Scaling back the Republican Convention

[Grandpa Shooter]

Just read where McCain has ordered the convention scaled back due to Gustav.   Really smart move on his part.  I haven't liked much of what I have seen John do for a long time now, so picking Palin and paying attention to domestic issues is the smartest things he could do, in my biased opinion.

[longeyes]

Two days is plenty.  These events are excuses to get on the road, schmooze, party, and...oh never mind.

[MechAg94]

Given that some out there already look at Republicans as rich fat cats that don't care about the common man, having a big convention party while a hurricane hits wouldn't look very good at all.

[Standing Wolf]

Two days is plenty.

Actually 25 minutes ought to do the trick.

[thebaldguy]

I would prefer a scaled back convention here in St. Paul/Minneapolis. Then we can have our cities back sooner, and the protesters can all go home.

[Antibubba]

I expect we're going to see a lot of coverage, from the Convention, of Republicans In Action.  Jindal isn't coming, but I predict a lot of footage of him doing State of Emergency stuff.  There will be stories about Convention resources instead being donated to emergency shelters.  Done right, it'll make the DNC look excessive and frivolous--to everyone, not just us. 

[RocketMan]

There will be stories about Convention resources instead being donated to emergency shelters.  Done right, it'll make the DNC look excessive and frivolous--to everyone, not just us. 

I just don't see the Republican leadership, the leadership of my party, doing that.  The pomp and circumstance matter more to them.  It's unfortunate.

[Antibubba]

Wait, wait...

[eflatminor]

I'd like to see them cancel the convention, not because of the storm, but for financial reasons mostly.  Wouldn't it be refreshing for a political party to say that they've already chosen their candidate, there's no need for the convention, so why waste the taxpayer's money, their member's donations, and time.  Time that could be used to, oh, I don't know, WORK!

[wmenorr67]

I'd like to see them cancel the convention, not because of the storm, but for financial reasons mostly.  Wouldn't it be refreshing for a political party to say that they've already chosen their candidate, there's no need for the convention, so why waste the taxpayer's money, their member's donations, and time.  Time that could be used to, oh, I don't know, WORK!

The problem is a lot of that money has already been spent.

[Antibubba]

Conventions bring in money, ans reward the faithful.

[MechAg94]

There are also lots of meetings, work shops, small group speaking engagements, party platform votes, and all sorts of other stuff that takes place behind the scenes.  A lot of that will go on even if they scale back the prime time stuff. 

[longeyes]

Two days of clear competence in handling Gustav is worth a lot more than two days of boring and predictable speeches.

[Manedwolf]

Two days of clear competence in handling Gustav is worth a lot more than two days of boring and predictable speeches.

Jindal is being incredibly competent. Even when he reads off what's going on to the media, he sounds like he understands every bit of it and is completely in command.

[longeyes]

Words can be inspiring, actions more so.  McCain is acting Presidential; that will sink in.  Great speeches aren't his thing anyway, and no one is going to elect him for his oratory.

[xavier fremboe]

Tori Clarke on talk radio this morning also said what was the first thing that I thought when I heard that they were canceling day 1.  It serves to further disconnect McCain/Palin from Bush/Cheney, and in such is not a bad thing.  Yes, 70+% of the delegates at the convention have favorable opinions of GWB, but the fact is that his ratings among the general populace is in the gutter, and will likely remain so.  Appearing at disaster HQ will help with the (R) brand and help McCain.

Hopefully he has energized the base enough with the Palin pick, but he still needs the swings.  Disconnecting from Bush might not be such a bad thing.  Hate to be cynical about Gustav, but you have to admit that someone in DC and the McCain campaign might have been thinking the same thing.

[agricola]

Tori Clarke on talk radio this morning also said what was the first thing that I thought when I heard that they were canceling day 1.  It serves to further disconnect McCain/Palin from Bush/Cheney, and in such is not a bad thing.  Yes, 70+% of the delegates at the convention have favorable opinions of GWB, but the fact is that his ratings among the general populace is in the gutter, and will likely remain so.  Appearing at disaster HQ will help with the (R) brand and help McCain.

Hopefully he has energized the base enough with the Palin pick, but he still needs the swings.  Disconnecting from Bush might not be such a bad thing.  Hate to be cynical about Gustav, but you have to admit that someone in DC and the McCain campaign might have been thinking the same thing.

Indeed, I was thinking much the same thing earlier today - the pretty much unanimous opinion amongst the media over this side of the pond is that Gustav is reminding people of "Bush's failure" over Katrina and the US public will end up blaming the Republicans as a result... as if Ray Nagin wasnt a Democratic mayor then, and isnt a Democratic mayor now. 

McCain needs to wait until Gustav is over, then point to how Jindal, allied to bitter-won experience, is the difference between Katrina and Gustav. 

[Dannyboy]

The only bad thing about the convention being postponed/canceled is that I was looking forward to hearing what Fred Thompson had to say tonight.

[xavier fremboe]

The only bad thing about the convention being postponed/canceled is that I was looking forward to hearing what Fred Thompson had to say tonight.

They should just run video of Fred in full glare for about 15 seconds.  America will know what he means.

[Matthew Carberry]

I think I saw Fred wll speak tonight.