Republican National Convention 2008

[Frankie's Market]

In the interest of bringing fairness and balance to HT, I have taken the initiative of starting this thread about the upcoming RNC this week at St. Paul, Minnesota.

Of course, this week starts off with much uncertainty, due to Hurricane Gustav. And while I don't want to make light of this situation (as of this writing, now a category 3 hurricane), I couldn't help but note the irony of the RNC being impacted by weather conditions. Recall that the Fundamentalist group, Focus On The Family, made some controversy a couple of weeks ago by encouraging its members to pray for rain to ruin Barack Obama's DNC speech at Denver's outdoor Invesco Stadium. As it turned out, the weather couldn't have been more cooperative to the Dems as Obama delivered his historic speech.

But while God ignored FOTF's prayers for the DNC to be rained upon, it looks like Mother Nature is going to play some havoc with the GOP's plans.

Already, the Republican governors from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida have cancelled their earlier plans to attend the convention. And just this morning, the White House announced that both President Bush and VP Cheney will also be no-shows. McCain and Palin? No announcements yet. Supposedly, they will play it by ear, based on what transpires in Gustav's wake.

Tomorrow, the GOP convention will commence. But it will be a low-key affair. It will be mostly attending to party business and procedural matters, with little in the way of political hoopla and rhetoric. And the following 3 days at the Xcel Energy Center? Everything seems to be up in the air at this point.

[matapule]

Recall that the Fundamentalist group, Focus On The Family, made some controversy a couple of weeks ago by encouraging its members to pray for rain to ruin Barack Obama's DNC speech at Denver's outdoor Invesco Stadium.

This is ironic, but I just heard a replay of that FOTF suggestion to pray for rain at the DNC on the Internet.

This weather situation has presented the GOP with an opportunity to gain HUGE political advantage. There is a silver lining in every cloud. They could say, we are cancelling the convention this year. McCain and Palin are our nominees. We are asking all delegates to donate their time for disaster relief. We, the GOP, are donating the money we would have spent on the convention, to disaster relief. Now that makes a statement!

Doesn't FOTF get it? God is not on their side. Duh! But maybe he is if the Republicans prove worthy.

[tutusue]

In the interest of bringing fairness and balance to HT, [...]

Oh, that's no fun at all. Fairness? Balance? HT? Carry on...

[Frankie's Market]

This weather situation has presented the GOP with an opportunity to gain HUGE political advantage. There is a silver lining in every cloud. They could say, we are cancelling the convention this year. McCain and Palin are our nominees. We are asking all delegates to donate their time for disaster relief. We, the GOP, are donating the money we would have spent on the convention, to disaster relief. Now that makes a statement!

I don't know if Gustav and an abbreviated GOP convention will play out to anybody's advantage, at this point. I will say this, though. I don't think it would be a wise move for either the Republicans or the Democrats to use Gustav for political gain. Providing relief and assistance for the hurricane victims should definitely not be a partisan affair.

As McCain slogan says, "Country First." And if his campaign wants to live up to that ideal, then everyone on both sides of the aisle needs to set aside their political differences and to work together to deal with what could be a very bad natural disaster.

[Kalihiboy]

Here's Sarah Heath (now Palin) doing the sports in Anchorage 20 years ago:

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/bal...urn=nba,104578

She looks great then and now, hardly aged one bit!

Aj

[matapule]

Here is an interesting statistic. I haven't verified its accuracy.

1 out of 3 Vice Presidents has assumed the Presidency through assassination, death by natural causes, or resignation.

YIKES!

[Leo Lakio]

1 out of 3 Vice Presidents has assumed the Presidency through assassination, death by natural causes, or resignation.

There are nine Vice Presidents who assumed the Presidency due to presidential death or resignation:
John Tyler
Millard Fillmore
Andrew Johnson
Chester Arthur
Theodore Roosevelt
Calvin Coolidge
Harry Truman
Lyndon Johnson
Gerald Ford

That's about one in five, around 21%.

[matapule]

Thanks LL, I should have checked my information first before posting.

[Random]

Here is an interesting statistic. I haven't verified its accuracy.

1 out of 3 Vice Presidents has assumed the Presidency through assassination, death by natural causes, or resignation.

YIKES!

Better hope that Obama remains healthy.

[Random]

Tomorrow, the GOP convention will commence. But it will be a low-key affair. It will be mostly attending to party business and procedural matters, with little in the way of political hoopla and rhetoric. And the following 3 days at the Xcel Energy Center? Everything seems to be up in the air at this point.

Perhaps they should postpone it? Unless the Xcel Energy Center already have scheduled engagement after the RNC.

[TuNnL]

They could say, we are cancelling the convention this year. McCain and Palin are our nominees. We are asking all delegates to donate their time for disaster relief.

Whatever the case, I don’t know that McCain and his partner are that disappointed to lose Monday’s lineup. As the Associated Press reports, a night without Bush and Cheney in the spotlight may not be such a bad idea for the RNC.

[timkona]

First and foremost, and with all criticism's duly noted, and acknowledged....

Sarah Palin is holy moly, smokin' red hot........(wolf whistles loudly).

Hillary must be fumin' like Snow White's stepmother.

[Random]

First and foremost, and with all criticism's duly noted, and acknowledged....

Sarah Palin is holy moly, smokin' red hot........(wolf whistles loudly).

Hillary must be fumin' like Snow White's stepmother.

Why? Slick Willy checkin' Palin out? I thought he likes young interns.

[Menehune Man]

OMG!
This is too funny.
The Ideological opposite of Hillary to try and get "those" votes. HaHa!
Talk about livin' on the edge, picking Palin as VP.
Let's see how this turns out...

[Frankie's Market]

Whatever the case, I don’t know that McCain and his partner are that disappointed to lose Monday’s lineup. As the Associated Press reports, a night without Bush and Cheney in the spotlight may not be such a bad idea for the RNC.

Interestingly, CNN Republican strategist Alex Castellanos said the same thing. And he's probably right.

Be that as it may, the GOP should find a later occasion and venue in which to rally and energize their rank-and-file. The problem is,... this is not the week to carry out such a mission. The nation will not be in the mood for party politics and hoopla as it recovers from Gustav.

[Leo Lakio]

Sarah Palin is holy moly, smokin' red hot........(wolf whistles loudly).

Someone's Coors Light has gone skunky...

[Random]

Someone's Coors Light has gone skunky...

Well, she is hot for a cougar.

It's not like they're going to hire a kitty for such a high job position, unless you're backing Paris Hilton.

[Leo Lakio]

Well, she is hot for a cougar.

Husband Todd is around the same age (they were high-school sweethearts), so she isn't technically a "cougar."

[Ninja]

No she's a MIL....


Meow

[Leo Lakio]

No she's a MIL....

To me, she's a PILI - a "Politician I'd Like to Ignore."

[Random]

To me, she's a PILI - a "Politician I'd Like to Ignore."

Really? I thought it is "Playmate I'd Like to Inter[censored]"

[Leo Lakio]

Timkona was so quick to point out a perceived "rift" in the Democratic Party, in the thread on their convention; yet he's amazingly quiet in this thread - Tim, your supposed independence as a RepubliCrat is shaky. What about the "rift" in the Republican Party, as exemplified by the huge number of state-level GOP politicos who are staying home this week (for the sake of their own campaigning, nothing to do with hurricanes)?

[timkona]

Hey Leo, I been way busy this weekend. I'm vettin Palin myself right now. Far as I can see, it's a terrible choice.....near as bad as Mitt Romney would have been.

I will have a full comment soon enough.

[Ron Whitfield]

www.stopsarahpalin.com

And this, coming from a sucker for girls w/glasses

[Leo Lakio]

Hey Leo, I been way busy this weekend. I'm vettin Palin myself right now. Far as I can see, it's a terrible choice.....near as bad as Mitt Romney would have been.

I will have a full comment soon enough.

Gotcha - a good holiday weekend, I hope. Looking forward to your views. (No, really! I am! Why is everyone laughing?)