RNC Opening Day Distractions

Convention Officials and Participants Looking for a Re-start

While Republican National Convention officials certainly have no control of the weather they definitely made the right call in suspending much of the opening day’s activities yesterday due to hurricane Gustav. What was originally planned as a seven hour day of RNC business set to include appearances by Sen. Joseph Lieberman, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Vice President Dick Cheney, and President Bush, was curtailed to 2.5 hours of only “essential business.” Throwing out the script sent the committee on arrangements (COA) scrambling.

First lady Laura Bush arrived at the podium at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul to a full crowd who for the first few minutes refused to stop cheering as she tried to begin her remarks.

“Our first priority for today is to ensure the safety and well-being of those living in the Gulf Coast region. And to all of those living in the Gulf States, please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you. The effect of Hurricane Gustav is just now being measured. When such events occur, we are reminded that first, we are all Americans – and that our shared American ideals will always transcend political parties and partisanship.” –- Laura Bush, excerpt from 2008 RNC.

Laura Bush introduced the four coastal and republican governors including, Charlie Crist, Governor of Florida; Haley Barbour, Governor of Mississippi; Rick Perry, Governor of Texas; and Bob Riley, Governor of Alabama who spoke to the convention-goers via TV broadcast. They expressed thanks for thoughts, prayers, support, and spoke of the storms not as Republicans or Democrats but as Americans (video available).

Returning to the stage Mrs. Bush was joined by Cindy McCain who shared John McCain’s message “this is a time when we take off our Republican hats, and we put on our American hats.” She urged everyone to go to a website http://www.causegreater.com/ that will allow all of us to aide those who have been effect by hurricane Gustav. She also called for all Americans to work together.

Interestingly, it is now widely thought that the storm will keep George W. Bush from attending the Republican National Convention at all. President Bush’s not attending maybe seen as a positive by even some conservatives considering his abysmal 30% approval rating and Republican’s need to establish its presidential nominee as not “four more years of the same,” as was the theme established last week at the DNC in Denver, CO.

As the RNC moves towards an unofficial restart “all eyes are on Minnesota.” Eager to get the ‘bounce’ in the polls that Senator Barack Obama and the Democrats received last week but conscious of the politics of the storm, the Republicans have every interest in a re-start.

Two candidates with the most to gain besides John McCain are Vice Presidential Nominee Sarah Palin and Minnesota’s own Norm Coleman.

First, Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska was the surprise pick of Senator John McCain last week. A relatively unknown she is in a position to ‘introduce herself to America’ at this convention. A fiscal and social conservative, Palin is pro-life, choosing to give birth to a child that she knew would have down-syndrome. She is seen as someone who can passify the conservative base while re-injecting a female into the political dynamics of the unfolding race for the white house. Immediately clear was that there is some risk in picking Palin, she immediately was attacked by Democrats as inexperienced and has the effect of reducing the McCain ticket’s ability to level the same charge at Obama. However, she does have a wider appeal as a women, working mother, and politician. She may be seen “as any woman you might know,” potentially splitting the woman vote. Additionally, with her pro-life stance she is widely expected to split the Catholic vote as well, an important constituency. Recently, it has emerged that Palin’s 17 year-old daughter is pregnant but apparently the father will take responsibility and the two will be engaged. The spin has begun on both sides but what remains unclear is what most American’s will think of the situation. NBC’s today show reported that John McCain was aware of the pregnancy prior to his decision to select Palin.

Finally, the local race for U.S. Senate right here in Minnesota. Of course, Minnesota is not seen as a battle ground state, it has a history of supporting Democratic presidents. So the 10 electoral votes are not really considered ‘up for grabs,’ a fact that may have factored into Senator McCain’s decision not to pick current Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty, who enjoys a 55% approval rating as recently as last week. But a battle for a U.S. Senate Seat rages on right here. Norm Coleman, the Republican former mayor of St. Paul, who brought the NHL back and improved the economic vitality of St. Paul, is being challenged by satirist, comedian, writer, but political newcomer Al Franken. Capitalizing on the Democratic spirit of Minnesota and the message of ‘change’ Franken is on the offensive and running attack ads trying to pigeon hole Norm Coleman as a Bush lap dog. Franken has also been excusing Norm Coleman of answering to the interests of ‘big oil’ and ‘big pharmaceuticals.’ Speaking of finances the most recent reports show that Franken barely out fundraised Coleman from July 1 to August 20th $1.4 to $1.27 million, but Coleman has the advantage with cash on hand at $5.6 to only $2.7 million. Word from the Coleman campaign is that the DNC is preparing to spend $6.4 million against Norm Coleman in the last two months between the end of the RNC and Election Day. For that reason “all eyes will be on Minnesota” through November!

What remains to be seen in St. Paul the rest of the week in St. Paul? Republicans are in a position to still get everything done but now on a more compressed schedule, one political observer’s guess is that the remaining three days of RNC will be action packed, star-studded, full of political heavyweights, all in a ‘shorter time table,’ pun intended.

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Less than Gracious In Face of the Storm

Two politicos who were less than gracious with their remarks were Donald Fowler, former national chairman of the DNC between 1995 and 1997, and in a separate instance filmmaker Michael Moore.

First, Donald Fowler was caught on video joking with Rep. John Spratt (D-SC-5th), a 12 term incumbent, about the coincidence of hurricane Gustav striking land on the opening day of the RNC. “ The timing, at least it appears now, that it’ll be there Monday. That just demonstrates God’s on our side,” Fowler said while laughing (video). Interestingly, Rep. John Spratt (D-SC-5th) was already on the Republican “targeted list” prior to participating in the gaffe. President Bush carried South Carolina’s 5th district with 57 percent in 2004. South Carolina is listed as ‘strong McCain’ and the Republican Party believes demographic trends and conservative temperaments leave the 5th district vulnerable and points to a plausible chance for victory. You can bet that after the gaffe, Republicans in the 5th ‘smell blood in the water.’ The challenger is Albert F. Spencer.

Second, filmmaker, liberal political commentator, and consummate critic of George W. Bush, appeared on MSNBC’s Countdown with Keith Olbermann and stated, “I was just thinking, this Gustav is proof that there is a God in heaven. (video)”