Another political convention is over and now it is time to head to the Democratic convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. But we should first give you a final behind the scenes review of the end of the RNC gathering in Tampa.
What is always interesting is that even before the convention is over, there are people packing up stuff all over the place, as I had to stop recording my stories several times because of loud banging sounds in the press filing center.
In 1992 at the GOP convention in Houston, we blew off steam after everything was over by playing volleyball over the rod-and-curtain setup in the press area. We also grabbed a couple of golf carts and played a little four man bobsled with them.
The end of a convention is sort of a bittersweet moment; on one hand, you are usually exhausted and want to leave. On the other hand, you are just starting to figure out how to get in and out of the convention city, the convention hall and the best places to find people to interview.
But it does feel good to stuff all of your dirty clothes into the suitcase and drive like hell for the airport.
Before leaving the GOP gathering on Thursday, my radio colleague from WOKV in Jacksonville, Matt Augustine, reminded me of something that I said to another friend of ours at the 2008 conventions:
"If you're getting any sleep, you aren't working hard enough," I told him.
For radio, that is about the only way to cover a convention or the elections when you are on the road; it is a somewhat foreign concept for other reporters, especially newspaper reporters who aren't always writing a story every day.
About an hour before the final convention session was gaveled to order, I went over to the floor to see if I could find some delegates to talk to, and it turned out to be one of my easiest trips ever.
Sometimes you go on the floor and you just can't find the people you need; but this time I took a few steps and there was the Attorney General of Ohio, the Mayor of Naples, Florida, a state Senator from the Tulsa area and more.
One guy I ran into in the Oklahoma delegation said he remembered me interviewing him many years ago at a GOP convention.
"You were wearing a pincord summer suit," he said.
It reminded me that I had not packed a seersucker suit for Tampa because of the uncertainty over the weather; and now in Charlotte it will be too late - unless I wear it on Sunday or Monday.
Now it's on to Charlotte for the Democrats, which will be my 13th convention.
One thing that won't be repeated there were my access troubles with the Georgia Republican delegation, as the Georgia Democrats quickly sent me their schedule of delegation meetings and parties.
I wrapped up my week by driving over to Orlando to work from my station WDBO for a final few hours before heading for the airport.
When I was in line for security, who should walk up right behind me?
It was Newt and Callista Gingrich, barely twelve hours after the two had led a tribute to Ronald Reagan on the convention floor.
I was too tired to dig my camera out and take their picture.
While I'm falling asleep in the airport as I type this, I do need to add one thing before I sign off and take a nap on the plane.
Happy Birthday to my father, who still guides me so well on what happens in politics.
Now I need to find someone to make sure I don't fall asleep in the waiting area and miss getting on my plane home.
