Dispatch from St. Paul with Nevada Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki

As Republicans settled into the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., for the Republican National Convention on Monday, the mood was reportedly a nervous anxiety as Americans of all political persuasions watched Hurricane Gustav unfold.

With a prior commitment in Fallon on Monday, Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki (who is the chairman of Sen. John McCain’s campaign in Nevada) also found himself on standby, not only watching the events on the Gulf Coast unfold, but also the Burnside fire in Hope Valley, across the state line in California south of Lake Tahoe.

And then Krolicki, who lives in Stateline, learned about the tragedy that unfolded Monday night when an air tanker that had been fighting the 200-plus acre Burnside fire in Alpine County crashed after takeoff near the Reno-Stead Airport.

All three on board the P2V aircraft died. The accident is under investigation.

“This is very tragic,” said Krolicki by telephone a few blocks from the Xcel Energy Center. “The men and women who are out there on the lines flying these machines to protect lives and property and the men and women who are out there fighting this fire. Our hearts and prayers go out to all of them.”

While Krolicki didn’t arrive in St. Paul until today, he said the mood was probably “awkward” for most of the delegates because of the hurricane. However, tonight, with the convention set to kick off in a more festive mood, it won’t take long before his fellow Republican delegates get into the groove.

“We wanted it to kick off with a passionate Republican cheer yesterday but because of the hurricane we put a pause on that,” Krolicki told the Tahoe Daily Tribune. Tonight we’ll be with the Arizona delegation so there’s a guarantee there will be lots of enthusiasm.”

He described the area where his delegation is gathering before the convention as festive. With live concerts, music and televisions all around “there’s definitely a buzz.”

The 2008 Republican National Convention today announced the program of events for tonight. The program will feature speeches by U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman and former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson. Their remarks will reflect the convention's overall theme, “Country First,” and the theme for tonight’s events, which is "service."

"We are excited to announce today’s featured speakers, who will share John McCain's remarkable record of leadership and service with millions of Americans tonight. We are looking forward to showcasing John McCain's life-long record of putting his country first,” said Republican National Committee Chairman Robert M. “Mike” Duncan on the official convention Web site.

With an focus on the early life and times of John McCain, his days at the academy, as a pilot, and his time spent as a prisoner of war in Hanoi during the Vietnam war, Americans will get a picture of the man who is dedicated to his country, Krolicki said.

With Sen. Joe Lieberman as a speaker, the Republicans are very excited about this, Krolicki said of the former Democrat and running mate of Al Gore in 2000.

“It is very courageous of him to be a speaker,” he said.

Lieberman became disenfranchised with the Democratic Party, leaving it to become an independent in 2006. He and John McCain are close friends as well as colleagues.

Nevada has 34 delegates at the convention. Among them are Sen. John Ensign, Bev Willard of Carson Valley and Nevada Party Chairman Joe Brown and Sue Lowden, a former state senator.

Go to www.tahoebonanza.com later tonight to read about Krolicki’s reaction to convention events.