As we’ve been seeing, a national political convention is so much more than security concerns, speeches, personalities, a platform and a pep-rally vehicle. It’s also what happens behind the scenes or in parallel scenes.
* It didn’t rival Tropical Storm Isaac for newsworthiness, but the decision by the Republican Party’s Convention Rules Committee regarding primary/caucus schedules was certainly noteworthy. It upped the ante on the stare-down with renegade states such as Florida. It passed stricter penalties for those that ignore the party’s preplanned schedule that gives head-of-the-line priority to Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada. This year, of course, Florida moved up its primary to Jan. 31 and consequently saw its convention delegation slashed from 99 to 50. In addition, guest and VIP passes were nearly halved from 300; Forum seating arrangements were relatively remote; and the Sunshine State delegation was exiled to the Innisbrook Resort in Tarpon Springs.
The party was determined to deter unauthorized move-ups in 2016. So if Florida again moves ahead of the entitled four, it would be left with 12 delegates–not 50. Presumably they can avail themselves of standing room and stay at the Bates Motel.
But in so decreeing, the Rules Committee again missed an opportunity to address an issue that needs addressing: How best to accommodate an uber swing state like Florida–one that is a microcosm of America? It makes no sense to chance that in a given presidential-election year Florida could be a rubber stamp in the process of choosing who will actually be on a ticket. Neither Iowa nor New Hampshire are remotely diverse in their demographics, while South Carolina and Nevada were handed tokenism passes. Yet they can provide significant, early momentum, however skewed.
Why not, at the very least, move to rotating, regional primaries so that crucial states such as Florida can at least regularly recycle around to more relevant timing? Why not use this convention–in this state–to get it right?
If Florida–a veritable nation-state with 19 million residents, two time zones, 10 media markets, 29 electoral votes and the predictive I-4 corridor–is a must state for candidate victory in November, how could it ever be a non-player in nominating that candidate? Ironically, nobody knows Florida’s value like the GOP. Calvin Coolidge was the last Republican to win the White House without winning Florida.
* Not all of this week’s winners spent time behind a Forum podium. Gov. Rick Scott didn’t. Because of Isaac’s drive-by, he lost his speaking spot on Monday, as well as some glad-handing reception time. All of which would have put on display his poor formal speaking skills and negligible small-talk facility. Moreover, it eliminated opportunities to remind GOPster faithful that he’s at odds with Romney about how to message the Florida economy and that he went along with the controversial early Florida primary. It also mitigated the visceral response he prompts in many Floridians who, upon sight, associate him with an anti-Obama, pro-Tea Party ideology that continues to be a disaster for this state.
The serendipity storm allowed Scott to pass on the speech and the buffet lines and put on the hat of gubernatorial priorities. He read his scripted lines of assurance to visitors and residents and ironically looked leader-like and above politics.
* Shades of Schaudenfreud: Tropical Storm Isaac didn’t do more than rain on early convention expectations. But these are zero-sum events. Not everybody dodges the bullet. We did; the northern Gulf Coast obviously didn’t. A balloon drop and political atmospherics here; a hurricane and blindsided lives there.
* To be sure, there were no drones deployed during the convention. There were, however, sightings of drones cruising around the Forum.
* There were 177 Ron Paul delegates. That number seemed–and sounded–larger.
* At one time it was probably proper for a prominent religious figure to deliver a closing benediction at a national political convention. One nation and one democratic system under God. But not when you’re part of the polarization. Not when you’re Catholic Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan. Good thing Father Coughlin isn’t still around.
*Over-the-top rhetoric is part of holding–and covering–a national political convention. But one visiting journalist saw through a clichéd metaphor early on and tweeted this: “Dear American TV reporters: Downtown Tampa does not look like a war zone. Pick a better comparison.” He was from Al Jazeera.
*Given the outrageous flap over the addled, rape-abortion comments of GOP senatorial candidate Todd Akin of Missouri, no wonder Mitt Romney can’t close the gender gap. The real wonder, however, is that the disparity isn’t greater. According to the most recent Time/CNN/ORC poll, Mitt Romney trails President Barack Obama among women voters in Florida: 54%-42%. But shouldn’t that be 100%-0%?
* Iconic rationalization: Just wondering how many of those gushing GOPsters who lined up for photos with the cardboard cutout of Ronald Reagan this week knew that he raised taxes more than a dozen times as governor of California and as president?
*Mayor Bob Buckhorn, who was on his positive-spin, apolitical game this week and was the only Democrat to address the GOP convention, has been underscoring the point that this mega event is a “once in a lifetime” opportunity for Tampa to shine. Actually, it’s more like one and done, given the near party-crashing of Isaac. Both political parties would be more likely to convene in St. Paul, a 2008 case study in poor security preparation, before chancing a return to Florida during hurricane season.
* To be sure, the Daily Beast, Comedy Central and even old-school, mainstream media have had sport with Tampa’s reputation for strip joints and mob lore. Hey, we own it. That’s life. It’s also low-hanging fruit that comes with the media/show biz territory. It is what it is; they are what they are. It was, therefore, somewhat surprising–and kind of gratifying– to see media focus on something other than clichéd broadsides in pursuit of local-color angles that have nothing to do with convening, Romney-nominating Republicans. This from Kate Murphy, a Houston journalist who was free-lancing for the New York Times: “The mojitos and Spanish tapas right here in Tampa at Tinatapa’s, close by the Republican National Convention venue–fantastic!”
Hey, thanks, Kate. And here’s hoping you scored a signature Cuban sandwich or some paella at the Columbia Restaurant before returning to Houston.
* So, former Republican Governor-turned-Independent Charlie Crist will be speaking at the Democratic Convention next week in Charlotte. You go, Charlie, but we still remember. You unlocked the door for Rick Scott and then Alex Sink propped it open.