# Republican National Convention - A Meltdown in Progress? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 20, 2012, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084 "2012-08-20T19:33:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084/21 "2012-08-21T00:53:19Z")
> [@Lochdale](#): > > And conventions are as stage managed as a play in Broadwayn. There will be no meltdown. So, Ron Paul is staying home? Or is there any chance of unexpected entertainment from the Libertarian contingent? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084/22 "2012-08-21T01:05:33Z")
> [@fumster](#): > > Or as Fox News puts it: Todd Akin (D) I know they have done this foe key events in the past, but did they really do it? Or, as they say, cite? ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084/23 "2012-08-21T01:28:50Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > So, Ron Paul is staying home? Or is there any chance of unexpected entertainment from the Libertarian contingent? The Republican party leadership has challenged Paul’s delegates in Maine and Louisiana. It appears that Republicans like to stifle democracy not only when the opponents are Democrats, but when they’re registered Republicans. Ron Paul earned a majority of delegates from Iowa,Maine, Massachusetts, Alaska, Louisiana, Nevada, and Washington. According to RNC rules any candidate who achieves a majority in 5 states can be nominated from the floor. This would be an embarrassment to Romney. They haven’t offered Ron Paul a speaking slot, but Rand Paul is going to speak. I doubt this will appease the Ron Paul folks. In any case I hope to be entertained. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084/24 "2012-08-21T01:54:41Z")
The minute these schmoes signed up radical nutjob Donald Trump and hired an Obama impersonator he could “fire,” the RNC turned into a freaking joke. The whole thing is a #RomneyShambles waiting to happen. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084/25 "2012-08-21T01:54:48Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > The opportunity that a convention presents is to give the party involved a week long commercial. They can control the content and the delivery of the content. The media and the opposition will be sniping from the sidelines, but it is essentially the hosting party’s show. > > They will put rousing speakers (Christie, etc.) up front to do the heavy lifting and ideological firebranding. Since there is no dispute as to the candidate, that leaves Romney to graciously accepts the coronation. He will likely avoid making strong platform statements himself - as he has all along. > > Any of this meltdown you are predicting will not happen - it’s not in the script. Sure, some true believers will be grumbling in their beer but you won’t see them on camera. Won’t that depend to some extent on who is pointing the cameras? ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084/26 "2012-08-21T02:12:23Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Won’t that depend to some extent on who is pointing the cameras? And holding the microphones. Typically, this is the best time for candidates to get free airtime during prime time. The last thing they want is for some story to be at the top of the headlines that they are going to be forced to comment on as a price for the free pub. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084/27 "2012-08-21T02:18:12Z")
This really hasn’t changed the Romney strategy. He must realize that he’s not going to win. He’s hoping that Obama will lose. I don’t think there’s anything Romney can do at this point to move ahead of Obama. He’s got to just hold his position and hope that a disaster strikes the Obama campaign before the election. ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084/28 "2012-08-21T02:26:16Z")
You know, I happen to live in Florida and the odd thing is that the only political ad I’ve seen highlighting social issues is an Obama add with two women talking about how Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan want to take us back to the 1950’s because Romney said he was committed to defunding Planned Parenthood. I guess that’s all right though? ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084/29 "2012-08-21T02:39:07Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > You know, I happen to live in Florida and the odd thing is that the only political ad I’ve seen highlighting social issues is an Obama add with two women talking about how Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan want to take us back to the 1950’s because Romney said he was committed to defunding Planned Parenthood. I guess that’s all right though? Yes; who said it wasn’t? ---
**Author:** ![nogravity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9d8465/32.png) [@nogravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nogravity)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084/30 "2012-08-21T03:04:27Z")
Besides the convention, Christine ‘I am not a Witch’ O’Donnell, is going to be headlining a [Troublemakers Fest](http://troublemakerfest.com/) with the Tea Party. It only cost $1200 for the full 5 day program. > [@](#): > > A 5 day program for empowering young patriots to stop Barack Obama’s 2nd term. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084/31 "2012-08-21T03:21:21Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > If a hurricane hits Tampa during the convention, will the Republican faithful finally realize God is punishing them for their hateful treatment of gay people? Are you fucking kidding, he’s punishing them for not hating them enough. How many anti-gay marriage resolutions on the ballot this year compared to 2008 or 2010? Well, whatever the number, it’s not enough. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084/32 "2012-08-21T03:41:36Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > You know, I happen to live in Florida and the odd thing is that the only political ad I’ve seen highlighting social issues is an Obama add with two women talking about how Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan want to take us back to the 1950’s because Romney said he was committed to defunding Planned Parenthood. I guess that’s all right though? I live in Florida and the only political ad I’ve seen highlighting social issues was a billboard in Pinellas County saying, “OBAMA BELIEVES IN ABORTION AND GAY MARRIAGE. DO YOU?” ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084/33 "2012-08-21T04:05:07Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > The Republican party leadership has challenged Paul’s delegates in Maine and Louisiana. It appears that Republicans like to stifle democracy not only when the opponents are Democrats, but when they’re registered Republicans. Ron Paul earned a majority of delegates from Iowa,Maine, Massachusetts, Alaska, Louisiana, Nevada, and Washington. According to RNC rules any candidate who achieves a majority in 5 states can be nominated from the floor. This would be an embarrassment to Romney. Do you have a cite? My understanding was that Paul only had a majority in four states. ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084/34 "2012-08-21T04:14:05Z")
> [@L. G. Butts](#): > > I know they have done this foe key events in the past, but did they really do it? Or, as they say, cite? Just a joke. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084/35 "2012-08-21T04:50:15Z")
> [@nogravity](#): > > Besides the convention, Christine ‘I am not a Witch’ O’Donnell, is going to be headlining a [Troublemakers Fest](http://troublemakerfest.com/) with the Tea Party. > > It only cost $1200 for the full 5 day program. Ammunition not included. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084/36 "2012-08-21T04:57:25Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > … > The Religious Right … placated by … support for a Human Life Amendment, which Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan have previously implicitly or explicitly endorsed, but suddenly repudiated yesterday. … Do you have a cite for this? While the HLA has some really terrible implications like outlawing hormonal birth control and ALL abortions, Romey has studiously avoided any serious discussion of the details and implications inherent in it. He did explicitly say that he supports the right to abortion in case of rape, but for a guy like him, it won’t be a contradiction to also claim to support the HLA. Yes, I know the two are contradictory, but that hasn’t stopped Romney yet. ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084/37 "2012-08-21T06:18:02Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Do you have a cite? My understanding was that Paul only had a majority in four states. [Louisiana](http://mobile.usnews.com/news/blogs/Ken-Walshs-Washington/2012/06/04/ron-paul-snatches-half-of-louisianas-delegates) (contested) [Maine](http://m.yahoo.com/w/legobpengine/news/paul-wins-majority-delegates-maine-gop-174422402.html?orig_host_hdr=news.yahoo.com&.intl=US&.lang=en-US) (contested) [Minnesota](http://m.cbsnews.com/storysynopsis.rbml?pageType=politics&catid=57437868&feed_id=3&videofeed=39) [Nevada](http://m.washingtonpost.com/politics/paul-bests-romney-at-nevada-convention/2012/05/06/gIQAEQDf7T_story.html) [Washington](http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/333906/20120426/ron-paul-2012-delegates-news-romney-convention.htm) [Iowa](http://m.csmonitor.com/USA/DC-Decoder/Decoder-Wire/2012/0618/Ron-Paul-wins-Iowa!-Does-that-matter) [Massachusetts](http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2012/04/30/state-gop-caucus-picks-leave-romney-slate-slighted/AGemTuxxNkr0GEKJkSwZqN/story.html#skip-target) (legally bound to vote for Romney\*) I was mistaken about Alaska. \*All delegates are unbound according to federal law, but whether law will trump tradition is doubtful. In any case, Minnesota, Washington, Iowa, Nevada, and either Louisiana or Maine would make 5. This would make Paul eligible for nomination. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084/38 "2012-08-21T11:54:45Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > You know, I happen to live in Florida and the odd thing is that the only political ad I’ve seen highlighting social issues is an Obama add with two women talking about how Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan want to take us back to the 1950’s because Romney said he was committed to defunding Planned Parenthood. I guess that’s all right though? Is it not true that Romney and Ryan want to defund Planned Parenthood? Do they not seek a return to the days of Ozzie and Harriett, Leave it to Beaver, and Father Knows Best? Do they not want to put women and uppity minorities in their place? ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084/39 "2012-08-21T12:04:10Z")
If they make a hurricane hit my house, can I sue them? The last hurricane to actually make landfall was in 1921, if I have it correct. We do get a lot of hurricanes that flirt with us, so maybe just a big rain event with some decent winds would be okay. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2012, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084/40 "2012-08-21T12:13:09Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > In any case, Minnesota, Washington, Iowa, Nevada, and either Louisiana or Maine would make 5. This would make Paul eligible for nomination. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Ron Paul is not going to be nominated. There will be no votes cast for Ron Paul at the convention. It’s time to do what Ron Paul supporters do, and that’s start spreading the news that your man is destined for the presidency next time. Yes, time to start the Paul 2016 campaign. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republican-national-convention-a-meltdown-in-progress/632084.md?page=3)