My wife and arrived in Decatur for the Republican State Convention later than we intended—about 6:30 Friday night.

You know, I actually went thinking I might be able to vote like you see in national conventions.

But, none of the decisions made in committee before we arrived were overturned in what passed for democracy on the floor of the convention.

I would characterize the convention as “an administered one.”

It was pretty tightly controlled, in other words. Delegates couldn’t even bring in signs that were not pre-approved.

Since the decision-making process was over before we arrived, I decided to play photo bug.

Here’s what I found.

Bruno Behrend, who is a talk show host on Waukegan’s WKRS, promoting a constitutional convention. Although I think the chances of conservatives controlling a constitutional convention in a state where the legislature, all statewide elected officials and the supreme court are all controlled by Democrats is zero, I brought a bumper sticker home. I shall be happy to give to anyone for whom hope springs eternal.

Stu Umholtz, the Tazewell County State’s Attorney, the only one with guts enough to run against incumbent Democrat Lisa Madigan for Attorney General in 2006. Note the sign next to Umholtz, produced by the state central committee. It says,

My wife said it should say,

In the hotel registration area, we bumped into Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica, who is running for Cook County State’s Attorney, along with Lemont Township Supervisor Steven Rosendahl.

We decided to go over to State Senator Kirk Dillard’s reception at the mansion of Lincoln intimate Richard Oglesby.

State Senator Dan Rutherford was in what looked like the dining room. You can see him hugging a fellow delegate.

More notables tomorrow.