2008年共和黨全國代表大會在9月1日於聖保羅市艾克賽爾能量中心(Saint Paul's Xcel Energy Center)召開，因古斯塔夫(Gustav)颶風突然來襲，這次會議略過原定的總統布希、副總統錢尼等大人物演說程序而改為救災準備，並於會中通過多項能源政策。
雖然美國國家颶風中心預期古斯塔夫會減弱為熱帶低氣壓，但是共和黨議員們可不希望重蹈布希政府在2005年卡崔納風災時毫無防備的教訓。
因此共和黨全國委員會(Republican National Committee， RNC) 在會議當天成立古斯塔夫颶風救援工作中心，義工於此發送8萬個「慰問包裹」，並設立警報發布系統。另外他們也鼓勵美國民眾捐助墨西哥灣沿岸，共和黨執政的五個州所認定的慈善機構，共和黨提名總統參選人麥肯恩之妻辛蒂(Cindy McCain)表示這些慈善機構登錄在麥肯恩競選團所設立的募款網站(www.causegreater.com)上，以供參考。
這些8萬個慰問包裹由零售商公司Target、FedEx聯邦快遞以及紅十字會共同捐助，內含牙膏、牙刷、除臭劑、肥皂和包裝食物，從明尼蘇達州的明尼亞波里斯會議中心(Minneapolis Convention Center)分裝後由聯邦快遞分送至墨西哥灣各地。
就在共和黨全國大會召開的同時，約1萬多名針對伊拉克戰爭、人權和環境問題的抗議者從明尼亞波里斯─聖保羅雙子城開始列隊遊行，步行至明尼蘇達州議會前示威，再到共和黨會議中心外抗議。
反共和黨委員會暨停戰聯盟(Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War)的成員艾碧(Meredith Aby)表示，反戰運動訴諸的是民生需求而非戰爭的資金，政府當年面對卡崔納風災的驚慌失措，以及今天再度因古斯塔夫使議程大亂，就是共和黨政策不顧民生、忽略堤防、經濟與醫療等的例子。
儘管當天的抗議活動十分平和，明尼蘇達國民警衛隊和聖保羅警察還是逮捕了其中284人，由於少數幾個反政府與反獨裁主義抗議者砸破商家和市區銀行的櫥窗、阻斷道路，使成群的抗議民眾遭噴灑胡椒粉和催淚劑驅散。
官方表示遭逮捕者之中有130人將面臨重罪控訴。
在眾標語和面具之中，抗議隊伍扛著一個巨大的地球可謂當日奇觀。兩名藝術家黎戈雷諾(Nora Ligorano)與瑞斯(Marshall Reese)更在州議會前打鑿一座「Democracy」的字母冰雕，隨著冰字在烈日中溶化象徵民主的溶逝。
然而此時在會議中心裡面，共和黨委員會已經通過他們所宣稱「共和黨有史以來最積極也最創新的能源政策」，包括支持核能發電和減少使用燃油，卻也贊同開拓可能蘊藏石油的北極國家野生生物庇護所(Arctic National Wildlife Refuge，ANWR)，雖然共和黨提名總統參選人麥肯恩並不認同。為此共和黨委員會對開採北極之政策的解釋是：「美國終究還是會朝向碳零排放的生產，石化燃料資源只是現階段邁向零排放目標的過渡橋樑。」
The 2008 Republican National Convention opened Monday at Saint Paul's Xcel Energy Center without speeches from President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and other prominent speakers who had been scheduled to appear but were busy with activities related to Hurricane Gustav.
The National Hurricane Center has now been downgraded Gustav to a Tropical Storm that is expected to become a Tropical Depression today. But the Republicans did not want to be caught flat-footed in the face of disaster as the Bush administration was during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
The Republican National Committee, RNC, used Monday to launch the first day of its Hurricane Gustav Relief Effort Monday by forming a center where volunteers can send 80,000 "comfort packages," a text message alert system, and an effort to encourage Americans to donate to charities identified by the five Gulf Coast governors - all Republicans. The governors sent taped messages to the convention. Cindy McCain told delegates about the website set up by the McCain campaign, www.causegreater.com , where information about these charitable organizations is available.
The 2008 Republican National Convention has joined with Target, FedEx, and the Red Cross to send 80,000 "comfort packages" to the Gulf Coast region containing toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, soap, and packaged foods. The donated materials will arrive in Saint Paul on Wednesday at 8 am, volunteers will assemble the packages at the Minneapolis Convention Center, and FedEx will ship the packages to receiving locations.
Outside the convention hall, some 10,000 Iraq war, human rights and environmental protesters staged a march through Minneapolis-St. Paul, rallied at the Minnesota State Capitol and then took their demonstration to the convention center.
Meredith Aby, a member of the Coalition to March on the RNC and Stop the War, said, "The anti-war movement has always had a demand of money for human needs not for war, and Hurricane Katrina was one of the reasons for that demand."
The protest was mainly peaceful, but Minnesota National Guard and police in St. Paul arrested 284 people. A few anarchist / anti-authoritarian protesters broke windows at Macy's and a downtown bank building. Others blocked roads. Dozens of people were pepper-sprayed and tear-gassed.
Late Monday, authorities said 130 of the 284 people arrested may face felony charges.
Among the signs and masks, and the giant Earth carried in the march was an unusual piece of art. Nora Ligorano and Marshall Reese made an ice sculpture of the word emocracy and presented it at the State Capitol, where it melted in the sun, dramatizing their message, "Democracy Melting."
Turning to RNC business, on Monday, convention delegates passed the party platform with what the RNC called "the most aggressive and innovative energy policy in Republican Party history."
The Republican platform endorses drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, although the Republican presumptive presidential nominee, John McCain has said that he does not support drilling in the refuge.
"In the long run," the platform says, "American production should move to zero-emission sources, and our nation's fossil fuel resources are the bridge to that emissions-free future."
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
