Republican National Convention

It started as a hotel tryst during the Republican National Convention.

But as the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports, it ended with Colorado GOP delegate Gabriel Schwartz being drugged and waking up to find at least $50,000 worth of money, jewelry and other items had been stolen.

The theft occurred on Sept. 4, after Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin delivered her vice presidential acceptance speech.

MINNEAPOLIS--U.S. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave got an early tip that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin would be named John McCain's running mate -- even if she didn't realize it at the time.

During Musgrave's five-day visit to Alaska last month to tour the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the Fort Morgan Republican was scheduled to have dinner with Palin just a few days before Palin was announced as McCain's vice presidential pick.

"And oddly enough she canceled on us," Musgrave told Colorado delegates to the Republican National Convention Thursday morning. "So you know, now I know what she was doing, I should've seen it coming.

"Obviously, she had gotten a way better offer," Musgrave said to laughter.

Former Bush advisor Karl Rove: Getty Images PhotoMINNEAPOLIS--Along with Ohio and Virginia, Colorado will be the state to watch for the U.S. presidential election this November, said former Bush administration official and GOP strategist Karl Rove on Wednesday.

“I’m sorry to tell you you’re going to see an unending supply of television ads, and people are going to be knocking on your doors and ringing your phones,” Rove told the Colorado delegation to the Republican National Convention over breakfast at the Four Points by Sheraton Minneapolis Hotel.

MINNEAPOLIS--Barack Obama will find it hard to win the rural voters he needs to capture Colorado's nine electoral votes this November, former Bush Administration official Karl Rove told reporters Wednesday morning.

Speaking outside the Republican National Convention Colorado delegation breakfast at the Four Points by Sheraton Minneapolis Hotel, Rove said Colorado was "changing in a way that (John McCain) has the ability to win" the state.

"If you're a Democrat, you've got to do two things in Colorado. You've got to run really well in the rural part of the state - not win it, but eat at the Republican margins out on the plains and out on the Western Slope," Rove said. "And you've got to do well among suburban independents and suburban soft Republicans in Arapahoe, Jefferson, the conservative Republican suburbs of Denver."

MINNEAPOLIS--The Republican National Convention has a shortened schedule Monday as Hurricane Gustav slams into Louisiana, and Colorado Republican Party Chair Dick Wadhams has no problem with that.

"I think it's appropriate. And I think we should continue to play this situation by ear," Wadhams said to PolitickerCO.com Monday morning. "Senator McCain has done the right thing in asking the convention to basically confine itself to official business right now. And we'll see how things go."

RNC officials have shortened Monday's convention schedule, canceling many speeches and conducting convention business only from 2:30 p.m. until 5 p.m.

Details about cancellations on Tuesday and beyond have not yet been announced as of Monday afternoon.

U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Denver) told CNN Friday that he didn't think Sarah Palin would help the Republican ticket pick up Hillary Clinton supporters.

"What's going to happen here is that desire to change that Hillary Clinton has helped bring about will ultimately lead to [an Obama]-Biden win in November. I don't think it changes the dynamics," Salazar said to CNN.