Political Humor Only Please

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But I do remember. I was one of them. One of many.

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Mitt Romney! God hates you!

Republican National Convention reworking schedule because of Tropical Storm Isaac

Sunday, August 26, 11:55 AMThe Washington Post TAMPA— With this city under a tropical storm watch, organizers of the Republican National Convention were set to go forward with an opening night party Sunday while working on packing four days of planned events into three.

Convention goers — some 50,000 are set to attend — woke up to clear skies and the headline “Isaac Intrudes” in the local paper Sunday morning, but the brunt of the storm is likely to hit the Gulf Coast and the Florida Keys, bringing heavy rains, winds and possibly tornadoes to Tampa, according to forecasters.

Emergency management officials had plans in place to evacuate the city, which is prone to flooding. Heavy rains could bring three to five feet of water. An opening party set for 5 p.m at Tropicana Field will go forward, as much of the severe weather isn’t expected until early Monday morning. But a Sunday night performance of Lynyrd Skynyrd at the American Action Network Pavilion at Liberty Plaza has been canceled because of concerns about the weather. Convention events were slated to resume Tuesday.

“We are 100 percent full steam ahead on Tuesday,” Republican National Committee Chairman ­Reince Priebus said Sunday morning on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) said the state was prepared for the storm — and the convention. “We’re a state that knows how to do hurricanes. We don’t like them, but we know how to do them,” Scott said on “State of the Union.” “We do hurricanes well and we do hospitality well, and this week we’ve got to show both sides.”

Democrats, who had planned a strong counteroffense, have scrapped some of their plans, too, including a Sunday afternoon press conference with the Democratic National Committee chairwoman and local officials. Vice President Biden also postponed plans to campaign in Florida on Monday and Tuesday.

In 2008, Republicans had to cancel a day of events in St. Paul as Hurricane Gustav headed toward landfall in the Gulf, and with Republicans scrambling in the days before Mitt Romney is set to officially become his party’s nominee, scrutiny has fallen on the selection committee and former RNC chairman Michael Steele for picking Florida, a state prone to severe weather.

The 12-member committee scouted several cities, including Phoenix and Salt Lake City, but ultimately decided on Tampa because it was the most prepared to handle a convention, which costs some $40 million to host.

Cindy Costa, a South Carolina delegate who was on the selection committee, said that the other cities seemed equivocal during the selection process, and that Florida got the nod in the end on a unanimous vote.

“Everybody was thrilled obviously,” Costa said. “But in the back of your mind you know [severe weather is] a possibility. It’s just one of those imponderable things that you can’t know.”

Even with most severe weather headed elsewhere, convention planners are mindful of the schedule and the specter of holding a big event when another region of the country is dealing with an emergency situation.

Monday’s theme was to be “We Can Do Better,” highlighting the country’s rising debt and lingering joblessness. Scheduled speakers included House Speaker John A. Boehner (Ohio), former Florida governor Jeb Bush, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.). The roll-call vote that would make Romney’s nomination official, which was planned for Monday night, will now occur Tuesday.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ ... story.html

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