Mike Pence lost his chance to give a speech on the stage at the Republican National Convention last night but he gave the speech he prepared for national TV this morning.  He gave it to a pretty sizable crowd, too.

Pence addressed the Texas delegation at breakfast in a hotel just across the street from the Xcel Center in downtown St. Paul.  The Indiana congressman estimated the crowd at 500.

Politics aside, the Republican National Convention here in St. Paul is a much more pleasant experience than the Democratic National Convention was in Denver, a least for reporters that is.

There are more and better food choices near the workspace, a workspace that is connected to the convention hall as compared to trailers in a parking lot.  The arena concourses are bigger and so are the suites where we do live shots.   There are cabs waiting outside the gate where you could find none in Denver. 

In another contrast, volunteers from the host committee are inside and outside the hall and they are not only friendly, but helpful.

The WISH-TV crew covering the Republican National Convention is on site in Minnesota where press accomodations are much improved by comparison to those in Denver (accessbile concession stands, more work space, adequate air conditioning; but then you don’t care about my comfort, do you?) 

Security is still oppressive (see a Steve Sweitzer video blog that will posted tomorrow) and the news that most of Monday’s session if off (due to the hurricane) has done little to stop the activity off the convention floor.

The Indiana delegation shares a hotel with Hawaii and its a lot closer to the arena than what Indiana Democrats had in Denver but they don’t get the front row seats that the Democrats enjoyed.

We’ll be here all week to tell you what happens, and what doesn’t.