BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- Seeing hundreds of people in purple Service Employees International Union T-Shirts on Monday morning passing out signs supporting Democratic presidential nomiee Barack Obama (D-Ill.) was a Democratic Convention déjà vu. It certainly seemed out of place at the La Quinta Inn, which was home to Oregon and Iowa's delegations for the Republican National Convention.

But as Oregon's Republican delegates met to prepare to officially nominate presidential candidate John McCain (R-Ariz), the SEIU, with more than 2 million members worldwide, was preparing a left-leaning Labor Day picnic on Harriet Island outside of St. Paul.

"We believe in freedom of speech, so I'm sure our Republican co-guests at the hotel will be tolerant of us," said United Healthcare Workers member Jim Clifford, who was in town to attend the picnic.

Clifford, a San Diego resident and Minnesota native, was surprised by the Republicans' choice of Minneapolis for their convention, saying that the city tends to be more progressive. He also said that while the first day of the Republican National Convention coincides with a national holiday, the union members were not holding that against Republican organizers.

"I don't know how much choice was involved in starting on Labor Day, I guess usually conventions follow each other," Clifford said. "But what I think is really interesting is cutting back the events they were supposed to have today. I think it's wise."