Republicans convened their national convention in St Paul, Minnesota on a subdued note focussing much of their attention on how best they could rally forces to the beleaguered folks of Louisiana and Mississippi affected by Hurricane Gustav.
At the same time, they made sure that some of the legal and technical issues of putting Senator John McCain on the Grand Old Party (GOP) ticket is out of the way.
The opening session was barely for about two-and-a-half hours and one of the first orders of business was the adoption of a party platform, a document that largely sidesteped the national debate about the Iraq War.
"The waging of war, and the achieving of peace, should never be micromanaged in a party platform. In dealing with present conflicts or future crises, our next president must preserve all options," the GOP has maintained.
And unlike the expansive comments the 2004 Platform had on India, this time the Party was succinct and to the point, but did not missed the larger aspects of the bilateral relationship between the United States and India.
"We welcome America's new relationship with India, including the US-India Civil Nuclear Accord. Our common security concerns and shared commitment to political freedom and representative government can be the foundation for an enduring partnership," the Party Platform for 2008 has said.
Image: First Lady Laura Bush and Mrs Cindy McCain addressed the opening session of the 2008 Republican National Convention at the Xcel Energy Centre in St Paul, Minnesota. The duo focused on the ongoing relief efforts after hurricane Gustav hit the Gulf Coast States.
Also read: Why I switched loyalties from Hillary to Obama
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