The Republican National Convention opened in a somber mood, with a mass text-messaging of donations for hurricane relief. John McCain and Sarah Palin, the party's ticket, will appear later in the week. Photos by Mark Silva
by Mark Silva and Jim Tankersley
ST. PAUL - It's that text-message business.
In Denver, Barack Obama's celebratory night at the close of the Democratic National Convention opened with a call to everyone in the football stadium holding some 70,000 to text-message their support of the candidate to the campaign.
The big score-board displayed from what parts of the country the most texts were coming, based on the cellphone numbers texting.
Here in St. Paul, at the opening of the Republican National Convention just now in a more subdued context - while the party stands down for the day in respect to victims of Hurricane Gustav on the Gulf Coast - the party chairman opened the convention with a call for text-messaged charity.
Mike Duncan, Republican National Committee chairman, led the hall in a mass-text of donations of aid.
"Please help our fellow Americans at GIVE 2 HELP,'' Duncan implored the delegates during their brief opening session.
But the Obama campaign was not about to be outdone on this day of demonstrated concern for the victims of a natural disaster. Guess what just arrived in the text-incoming box of the cellphone: A plea from the Obama campaign: "Barack asks that you give to the Red Cross give 5 dollars by texting GIVE to 24357 or give money by calling...''
But who was giving here today, and where they were from, remained a question for the Republican delegates and their deity - there was no big scoreboard keeping track of calls. Instead, an American flag waved on the mammoth video screen that serves as a backdrop on the stage of the XCEL Center here in St. Paul.
A quiet floor indeed. They came, and they recessed.
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