Almanac: At the Capitol

Sen. Norm Coleman welcomed delegates to "Pig's Eye" as St. Paul used to be known. He said 15 years ago the city struggled with crime and taxes until "conservative principles restored the city." Coleman officially kicked off the politics taking a subtle swipe at Obama. He sounded the common campaign note, talking about "change" Republicans could deliver. His six minute speech was very well received.

U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann walked out on the stage blowing kisses to the hall and waving specifically to the Minnesota delegation. She spoke for about seven minutes and began by saying she was the "first Republican congresswoman" elected from Minnesota.  She talked about her family and her foster children.  Bachmann also took aim at Obama and said "John McCain doesn't just speak service, he lives it."  The representative delighted in talking about "Minnesota Nice" saying that even though there are a lot of liberals here "they're happy liberals."

Outside the convention hall, protesters continued to cause chaos. We watched hundreds, even thousands of police, clad in riot gear, closing down streets and at the ready for a real riot.