The Republican convention is over, a whirlwind event interrupted by a hurricane hitting the Gulf Coast and energized by the pick of a woman vice presidential candidate. And with it comes the home stretch of the (seemingly interminable) 2008 presidential election.

Did presidential hopeful John McCain finally win over the conservative base by picking the conservative Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his No. 2? Does he run the risk of alienating the independents drawn to him in the past with her selection? Did he lay out enough policy specifics to refute charges by rival Democratic candidate Barack Obama that details were lacking?

What else do voters want and need to hear now that the conventions are over?  Game on, bring on the debates!

(And yes, it’s OK to admit that you skipped the pre-game warmup to McCain to catch the NFL season opener between the Washington Redskins and New York Giants…) 

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- Photo credit: Reuters/Mike Segar

Sarah Miller of Eagan, Minnesota, a single mom and college student, talks about goals of protesters at the Republican National Convention, and the likelihood of further violence as the convention draws to a close.

After this video was filmed on Thursday afternoon, several hundred anti-war protestors had hoped to march to the convention hall to confront Republicans, but were blocked by police clad in riot gear on a bridge several blocks away.

Inside the Tent has more than 40 delegates and other attendees in Denver and St. Paul, equipped with video cameras to capture the conventions from the ground up.

(Additional reporting by Andy Sullivan)

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A standoff between rock fans and police led to 102 arrests Wednesday night when fired-up concertgoers took to the streets after a Rage Against the Machine show.

Several hundred fans of the band, whose songs include “Take the Power Back,” and “Bullet in the Head,” marched through downtown Minneapolis after the band finished its set at the Target Center arena.

The show ended at roughly the same time as the third night of the Republican convention across the Mississippi River in St. Paul. Fans of the politically radical band mixed with exuberant Republicans headed to exclusive parties where they toasted vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s speech.

As police in riot gear faced shirtless rock fans in the streets, Republicans looked on from the rooftop deck of the exclusive R. Norman’s steakhouse, where bigwigs like Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman pressed the flesh.

Many of those at the party were not impressed with the spectacle.

“They’ll claim police brutality, then sue and win and make enough money to come to the next convention,” one partygoer said.

“They can sit there all night because they don’t have jobs,” said another.

The protesters didn’t sit there all night, in fact. Police arrested 102  after they occupied an intersection and refused to leave, said Bill Palmer of the Joint Information Center.

Most were ticketed for presence at an unlawful assembly, but two were booked on assault and obstruction of legal process, Palmer said.

Director and actor Ron Silver talks about his support for the Bush administration’s response to the attacks of Sept. 11 in New York and Washington and why the issue of terrorism remains important to him now. This video was shot by Inside the Tent contributor John Steward.

Reuters Inside the Tent equipped more than 40 delegates and other attendees in St. Paul and the Democratic National Convention last week in Denver with video cameras to capture the conventions from the ground up. Steward is not an employee of Reuters, and any views expressed are his own.

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Republican strategist Ralph Reed talks about what John McCain can do to get out the vote among social conservatives — starting with his pick of Sarah Palin as the vice presidential nominee. This video was shot by Inside the Tent contributor John Steward.

Inside the Tent has more than 40 delegates and other attendees in Denver and St. Paul, equipped with video cameras to capture the conventions from the ground up. Steward is not a Reuters employee and any opinions expressed are his own.

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A reception in Minneapolis Tuesday night for Indian Americans who support Republican presidential candidate John McCain went well: the food was tasty, the drinks flowed, and everyone touted McCain’s informal support of the U.S.-India civil nuclear accord.

But then people tried to get to the Republican National Convention.

“We thought it was in Minneapolis, so we decided to stay at the Hilton here. Now it’s very hard to go back and forth,” said Sambhu Banik, an attendee at the last five Republican conventions.

Like many others, Banik mistook the billing of this year’s convention, in Minneapolis-St. Paul, to mean Minneapolis. In fact, almost all official proceedings are taking place at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, 10 miles and at least a $20 cab ride away.

The Twin Cities made a combined bid for the RNC because neither Minneapolis nor St. Paul could hold such large crowds on their own, making this the first political convention hosted simultaneously by two cities. They have a long-running sibling rivalry, and the compromise “Minneapolis-St. Paul” billing has left some St. Paul residents feeling “punked but good,” in the words of Rubén Rosario, a columnist for the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Back at the Indo-American dinner, a few of the attendees chose not to make the trek back to St. Paul for the evening convention speeches. Banik said he catches whatever rides he can.

“I’m really popular because I’m the only one with a car,” said fellow attendee Rudy Pamintuan.

The travel logistics haven’t dampened Banik’s enthusiasm for McCain. The situation could even bring him closer to the candidate, who is booked into the very same hotel.

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- Photo credit: Reuters/Joe Skipper

The invigorating scent of pepper spray perfumed downtown St. Paul again on Tuesday.

Police used percussion grenades, tear gas and pepper spray to push protesters out of downtown at the end of an otherwise peaceful march for poor people that drew more than 1,000 participants.

The event largely avoided the chaos that engulfed the area on Monday, when bands of black-clad anarchists smashed store windows and threw rocks and bottles at police.

Police said they had made 10 arrests over the course of the day, far short of the 284 arrested on Monday.

Earlier Tuesday, anarchists vowed further disruptions througout the week. The Secret Service warned that some might target journalists.

Tuesday’s march, organized by the Poor People’s Human Economic Human Rights Campaign, picked up steam after it passed the State Capitol, where the police had canceled a performance by the rock band Rage Against the Machine.

Protesters headed downtown, and organizers tried to deliver a message to the Republicans through the security fence surrounding the Xcel Center, where Republicans were holding their convention. Many protesters went home after that.

St. Paul Police Commander Doug Holtz said there were several groups of 100 or so who were ordered to disperse but refused to do so. Some tried to climb over the security fence surrounding the Xcel Center, he said.

The confrontation took place near Mickey’s Diner, a neon landmark that stays open 24 hours — a rarity in sleepy St. Paul.

Police herded the protesters back toward the State Capitol, blocks from the XCel Center and the plate-glass windows of downtown.

By 9 p.m., most proteseters had dispersed. Were they done for the night, or were they simply lying low?

For a clue, check the anarchists’ Twitter feed. 

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(Additional reporting by Mallika Rao, Jackie Frank and Adam Pasick)

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Photo credit: Reuters/Damir Sagolj

ST. PAUL - Faith was on full display at the Republican National Convention on Tuesday night with prayers from a pastor and tunes belted out by a Christian pop star.

Miles McPherson, a senior pastor of The Rock Church in San Diego and former professional football player, evoked patriotism and faith while leading the convention in prayer:

“Thank-you God for always being there for us. And thank you for making America the greatest country in the world. We pray these things in Jesus’ name,” he said to warm cheers from the crowd.

Such overt displays of religion, politics and nationalism would be almost unheard of in many European countries but are common in America, especially with Republican crowds.

The invocation was given by a former U.S. Air Force chaplain while Christian singer Rachael Lampa sang her songs “When I Fall” and “Blessed” on a night dedicated to the theme of “service.”

In brief remarks broadcast from the White House, President George W. Bush said: “I am optimistic because I have faith in freedom’s power to lift up all of God’s children and lead this world to a future of peace.”

The party has a powerful conservative Christian base which is slowly warming to Arizona Senator John McCain who will accept its presidential nomination for the Nov. 4 election on Thursday night.

It has been energized by his selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate, a devout Christian who is strongly opposed to abortion rights. She will accept that nomination on Wednesday night.

So expect to a lot more displays of faith on the political stage in St. Paul.

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-Photo credit: REUTERS/Mike Segar, Sept 2, 2008

ST. PAUL - Police in riot gear used pepper spray and smoke bombs against a few hundred violent protesters on Monday, and at least a dozen were arrested outside the arena where the Republican party opened its presidential convention.

In the video above, a police officer lobs a smoke bomb in the direction of the camera.

Officers on horseback, motorcycles and bicycles chased down a group of rock- and bottle-throwing protesters that had broken off from a larger, largely peaceful, march by as many as 10,000 people. The smaller group smashed police car windows and a Macy’s storefront, and a few threw glass bottles at police.

In the video above, police march down Kellogg Avenue in St Paul.

A Reuters reporter saw police handcuffing some of the protesters in a parking lot not far from the convention.

The demonstrators earlier had marched from the Minnesota state capitol to the heavily barricaded Xcel Center, where John McCain will accept the Republican presidential nomination later this week. They chanted anti-war slogans and waved signs criticizing President George W. Bush.

Public safety officials put the crowd at 8,000 to 10,000 and reported seven arrests.

The march wound past bus stops where advertisements from the Democratic National Committee showed Bush and McCain hugging with the slogan, “Does this look like change to you?”

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John McCain ’s selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate was the latest twist in an election year that has had no shortage of surprises — especially after Palin announced in the midst of the Republican National Convention that her 17-year-old daughter was pregnant.

Inside the Tent talked to four women in St. Paul — a Democrat, an independent, and two Republicans — about Palin’s impact on the GOP ticket . What impact do you think Palin will have? Submit your answer in the comments section.

Sandra Ross: “Some of the Hillary supporters, they’re aren’t convinced yet, but they’re leaning toward her because they feel a woman should be in a strong leadership position.”

Barbara Patchen: “I know two people who are considering the McCain ticket just because of (Palin), but personally I’m mystified.”

Amy Sawyer: “For me it’s more about the person and the issues than gender. But she seems like she would be friendly and brings energy to that ticket.”

Tiesha Powell:”She’s a superwoman to me … I’m working too, trying to prove myself, and Sarah just says, “this can be done.”

Inside the Tent has more than 40 delegates and other attendees in Denver and St. Paul, equipped with video cameras to capture the conventions from the ground up.

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