Maybe if the broadcast networks had announced that they would televise Ann Romney's speech on Monday this would have been a harder call, but officials with the Republican National Convention have announced that for the second consecutive time, they are canceling the first day of their convention because of the threat of a hurricane — in this case, Tropical Storm Isaac, which seems about to hit Florida.
In a statement, RNC Chair Reince Priebus said, “Due to the severe weather reports for the Tampa Bay area, the Republican National Convention will convene on Monday August 27th and immediately recess until Tuesday afternoon, August 28th. After consulting with Governor Scott, NOAA and local emergency management officials, we are optimistic that we will begin an exciting, robust convention that will nominate the Romney-Ryan ticket.”
Republican National Convention President and CEO Bill Harris said in the same press release, “Our chief priority is the safety of the residents of Florida, of those visiting the Convention, and all those in Gulf Coast states who may be impacted by Tropical Storm Isaac. We have been working closely with the campaign, the party, and state and local officials for months to ensure a successful, enjoyable convention. Federal, state and local officials assure us that they are prepared to respond, if needed, and the scheduling changes we are announcing today will help ensure the continued safety of all participants — our foremost concern. We are also committed to keeping the delegates and guests of the convention well informed about the situation, and we will continue providing updates in the hours and days ahead.”
It takes only one day to officially nominate the Mitt Romney-Paul Ryan ticket, so the fact that the convention's programming will now take place in only three days instead of four is not that huge of a deal. The Democrats in Charlotte cancelled the first day of their convention (which was to take place on Labor Day) months ago.
RNC officials issued an initial press release calling for a 6:45 p.m. conference call prompting rumors that they would cancel the first day of the convention. That call has yet to take place as of 6:57 p.m. But a second press release included the statements of Priebus and Harris. We'll update if those officials do ultimately hold that conference call.
