In short, there were basically two messages coming from Republicans in St. Paul: 1. CEOs and mayors make great presidents; 2. Increasing domestic oil drilling will immediately lower gas prices and somehow be the magical cure to both our national security interests and our economic stagnation.

“So, do you want to put your country first?,” asked former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele. “Then let’s reduce our dependency on foreign sources of oil and promote oil and gas production at home. In other words: Drill, baby, drill! And drill now!,” he said.

Mitt Romney chimed in on the the major themes of the night, as well. In a little call-and-response game he asked delegates, “Is a Congress liberal or conservative that stops nuclear power plants and off-shore drilling, making us more and more dependent on Middle East tyrants? — It’s liberal!” He then went on to add a final curiously formulated jab at former Vice-President Al Gore “one more recommendation for energy conservation — let’s keep Al Gore’s private jet on the ground!” (Read the rest at Red, Green, and Blue).