BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- Peter Torkildsen, the chairman of the Massachusetts GOP, said the schedule switch on the first day of the convention went well and that he's looking forward to hearing U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman, a former Democrat, speak Tuesday night.

With Hurricane Gustav bearing down on the Gulf Coast, the Republican National Committee shortened the schedule of the convention Monday. Instead of the usual slate primetime speakers, the delegations congregated in the Xcel Center Monday afternoon and First Lady Laura Bush and Cindy McCain addressed convention.

Torkildsen said Bush's speech was "thoughtful and compassionate," he said, and "appropriate given the tenor of the day."

The chairman also said he enjoyed hearing the governors of the states in Gustav's path, Haley Barbour of Mississippi, Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, Charlie Crist of Florida and Bob Riley of Alabama.

U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, an independent former Democrat and staunch supporter of presumptive GOP nominee John McCain, will be the main draw Tuesday night, Torkildsen said.

"I am very much looking forward to Joe Lieberman's speech," he said.

Torkilsden noted that it isn't every convention that Republicans get to hear from former Northeastern Democrat and said that Lieberman shares similar values to McCain.

"John McCain has shown a lot of courage over the years," Torkildsen said, "and so has Joe Lieberman."