Some random observations from this afternoon at the Ron Paul counter-convention:

The Target Center is between a third and a half full. One of the volunteers asked another if any more tickets were needed because she still had 15 left. The guy with her smirked and slowly shook his head no.

Grover Norquist (pictured) gave a speech which he crystallized his position as “Taxes bad. Guns good.”

Fox News in general and Sean Hannity in particular are subjected to enormous boos and catcalls whenever they appear on the screen during the various Ron Paul bio bits and campaign highlights that occur between speakers.

President George W. Bush is also getting royally roasted. Author Lew Rockwell, who used to be Paul’s chief of staff, said of Bush, “He hasn’t done a single decent thing for the country,” that he “tricked the people into voting for him twice.” As for the price of gas, Rockwell thundered, in reference to Bush, “your wars, your regulation, your failure to open up the market to anyone but your cronies have resulted in the quadrupling of energy prices.”