LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Hurricane Isaac had originally caused the GOP to cancel the first day of the convention. Mitt Romney's strategists were given time to weigh each moment, since scenes from the convention would play alongside images of the hurricane on the evening news. The campaign instead stuck with a familiar script Tuesday night, with an endorsement from Romney's family and a blistering attack on the opposing side and its standard-bearer.

The hour of prime time carried by the national broadcast networks, featured two of the party's leading luminaries, Romney's devoted wife alongside New Jersey's pugnacious governor.

Ann Romney spoke first of her family's love and struggle.  She endorsed her husband's Mitt the personal warmth, which proved elusive in his two tries at the White House. Occasionally stumbling over her words, her tribute was well received inside the arena.

Romney offered scenes of simple domesticity and times of personal hardship to offset the popular image of Romney's wealth and affluence.

"We got married and moved into a basement apartment. We walked to class together, shared the housekeeping, and ate a lot of pasta and tuna fish," she said. "Our desk was a door propped up on sawhorses. Our dining room table was a fold-down ironing board in the kitchen. Those were very special days."

Christie, in stark contrast, painted the Democratic Party as cowardly and self-aggrandizing, too weak to face the country's problems and too consumed with their own political well-being in order to make the hard choices needed.

"Here's their plan," Christie said. "Whistle a happy tune while driving us off the fiscal cliff, as long as they are behind the wheel of power when we fall."

Obama's name was only mentioned once - "real leaders don't follow polls. Real leaders change polls." Christie left no doubt that under the current administration the country has shifted from its ideals and squandered its inherent promise.

To some, Ann Romney, was a classic example of a spouse-as-character-witness, a stock part of the modern national political convention.

Christie's critique of Obama excited those inside the hall but seemed well-reasoned and convincing to the less partisan audience watching at home.

Republicans responded well to Christie's performance. Democrats said that Christie maintained a tone that, although pointed, was never disrespectful.

© 2012, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.