Linda Lingle

CONCORD -- Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle said she has never met Barack Obama, despite the fact that Obama was born in Hawaii and went to high school in the state.

"Barack Obama was born in my state and went to school there yet as a United States Senator I've never met him," Lingle said at the opening of a Republican office. "On the other hand when Senator McCain visits the state he comes and sits down with me."

Gov. Linda LingleGov. Linda Lingle (R-Hawaii) is scheduled to visit New Hampshire on Tuesday, September 30.

Lingle will be attending the grand opening of the Concord Victory campaign headquarters.

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has accomplished in less than a week what John McCain, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and the rest of the once-expansive GOP field failed to do in a full 18 months of campaigning: She has energized, even thrilled, the conservative base of the Republican Party.

Palin's selection as McCain's running mate is the ubiquitous buzz of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul. The combination of an historic pick, thanks to her gender; an ideological sister in arms, thanks to her conservative record; and a sense of momentum she has brought to what has at times felt like an unfocused campaign makes Palin practically irresistible to delegates, donors and activists gathered in the Twin Cities.

So, the Club For Growth is peeved that "the party's most steadfast elected economic conservatives" will not have prominent speaking roles at the Republican National Committee Convention in two weeks. No surprise there -- the Club is always goading their party in one way or the other.

"With the Republican Party’s brand in shambles, it is important for the Party to showcase those leaders who are currently in office fighting to preserve the limited-government, free-market principles the GOP used to stand for," the release said.

But they probably should have stopped themselves there.

Deval Patrick says he needs more time to study the national popular vote legislation, but he'll sign it.

The question is: will a Republican governor ever sign one

Six Republican governors today announced their
support of John McCain, including Haley Barbour of Mississippi, a possible
candidate for Vice President. John Hoeven of North Dakota, Bobby Jindal of
Louisiana, Linda Lingle of Hawaii, Sonny Purdue of Georgia and Bob Riley of
Alabama are now backing McCain for the GOP presidential nomination.