Mike Hubbard: National convention means busy week ahead

Mike Hubbard
Guest Columnist
Published: August 4, 2008

During the first week of September, the Republican National Committee will hold its convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn., for the purpose of nominating our choice for president and vice president of the United States.

This year’s convention will be my third and, since this will be my first as a member of the Republican National Committee, I am excited about it and am looking forward to it.

Although the Philadelphia convention in 2000 and the 2004 event in New York were both great experiences, I have much more responsibility at this year’s convention. As State Chairman and an RNC Member, I, along with Alabama’s National Committeeman Edgar Weldon and National Committeewoman Bettye Fine Collins, are automatic – or “super” delegates to the convention.

Following the Presidential Primary in February when our other 45 delegates were elected, we held a meeting in Montgomery where I was elected as Chairman of the Alabama delegation. This means that I am responsible for our delegation’s total experience in Minneapolis, including working with the RNC’s fulltime convention staff, which has been in place in Minneapolis for a year now.

It also includes working out the delegation’s entire official agenda while at the convention, raising the money necessary to have staff and an office at our hotel, pay for the delegation’s daily breakfast meetings, commemorative gifts and even the bus transportation between the hotel and the Excel Center in St. Paul. Although it’s not something I had really thought about before, it will take around $150,000 just to facilitate the needs of our delegation – and that doesn’t include travel and hotel costs, which is the responsibility of each individual delegate.

With 48 delegates, 45 alternate delegates, spouses and guests, you can imagine what it takes to organize an official delegation of 200 people. From a communications standpoint while in Minneapolis-St. Paul, we will hold mandatory daily breakfast meetings where we will provide information from the RNC’s convention staff. I am responsible for these communications as well as lining up a speaker each day. Members of our congressional delegation and Gov. Bob Riley will obviously be featured but we are also working on other interesting speakers like California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Since it’s also my responsibility to make certain everyone has a memorable convention experience, my staff and I are also working with sponsors to line up parties and receptions with entertainment and featuring Republican VIPs. It’s an important element but something most people, including me before I became responsible for making it happen, never think about.

At the actual convention sessions, which are in the evenings on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of convention week, the sessions are completely planned and run by the RNC Committee on arrangements. It is a big-league show to say the least featuring speakers, live entertainment and, of course, the official roll call vote of the states and the official nomination for president on Thursday evening.

This year’s presidential election is a critical one for our country. It goes without saying that I hope and pray we select a conservative, experienced leader with a proven track record over one of the most liberal, inexperienced candidates for the Oval Office in history. I am honored to be able to play a small role in nominating Sen. McCain in September and am excited about leading Alabama’s delegation for that purpose.

Rep. Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn) represents District 79 in the Alabama House of Representatives and is the House Minority Leader. He also serves as Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party.