This article was written by Ari Kagan who was in Minnesota to cover the Republican National Convention under a project sponsored by Feet in Two Worlds and the New York Community Media Alliance

Tatiana Sorokko is a beautiful former model, tall, and an all-about-business person. An energetic, self-confident and proud young woman, she is a contributing editor for Harper’s Bazaar and a former freelance reporter in Moscow for the Russian edition of Vogue magazine. Her husband Serge Sorokko works as a real estate developer in San Francisco. During his 30 years in America he has admired Republicans, especially President Ronald Reagan.

Tatiana and Serge came to St. Paul, MN for the Republican National Convention. But they were not regular delegates. They proudly flashed their VIP credentials as “McCain 100 Team” members: the Sorokkos say they raised about $100,000 for the presidential campaign of the senator from Arizona.

I met this interesting couple from California inside the Xcel Energy Center, where the Republican National Convention was being held (I overheard their conversation in Russian). “We believe in tax cuts, strong leaders like John McCain and Sarah Palin, and staying on the offensive against terrorists. That is why we are hard core Republicans,” said Serge.

Tatiana offered some comments on so-called political fashion. “Michelle Obama made the same mistake as Teresa Kerry four years ago. Michelle wore a light blue dress that was totally similar to the color of the background video of blue sky. Teresa wore a red suit that reminded everybody of ketchup (the sauce that made her family fortune). Both of them did not understand fashion and the importance of good taste for public figures.”

Tatiana introduced me to her longtime friend Georgette Mosbacher who is a chairwoman of the New York-based organization Women for McCain. “Look at her,” said the Russian writer for the popular fashion magazine, “she is gorgeous and hot, she just gave a 30 minute interview to Fox and Friends, and she really knows how to dress, so everybody gets excited about her candidate. Not like those clumsy Democratic wives.”

Georgette Mosbacher (left) with Serge and Tatiana Sorokko at the Republican National Convention

Ari Kagan is Senior Editor for Vecherniy New York, a Russian-language newspaper, and host of the weekly TV show “Here in America” on RTN – the Russian Television Network of America.