As Hurricane Issac advances to the shores of Louisiana and Mississippi, another type of cyclone – this one political – has descended on Tampa, Fla.
The 2012 Republican National Convention began on Tuesday at the Tampa Bay Times Forum, and with it starts a three-day glorified pep rally to ignite the conservative base, motivating supporters turn out for Mitt Romney and other Republicans in November.
This convention, however, has been marred by Mother Nature and its own share of challenges.
The impending threat of Issac in the gulf region forced executives to delay the start of the convention, which was originally slated to begin on Monday, to Tuesday. But the biggest challenge for convention organizers and party leaders hasn’t necessarily been weather-related.
The Republican Party has a messaging problem. One side of the party glorifies ultraconservative ideologues that continually plague our national conversations with ridiculous conspiracy theories and draconian rhetoric, while another side of the party recognizes the imperative need for Republicans to prescribe to a more moderate ideology – one that doesn’t disenfranchise independent voters.
This year, party leaders have embraced popular rising political stars and have wisely distanced this convention from the team of demagogues that constantly throw Republicans into damage control.
By inviting speakers like New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, South Dakota Sen. John Thune, Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, convention leaders want to put a softer, hopeful and more moderate face on a party that has been tainted by fringe members.
We won’t be hearing about government infiltration by the Muslim Brotherhood from Rep. Michele Bachmann. We won’t be hearing brainless anti-Obama rants from Rep. Allen West — though Florida is his home state. And, thankfully, we won’t be hearing any stupid catchphrases or wild birther theories from America’s most laughable “mogul” Donald Trump.
By keeping these radicals off camera, the Republican Party is carefully stage managing their mass re-introduction to the American people. But just because radicals are not what you see at the convention doesn’t mean that they aren’t playing a significant role in areas that you don’t see.
One of the most controversial facets of this year’s RNC is the language contained in the Republican platform, a lesser-known element to conventions that allows the party to take a clear position on the issues that face the country.
This year’s Republican platform, which will largely go unnoticed amidst the pomp and circumstance of the convention, is perfectly indicative of the real priorities and mentality held by the elite of the Republican Party. The 2012 platform contains some of the most stringent visions for social issues and reform to date.
On abortion rights the platform states, “We support a human life amendment to the Constitution and endorse legislation to make clear that the 14th Amendment’s protections apply to unborn children.” The platform lists no specific exemption in the case of incest or rape.
The platform also lists opposition to numerous other hot-button social issues such as affirmative action, same-sex marriage, embryonic stem cell research and significant immigration reform. For many voters from diverse backgrounds and lifestyles, the party simply doesn’t seem to care about their struggles, a move that I feel has enormous potential cost them the election in November.
Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney will take the stage on Thursday to accept the party’s nomination and will lay out a vision for a Romney presidency. Romney’s challenge will be, like convention organizers, to appeal and cater to a staunchly scattered party, needing to appease a range of ideologies.
In order for Romney to appropriately lead his party in the final charge of the election, he must deliver a message of hope and humanity, concepts that have seemed hard to fake on the campaign trail with Romney’s awkward demeanor. He must also present himself as able to unite a divided country and lead with CEO-like sensibility. But one of the most crucial elements of Romney’s speech should be an attempt to legitimately empathize with those Americans who are struggling under a fragile economy, a tough challenge for an ultra-wealthy venture capitalist.
Conventions stand as the checkered flag of the presidential election; a clear sign that all is quickly coming to an end. Romney must use Thursday’s primetime address to the nation to show that he is the clear leader of the Republican Party and must present himself the candidate to lead America forward. His political life depends on it.
