Sen. John McCain accepts the GOP presidential nomination and WRAL photographer Geof Levine had a birds-eye view of the action.

Is it just me, or is this year's political "go-to" word - RED MEAT - getting on anybody else's nerve. Seriously, where did mud sling, dirt, or just plain ole trash talk go? It seems like every time there is an important event, a new phrase is created and WAY over used. Maybe it's been used before, but not like this. On the way to meet our N.C. delegates this morning, I was listening to CNN on the radio and I think I heard Soledad and the guests she was interviewing say RED MEAT about 30 times. They were referring to Gov. Sarah Palin's speech last night and how rough it was on Obama and the race for the White House. So, every time they mentioned Obama's lack of executive experience they said something like, "Gov. Palin and the RED MEAT" or "Her RED MEAT tactics" ... blah blah blah. Next time pundits, just state what it is...it's...

Riot police got to work again today, taking up strategic positions around the Xcel Center to deal with protesters.

John McCain has a tough act to follow tonight. Usually, the nominee's acceptance speech is the convention highlight ... like Barack Obama's stadium address last week. But today, the talk here in St. Paul is still about Sarah Palin's performance. The delegates loved it and they're anxious to hear more.

There is an army of police officers in riot gear mobilizing around the perimeter of the convention compound. They are expecting a demonstration on this last day of the convention.

At breakfast this morning, the North Carolina delegation was briefed on what may happen and advised how to avoid the chaos. I have noticed, though, the local police officers have been very nice and helpful. The people of Minnesota that we’ve met have all been that way.

We’re down to our last day, and the general thinking here is tonight’s speech by John McCain could be anti-climactic after Sarah Palin’s speech last night. One delegate said that shows how capable she is and formidable she is for the Democrats.

Palin impressed a lot of people here in St. Paul last night, and it will be a tough act to follow for John McCain.

Much like the supporters of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama a week ago, North Carolina backers of Republican nominee John McCain plan to hold parties across the state tonight to watch his acceptance speech.

Parties will be held in Raleigh at Raleighwood Theatre on Falls of Neuse Road and at the home of the chairwoman of N.C. State Students for McCain.

Other parties will be held in Charlotte, Harrisburg, Greensboro, Kinston, New Bern and Wilmington.

The Mississippi River and St. Paul's downtown skyline provide a striking environment for the Republican National Convention.

Take a look.

Convention workers hurriedly rebuilt the stage where John McCain will formally accept the Republican Party's presidential nomination Thursday night, according to The Associated Press.

Parts of the platform at the Xcel Energy Center were removed by construction workers on Thursday to bring delegates closer to where McCain will give his acceptance speech, giving the stage a T-shape. Organizers said the change reflected the town hall-type forums in which McCain has campaigned.

"The extended podium will serve as a fitting complement to John McCain's preference for direct interaction with his fellow citizens," said Maria Cino, a convention official.

Meanwhile, party leaders added two speakers to the night's lineup. Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., will speak prior to the candidate's wife, Cindy McCain. Both are close to McCain, and Ridge was considered a finalist for the No. 2 spot before McCain picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Sarah Palin electrified the crowd tonight. She has the party base eating out of the palm of her hand.

A feverous energy is in the air in St. Paul as crowds anticipate Sarah Palin’s speech tonight accepting the vice presidential nomination.

The governor of Alaska was widely unknown when Sen. John McCain announced that she would join him on the Republican presidential ticket.

Tonight, she takes the stage to make her case to the voters and to fire back at critics.

Along the way, she has served a beauty queen, sports reporter, mayor and governor. CBS News has a brief timeline of her life.

Sen. John McCain arrived in the Twin Cities on Wednesday just after 1 p.m. His running mate Sarah Palin was there to meet him.

The Alaskan governor is the primetime speaker tonight, where she will introduce herself to the American voting public. Two-thirds of voters in a WRAL.com poll said she was the person they are most interested in hearing from.

Although there's been protests in St. Paul as the Republican National Convention resumes at the Xcel Energy Center, the media is far removed and isolated from the scene. It makes you wonder how effective the protests are. Unless you're caught up in it, you have no idea it's happening. I didn't know and Geof Levine didn't know about them until hearing about it on the news.

Today, we're tagging along with the North Carolina delegation to Lake Minnetonka, which Prince made famous in his 1984 movie Purple Rain, to hear from Sen. Richard Burr.

Taking a short break from the convention, Gerald Owens and I went to the site of the Interstate 35 bridge, which collapsed in Minneapolis on Aug. 1, 2007, killing 13 people and injuring more than 100.

What we saw was overwhelming. To take a look, click here.