Steve Bell's 2008 US convention sketchbook: Day ten

Today I manage to queue up and get a floor pass, though early in the day the queues are non-existent and you can keep the pass for a whole hour. The floor is far brighter and far more intimidating, with many more mad people present. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

Senator Norm Coleman, of Minnesota, makes a down-home folksy appeal to the convention with a story of how St Paul was originally called something like Pig Fart. He is a ready-made cartoon character himself. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

The convention embarks on a parade of supporters from the minorities. A powerful-looking businesswoman called Renee Lamoore pledges to back the McCain-Palin ticket. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

All around the convention floor, there are silent but deadly security people in red baseball caps. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

As with all the main political parties in the UK, the delegates are elderly, very polite and seem quite genial - until they start howling. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

Michael Williams, from Texas, tears into the Democrats ... Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

... as does Carly Fiorina, a business magnate. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

We’ve already had a number of prayers and several different national anthems, but that doesn’t stop the Bishop of Orlando coming on to bless the proceedings. The delegates are up and down like devout yo-yos. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

We’re getting near prime time, so the first of the big political names is wheeled out. Mitt Romney, the multi-millionaire governor of Massachusets, comes on with a fierce denunciation of the eastern political elite. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

Romney works himself into a frenzy over the iniquities of the liberal establishment. It’s not easy to forget that this is the ruling party attacking the status quo, and his whole spiel rings pretty hollow. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

My floor pass runs out and I seek another place to insert myself up in the nosebleed zone. There is actually quite a lot of space up here, and I have a very good view of a sea of cream cowboy hats. Today, the Texans are dressed in black suits. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

The former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani launches into a riproaring and thoroughly dishonest attack on Barack Obama’s lack of experience. He talks up the executive authority that Sarah Palin has been wielding these last couple of months as the governor of Alaska and former mayor of Mooseturd. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

Rudy is a pro and delivers some sharp lines. The crowd go crazy and start chanting the new Republican energy policy: “Drill Baby Drill!”. Giuliani giggles as he sees the floating tree-hugger vote evaporate. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

Sarah Palin comes on immediately after Giuliani. She is a bit hesitant at first, but soon gets into the swing of things, continuing the attack on Obama after introducing her family to the assembled multitude. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

It’s unfair to say that she merely continues the attack, since she makes the process wholly her own. She is not simply offensive, she is vicious and very good at it. Conveniently for every cartoonist in the country, she compares herself to an attack dog (“What’s the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick.”). Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

She goes down an absolute storm with crowd. After a particularly successful passage and her 17th standing ovation, a very nice Republican lady next to me says (knowing I’m English): “Another Margaret Thatcher?”. Diplomatically, I say: “It’s a bit early to tell,” but I have a horrible, sinking feeling she may be right. Photograph: Copyright © Steve Bell 2008