On the lower right of the screen is a group of DC policy wonks who walked toward the camera during the entire shot. I presume they are exercising on their lunch break.

Beautiful.

I love geysers, and they're such a great symbol for abstinence only education.

Why the RNC put the People's Republic of Santa Monica in their convention is beyond me. Oddly enough, this image came up during Palin's rally for small town America .

Ronald Reagan's #5, I hope they carve him before I die.

On my way to the convention Tuesday night, I passed the Trojan Condom bus just four blocks from the Xcel Center. I kid you not. I asked if they thought it was ironic that they were pushing a form of birth control considering the circumstances with Governor Palin… "No comment," the woman said. Then they began packing up their bananas.

It was a definitely a night of low energy and refocusing for the RNC. I walked in and John Bolton walked out — see in the middle of this photo. His mustache appeared to be trimmed but he apparently had no interest in seeing Thompson or Lieberman.

If McCain is elected Zubaz for all! As for the Frisbee-type accessory attached to the abdomen, that's the new homeland security tracking device. Just think of it as as broach.

As the night progressed the energy level definitely picked up. The fact that Bush Senior (in person but not speaking) and Bush Junior (via satellite) both made appearances surely put the convention back on track. Why Lieberman was given the task of energizing everyone into tomorrow is beyond me. As I tuned out his crunchy groan, I noticed something very peculiar…

The stairs leading up to the speaker's podium are encase in plexi-glass. It's ALL an ILLUSION!

On television it looks as if the speaker is just a few steps up from the delegates, but the reality is that the delegates would have to hurdle a giant glass case in order to reach the podium.

Our RNC politicians are so close, and yet so far away….

St. Paul has been transformed into a police state of troubling proportions. As someone raised in the Twin Cities, it's greatly disturbing to see a place I hold so dear so under siege by law enforcement. Of course, whether or not it's warranted is not for me to decide.

Here's what I experienced:

On the way to visit the Minnesota Governor, Tim Pawlenty (a.k.a. the future VP candidate once Palin wakes up and steps down) at the "Whistle-Stop Welcome Reception" at the Union Depot, I first witnessed these protestors strolling the streets.

Then I noticed the welcoming committee. Gulp.

Hey, boys!

But the city is barricaded in such a way that what should have been a fifteen minute walk turned into an almost two hour hike. As I detoured along the Mississippi River, witnessing green-capped legal observers and police from all over the country dressed like Robocop, I wondered if this was all truly necessary.

I asked a secret service agent for directions on how to get to the gay ole "Whistle-Stop Welcome Reception" and he said about the protestors without a hint of humor: "I'd be careful if I were you."

Really? It's Labor Day! A day of leisure. So as I moseyed along the Mississippi and took in the sounds of the SEIU Take Back Labor Day Concert in the distance (we're talking Billy Bragg, Tom Morello, and every white person's favorite black person, Mos Def) things suddenly changed.

People began running up the parkway. Tear gas was being fired, and I could smell it, taste its bitterness. Although this photo doesn't do it justice, people began sprinting up the parkway, some with stung eyes, others utterly confused by what was happening to their vacation-day stroll.

I showed my press credentials to officers guarding a stairwell. They put on their gas masks and nodded me though.

From the look-out above the street, I watched as the police closed in on a hundred-or so protestors. A state trooper told me protestors had thrown urine and feces at officers and broken windows, and therefore action was taken.

Arrests were made and after thirty minutes I was allowed to move again toward my Whistle-Stop Welcome Reception. I did finally but missed the Governor's welcome and wasn't allowed to bring my camera inside. Although the images of large balding men in suits holding Bud Lite Lime and talking about Sarah Palin's qualifications is forever etched in my memory

Oh, this photo cracks me up.

How to give directions in a police state. All of the streets surround the Xcel Center have such barricades. Beautiful, huh?

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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.