Freddoso, author of The Case Against Barack Obama who offered to sign his book for me.

Here’s Senator Norm Coleman, currently in hotly contested senate race in Minnesota with Al Franken, rallying the troops.

Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty trying to sell me something.

John and Me.

Dave Anderson regularly writes the LA Log for mspmag.com.  He will be providing us with dispatches from the convention floor throughout the week of the RNC.