Derek Walter: Just another day of political theater

Northwest airlines is the friendliest airline I have ever flown. I was greeted by name every step of the way. When arriving at the gate in San Francisco, I asked the agent if the plane was boarding yet.

"Are you Mr. Walter? We've been waiting for you," he said.

He barely looked up, scanning my boarding pass and motioning me to enter.

Next I crossed a flight attendant who was hustling toward me in the tunnel. "Mr. Walter?"

"Why, yes, that's me," I told him.

Wow what service! In our impersonal age getting greeted by name was quite an honor. Maybe they're loyal blog readers.

Next, I get inside the plane. It's a crammed flight. No open seats anywhere. I maneuver my way through the outstretched legs and arms in the aisle to my seat. I am greeted by another flight attendant.

"Derek?"

Amazing. I am now only flying Northwest from now on.

"We almost gave your seat away."

Apparently airlines take that takeoff time thing seriously. It wasn't really my fault. I was delayed at security because the TSA guards had to send my computer bag through the x-ray machine three times. Apparently water bottles and AAA guide books are a threat to national security.

After a fairly routine flight I arrived to far less fanfare in Minneapolis than I expected. No balloons or flag-waving, dancing elephants. That is, until I got to the baggage claim. Then the floor was plastered with convention logos and press, convention volunteers and delegates were everywhere.

Checking in at the hotel and getting my credentials was a relatively painless experience. With the exception of the three large bags of promotional items and food choices. Do I really need organic rice? Or binoculars? (Well, since I'm an alternate, maybe I'm in the cheap seats). And yes, I had already brought an umbrella. Hmmm, time for some serious eBay action when I get back home.

My first official delegation event was a presidential-themed massive exhibit at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Complete with a replica White House and George Washington and Abraham Lincoln impersonators. It was my first chance to get a real feel for the buzz among the delegation. There was definitely a sense of lethargy knowing that the first day's speakers wouldn't be there -- even though most people understood why it needed to be that way. Not only was the first day's convention cut back, but some of the peripheral events are getting parred down. Medtronic, a medical technology company, cut back the hours on an event being hosted at a lounge. The buzz is that more changes could be on the way.

And if the pick of Gov. Sarah Palin did nothing else, it energized the delegates. I overheard many conversations about how she was such a great pick and would bring in money, volunteers, and energy to the campaign. Tomorrow will be a very compelling day -- but for an altogether different reason. Will the hurricane continue to shut down events? It's just another day of political theater in this most unpredictable of elections.

Derek Walter of Fresno, an alternate delegate and Fresno County chairman of the John McCain 2008 campaign, teaches third graders at Reagan Elementary School and college classes for National University. He also blogs at derekwalter.com.