House candidate Paulsen gets his three minutes of fame

Erik Paulsen, who is running for Congress in Minnesota's 3rd District, got to speak to the Republican Convention after all.  Paulsen initially had been scheduled to speak on Monday night, but his three minutes of near-fame were scratched when convention officials truncated the program because of Hurricane Gustav.

"I am one of a new generation of Republican reformers ready to transform our founding principles into sound public policy,'' Paulsen said.

He got cheers from the Minnesota delegation, but indifference from most in the arena who were waiting for the heavyweights on the program tonight.

Paulsen's non-prime-time moment still was much better than what his 3rd District Democratic opponent received in Denver. Ashwin Madia was introduced,  with a dozen other Democratic candidates,  to the delegates. He had only a chance to wave to an indifferent audience. -- Doug Grow