NEW YORK — In 2000, a friend and I drove to Philadelphia for the Republican National Convention. We watched most of it from our hotel but were fortunate enough to get guest passes in the nosebleed seats for President Bush’s acceptance speech. Enjoying my limited time at the convention in 2000, I set forth to learn how one gets credentials for Bush’s re-nomination this year in Madison Square Garden. I discovered that in the Wisconsin Republican Party, the easiest way was to be elected by your congressional district caucus as a delegate or an alternate.

This time around, I managed to get selected as an alternate, which assured I would see more than just the president’s acceptance speech.

I discovered the convention is more than just the speeches you see on TV. There are parties or events for all types of coalitions. The events give convention-goers and their guests the opportunity to meet people from throughout the country who share concerns, as well as a chance to hear short (and sometimes not-so-short) speeches from party leaders discussing how the needs and concerns of that group are being addressed.

The parties offer various levels of actual politics. Many honor elected officials include comments by the honorees intended to fire up the party goers. Others feature minimal political talk, such as the Latino Coalition Salsa Party featuring Latina singer La India and hosted by Carlos Ponce and Rachel Campos (a fellow Wisconsin congressional district alternate), which honored the achievements of Hispanics in areas including sports, business and of course, politics. Still others were held almost exclusively for entertainment purposes, including the Young Republican National Federation loft party featuring live performances by artists from MIG Records.

Another fun part of the convention is having the opportunity to see and sometimes get your picture taken with big-name political figures or celebrities. Keeping my digital camera at the ready allowed me to get pictures of Karl Rove, former Senator Bob Dole, former President Bush and Outkast, among others. Various friends got pictures with political figures and celebrities including former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, G. Gordon Liddy, Barbara Bush (the younger), Bono and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. I was for the most part shut-out when it came to celebrity pictures, but along with a group of friends, I did get a somewhat out-of-focus picture of Mayor Rudy Giuliani across the street from the Wisconsin delegation’s hotel after his speech Monday.

Of course, the biggest part of the convention experience is the actual sessions, and this year’s convention was fantastic. Each night delegation members and guests were excited to hear the keynote speeches and many of the other speakers, including Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan. All of the keynote speeches were wonderful, but here are a few of my favorites in the order in which they were delivered:

Governor Schwarzenegger’s speech Tuesday was certainly a crowd favorite. In a time when some are trying to paint America as a villain, Schwarzenegger drew upon his experiences as an immigrant to remind us what is so special about democracy and America in particular. And while acknowledging that members of the Republican Party do not agree on all issues, he highlighted several areas where common ground is shared by those who differ on social issues. A political party will never be all things to all people, and Schwarzenegger concisely stated reasons why the Republican Party is an attractive place to be.

While some pundits were highly critical of Senator Zell Miller’s speech, by and large convention goers had positive responses. Some pundits said he looked angry, and they were right. He is a man genuinely upset by the party to which he has dedicated his life of public service. During a time in which a common complaint is that partisanship is running rampant in Washington and throughout the country, it is refreshing to find an individual who is more concerned with what he or she truly believes is right than blindly being tied to a party.

Thursday night was President Bush’s time to lay out his plan for the next four years, and he did not disappoint. The president’s agenda for a second term falls under five general categories, including opportunities for workers, defending America and encouraging an ownership society. He discussed plans for increased affordability of health care, improved education for all (including job retraining for adults) and economic policies to help the driving force of the American economy, small businesses.

Bush’s speech addressed the major domestic issues facing our country, while reaffirming his resolve to keep America safe from enemies who seek to destroy the democracy and freedom that many have given their lives to protect.

Overall, my convention experience was a great one, and I hope to attend more in the future. Even though the primary system has greatly changed the convention process from years past, it is still a unique way to participate in our political process. For those of you who are interested in politics, I hope you someday have the opportunity to attend a convention in some capacity. It’s an experience you will cherish.

Angela Frozena was an alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention from the Sixth Congressional District of Wisconsin.