Republicans work in a few digs

ST. PAUL, Minn. - It's not easy turning off political instincts, even with the toned-down sensibility of the Republican convention, as yesterday's breakfast meeting of the Pennsylvania delegation showed.

They prayed for those in the path of Hurricane Gustav, and state chairman Rob Gleason described efforts to gather relief supplies. But two speakers could not resist throwing a couple of rhetorical elbows at what they called the godless Democrats and their internationalist nominee, Barack Obama.

State House Minority Leader Sam Smith (R., Jefferson) referred to comments over the weekend by hard-left filmmaker Michael Moore, who attributed the timing of Gustav to divine intervention because the storm figured to disrupt the GOP gathering.

"If it takes a hurricane downsizing the Republican National Convention to make Democrats believe in God, then this convention's already been a success," Smith said, drawing laughter and a smattering of applause.

All around the convention, speakers had to walk a fine line between exhibiting respect for the natural disaster unfolding on the Gulf Coast and, what is a key purpose of political conventions, exciting the party activists in attendance so they will go home and work hard for the ticket.

Former New York Gov. George Pataki tried out a few attack lines, saying that Sen. John McCain and his vice presidential designee, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, stand for government reform. Pataki caught himself, expressing regret he could not let it rip.

"I wish I could stand here and give you a political stem-winder, because I get so fired up when I think about what Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin stand for, and what the other side doesn't," Pataki said. "But I'm told not to do that today."

A few minutes later, the former governor criticized Obama. "I do have to say one thing," Pataki said. "I watched Sen. Obama's speech in Berlin - and at the conclusion of that speech I couldn't help but think I don't want a 'citizen of the world' as our next president, I want an American patriot."

Almost apologetically, he added: "Let us understand that this is not a time for heightened political rhetoric, but let us also understand there is a reason we're here."

The Pennsylvania group also heard from a top McCain surrogate, his 96-year-old mother, Roberta McCain, a vigorous woman often cited to counter attacks that the soon-to-be nominee, at 72, is too old to be president.

In brief remarks, she said she and her husband lived in Philadelphia in 1941, as he was waiting to be shipped off to war as a naval officer. They lived, Roberta McCain said, in the old Walnut Park Hotel, near Cobb's Creek in the western section of the city.

"I want to ask you, may I consider myself a Pennsylvanian, because I lived there?" she asked. The crowd roared.

"I can't thank you enough," she said.

Afterward, a reporter approached Roberta McCain to ask a question.

"They won't let me talk to reporters," she said, as a minder from the campaign moved swiftly to her side. "They don't trust me," she said.