As members and guests of Hie West Virginia University College Republicans walked into Damon's Bar and drill Thursday night, they were greeted by the cool grin of John McCain.
The College Republicans gathered that evening to celebrate McCain's nomination acceptance and his keynote speech at the end of the night.
About 40 members of the campus organization made an appearance.
College Republican president Chris Wallers reserved the restaurant's party room specifically for the event. The room was awash with parly signs, donated by a local republican.
The restaurant's projector showed Fox News' live coverage of the 2008 Republican National Convention, while Walters introduced a number of state and local politicians, including Jay Wolfe, the
Republican rival of Sen. Jay Rockefeller Wolfe came within 12 percentage points of beating Sen. Rockefeller in the last election.
He spoke about Sarah Palin's electrifying effect on republicans across the country and how it would continue to motivate his fellow party members throughout the rest of the political season -in addition to outlining his career plans.
During his speech, he questioned Sen. Rockeller's real name.
"Does anyone know Rockefeller's real name?" Wolfe said.
"Moneybags," an attendee shouted.
Former West Virginia House of Delegates member Cindy Frich delivered a speech about her works and goals for her career's future -as well as her party's future in the state.
Katie Niland, sophomore, and state chair of the West Virginia College Republicans, said she was still reeling from Gov. Palin's speech the night prior.
"Sarah's speech was so energizing. It was awesome." Niland said. She then went on to praise Sen. McCain's speech.
The audience of republicans was boisterous at limes, especially when the crowd in Minneapolis exploded with cheers, chants and boos - then silence when surrogates or McCain would recall a hard line of his biography.
McCain's speech was not only played in the private room but also from speakers in the bathroom, outside the restaurant and on nearly all the restaurants myriad TVs."
During Cindy McCain's speech, chants of "USA, USA, USA" were belted out by Republican National Committee delegates in Minnesota and in the restaurant, often at inappropriate times.
"Whenever there's a protester, they tell them to chant 'USA'. It drowns them (protestors) out," Walters said.