Paul Plans His Own Convention

John McCain won’t be the only GOP candidate throwing himself a party in Minnesota the first week of September—libertarian-leaning Ron Paul will host a mini-convention of his own in Minneapolis. Paul's gathering will take place on the second day of the Republican convention, just a few exits down I-94. He hopes his 11,000-strong meeting will “send a message” to the GOP, a rep told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

The candidate shocked watchers by raising $35 million for his campaign. He won 35 delegates to that other convention but was not invited to speak because, his campaign says, he will not endorse McCain. “There is a growing surge of people out there just craving” a return to “limited government that places personal liberty first," said Paul's spokesman. (More Ron Paul stories.)