By Bill Zeeble, KERA reporter
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-755058.mp3
Dallas, TX – More than 200 Republican faithful filled the Studio Movie Grill at Royal and Central Expressway in Dallas last night. They gathered to cheer their presidential nominee, John McCain, as he gave his acceptance speech from the GOP convention. KERA's Bill Zeeble reports.
Those in the crowded theater were proudly conservative. And they say they'll coalesce behind nominee John McCain even if he wasn't their choice in the primaries. Susan Fountain and Cindy Werner both loved the nearly hour-long speech .
"I don't know you'll ever agree with any candidate 100 percent but the alternative is not where I want to go," Fountain said.
"It was excellent. Especially Governor Palin, I loved her," Werner added.
Many here initially wanted someone other than McCain. Johanna Runnels preferred Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. But like for Cindy Werner, McCain's running mate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, is making a difference.
"The energizing influence of his vice presidential nominee really lit a fire under most of us," Runnels said.
That still leaves a few questions, like immigration, according to Ken Emanuelson. McCain favored Bush's guest worker plan, but most conservatives didn't.
That's been one of the big dividing points between McCain and the party base. We still don't know where Sarah Palin is on that, but she's so knock-it-out-of-the-park on so many issues," Emanuelson said.
Emanuelson will vote the ticket. But at least one here plans to split it, choosing down-ballot Republicans, but voting Libertarian for president. Bill Zeeble KERA news.