In 264 days one of the biggest events in the city of Tampa's history will take place.
That's when the 2012 Republican National Convention will convene, and on Tuesday afternoon officials with the Republican National Committee hosted hundreds of local and national broadcasters and print reporters for the relevant information that news organizations will need to cover the four-day event.
"It's GREAT to be here in Tampa," RNC Chair Reince Priebus shouted to begin the first part of the session inside the St. Pete Times Forum. "We're on the very floor where the next President of the United States will be nominated! Are you with me?"
A handful of members of the Committee on Arrangement cheered on Priebus, while the majority of the floor sat by in stony silence.
Priebus main job these days is to be the main attack dog against Barack Obama, a job he fulfilled with relish on Meet The Press on Sunday. But in Tampa, he transitioned into being top cheerleader for the effort to make next August's nominating convention a smooth, sleek machine.
But he just couldn't help himself.
This article appears in Dec 1-7, 2011.