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2012 Republican National Convention

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2012 Republican National Convention
2012 presidential election
The Tampa Bay Times Forum will host the 2012 Republican National Convention
Convention
Date(s)August 28th-30th, 2012 [1]
CityTampa, Florida
VenueTampa Bay Times Forum
Keynote speakerChris Christie[2]
Candidates
Presidential nomineeFmr. Gov. Mitt Romney (MA)
(presumptive)[3]
Vice-presidential nomineeRep. Paul Ryan (WI)
(presumptive)
Voting
Total delegates2,286[4]
Votes needed for nomination1,144 (absolute majority)
Results (president)TBD
Results (vice president)TBD
BallotsTBD
‹ 2008 · 2016 ›
2012 U.S. presidential election
Democratic Party
Republican Party
Minor parties
Related races
← 2008 2012 2016 →

The United States 2012 Republican National Convention, is a planned gathering of Republican Party members. Delegates, who officially nominate the party's candidates for President and Vice President, are widely expected to choose Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. Prominent members of the party will give speeches and discuss the convention theme, "A Better Future."[5]

The convention will be held during the week of August 27, 2012, in Tampa, Florida,[6] at the Tampa Bay Times Forum. The city expects major demonstrations and has used a federal grant to bolster its police force in preparation.

Due to Tropical Storm Isaac, the convention will come to order on Monday, August 27, and then immediately recess until the afternoon on Tuesday. A revised schedule for the convention will be issued on Sunday, August 26.[7] Depending of the path and strength of the storm, the convention could further be interrupted, rescheduled, relocated or cancelled.[8] [9]

Speakers

The official speaker list has not been fully released. However, Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus announced that the following will be given a speaking role:[10][11][12] On August 21, 2012, the Republican National Committee released the official schedule for the first day of the Republican National Convention which will kickoff on Tuesday, August 28th, at the Tampa Bay Times Forum, in Tampa, Florida. Tropical Storm Isaac is the convention by pushing it a day later.[13] The schedule includes more than 34 speakers that span both the afternoon and evening sessions, but the most coveted speaking slot that closes out the first night of the convention will go to Ann Romney, Mitt Romney’s wife. She will be introduced by Lucé Vela Fortuño, the First Lady of Puerto Rico.[14]

===Speaking on Monday, August 27=== (tentative due to Tropical Storm Isaac (2012)

The Republican officials released on Monday, Aug. 20, 2012, the list of speakers that will open the Republican National Convention kicking off the event. The following speakers[15][16] scheduled for Monday listed in order according by the schedule are:

Speaking on Tuesday, August 28

The following list of speakers was released by the Republican National Committee on August 21, 2012.[17]

Speaking on Wednesday, August 29

The Republican National Committee released the following list of speakers on August 22, 2012.[18]

Speaking on Thursday, August 30

The Republican National Committee announced the following list of speakers on August 23, 2012.[20]

Announced but not scheduled

Convention activities

The intent of the convention is to educate attendees about the party's platform and to nominate a candidate.[22] The convention theme is "A Better Future".[23] Each day will also have its own theme: Monday's is "We Can Do Better"; Tuesday's is "We Built It"; Wednesday's is "We Can Change It"; and Thursday's is "We Believe in America." The choice of theme for Tuesday, "We Built It" has drawn comments as the Convention is being hosted in an arena that was built with public funds.[24][25][26][27]

The convention will last from August 27 to August 30, 2012. According to the convention website, it will host 2,286 delegates, 2,125 alternates, and 15,000 credentialed members of the media. The convention CEO is William D. Harris.[22]

George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and Dick Cheney have all announced that they will not attend the convention.[28]

Platform

A committee, chaired by Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell, met in Tampa to draft a party platform. On August 21, 2012, the committee released a 60-page document for approval at the convention. Policies include:

Policing

The convention is designated as a National Special Security Event, which means that ultimate authority over law enforcement goes to the Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security.[32] The federal government is providing $50 million for Convention security.[33] Much of the money goes to deputizing additional police. Other expenses include expanded surveillance technology and the purchase of a $296,496 armored SWAT vehicle.[34][35] Tampa Bay has disclosed specifically that it has spent $1.18m on video linkages between ground police and helicopters.[36][37][38]

Tampa police are still deciding how to cordon off areas of the city to maintain tourism while keeping protests limited. Police Chief Jane Castor has stated that although Harbour Island will not be off-limits to non-residents, "there will be some checkpoints."[39] The city has announced an estimated force of between 3000 and 4000 officers on each day of the convention.[38]

The city has announced plans to pay $16,500 to the Florida State Fairgrounds Authority, in exchange for police use of local fairgrounds as a command center.[40]

Impact

The city has already planned to cancel all trials occurring during the week of the convention, due to concerns about jurors moving in and out of the city. Various government operations will move to nearby suburban areas. One exception to this trend is predicted trials for arrested protesters, which will be presided over by "on-call judges." City officials say they are planning on fencing off some government buildings, but that it is the responsibility of businesses to defend their own buildings.[41]

The city is paying $216,000 to the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority as compensation for the partial closure of the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, a toll highway passing through Tampa's downtown and just north of the Tampa Bay Times Forum.[40]

Demand for hotel rooms[42] and rental cars[43] is expected to be particularly high.

Florida has some of the most lenient gun laws in the United States with 6.5% of adults licensed to carry concealed weapons.[44] Local governments in Florida are prohibited from having gun ordinances stricter than state law. While water guns have been banned during the week of the event, handguns will be permitted outside of the Convention Center.[45] Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn requested that authorities be allowed to ban guns from downtown Tampa during the convention.[46] Governor Rick Scott rejected the request.[44]

Protests

In October 2011, Tampa city officials began planning for anticipated protests, and discussions centered around small prior protests by the Occupy movement. According to former Tampa City Council member John Dingfelder, then the senior staff attorney for the mid-Florida office of the American Civil Liberties Union, the convention should expect to draw far more protestors and the city should plan on up to 10,000. Dingfelder encouraged the city to be proactive regarding where protests could occur and protestors could sleep. Tampa's Mayor Bob Buckhorn's response was "If they want a place to sleep, they can go home or to a hotel.... Just because they want to occupy something doesn't mean we are obligated to provide them with an opportunity to camp out in a public park or on a sidewalk."[47]

The city of Tampa has banned puppets from downtown during the convention, a decision which some puppet-makers say violates their civil liberties. Police say that puppets can be used to conceal weapons—at the 2000 RNC, charging a gang of puppet-makers in Philadelphia with conspiracy to resist arrest.[48]

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) plans to hold a forum on free speech.[49]

The city has announced plans to provide delegates and protestors alike with potable water and toilets.[50]

Various groups began demonstrating on July 27, in Tampa and Tallahassee as part of a one-month countdown to the convention, calling for "good jobs, healthcare, affordable education, equality and peace," emphasizing their feelings to prioritize people over corporate profits.[51]

Nominations

Main article: Republican Party presidential primaries, 2012

According to Fox News[52] and Associated Press delegate projections,[53] Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts, clinched the Republican presidential nomination in the Texas primary on May 29, 2012 and became the party's presumptive nominee.[54] Two weeks before the convention, on August 11, Romney announced Paul Ryan as his running mate.[55] The decision makes Ryan the major parties' first VP candidate from Wisconsin in American history.[56]

The traditional roll call of the states, which permits delegates to promote their home states, will take place on the penultimate day of the convention. To have a speech formally putting his or her name in nomination, a candidate has to show a plurality of delegates in five delegations as section 40(b) of the rules of the Republican Party adopted by the last convention specifies:[57]

Each candidate for nomination for President of the United States and Vice President of the United States shall demonstrate the support of a plurality of the delegates from each of five (5) or more states, severally, prior to the presentation of the name of that candidate for nomination.

Republican Primaries by plurality in state delegations

Michele Bachmann, Jon Huntsman, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul all won delegates in the Republican primaries but came short of showing a plurality in five states. Only Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum meet this requirement.[58]

Republican National Convention Presidential nominee vote, 2012
Candidate First Ballot Percentage
Mitt Romney 0 0%
Rick Santorum 0 0%
Others 0 0%
Totals 2,286 100.00%

Host Committee

On August 14, 2009, the Republican National Committee named a 13-person Site Selection Committee to start the process of selecting a host city for the 2012 convention.[59]

News reports in early 2010 indicated that Tampa as well as Salt Lake City, Utah, and Phoenix, Arizona, had been selected as finalist candidates for the convention site.[6][60][61] The decision was announced on May 12, 2010, when Tampa was selected as the host city.[62]

The 2012 Tampa Bay Host Committee is the official and federally designated Presidential Convention host committee for the 2012 Republican National Convention.[63] The Host Committee is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation organized to fund, manage and implement various functions in connection with the 2012 RNC Convention. The Host Committee is charged with raising $55,000,000 to pay for nearly all aspects of the Convention. The Host Committee is composed of prominent Florida business executives, civic leaders and other community leaders. The Host Committee is chaired by Al Austin and Ken Jones serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer. [64][65]

See also

References

  1. ^ . CSMONITOR http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/President/2012/0825/Hurricane-Isaac-delays-start-of-Republican-National-Convention-in-Tampa. Retrieved August 26, 2012. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ^ Shear, Michael D. (August 14, 2012). "Christie to Be G.O.P. Convention Keynote Speaker". The New York Times. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
  3. ^ Memoli, Michael A. (April 25, 2012). "RNC officially names Mitt Romney the party's 'presumptive nominee'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 28, 2012.
  4. ^ Berg-Andersson, Richard E. "Republican Detailed Delegate Allocation – 2012". Retrieved December 29, 2011.
  5. ^ ""A Better Future" to be Republican Convention Theme". Republican National Convention. 20-August-2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ a b Ambinder, Marc (March 3, 2010). "2012 News: RNC Has Its Convention Date". The Atlantic. Retrieved March 3, 2010.
  7. ^ "Republicans shift their Tampa convention to Tuesday". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. August 25, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  8. ^ "Mayor: 'Absolutely Prepared To Call Off' GOP Convention If Isaac Threatens Tampa". CBS News Tampa. Retrieved August 23, 2012.
  9. ^ http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/tampa-mayor-convention-will-go-off-as-planned
  10. ^ Danielson, Richard (August 6, 2012). "RNC speakers include Rick Scott, John McCain, Condoleezza Rice, Nikki Haley, Mike Huckabee, John Kasich and Susana Martinez". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
  11. ^ http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/08/07/santorum-bush-paul-to-speak-at-gop-convention/?hpt=hp_t1
  12. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/cruz-walker-to-address-gop-convention/2012/08/08/34809654-e114-11e1-a421-8bf0f0e5aa11_blog.html
  13. ^ . http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/President/2012/0825/Hurricane-Isaac-delays-start-of-Republican-National-Convention-in-Tampa [CSMONITER CSMONITER]. Retrieved August 26, 2012. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); External link in |publisher= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. ^ http://whitehouse12.com/2012/08/21/first-night-of-the-republican-convention-will-feature-paul-cruz-huckabee-arturo-davis-and-anne-romney/
  15. ^ http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/20/4741669/republican-officials-release-monday.html
  16. ^ http://www.c-span.org/RNC/Schedule/
  17. ^ http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/21/4744817/republican-officials-release-tuesday.html
  18. ^ http://www.gopconvention2012.com/news-press/press-releases/republican-officials-release-wednesday-convention-schedule/
  19. ^ http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/content/blogs/the-daily-briefing/2012/08/8-22-12-licking-county-businessman-scheduled-to-speak-at-rnc-convention.html
  20. ^ http://www.gopconvention2012.com/news-press/press-releases/we-believe-in-america-will-be-conventions-closing-theme/
  21. ^ http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/244663-brian-sandoval-will-speak-at-republican-national-convention
  22. ^ a b Committee on Arrangements for the 2012 Republican National Convention. "About the 2012 Republican National Convention". Retrieved August 2, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ Republican National Convention (August 17, 2012). ""A Better Future" to be Republican Convention Theme". Retrieved August 20, 2012. "After four years of high unemployment and skyrocketing debt, we need America's 'Comeback Team' to get the country working again and protect the American Dream for our children and grandchildren," said Priebus. "During our convention, the American people will hear about the priorities, experience and knowhow of our nominees and their plans to secure a better future for our country."
  24. ^ "GOP holding 'We Built It' night in publically-funded arena". MSN. August 23, 2012. Retrieved August 23, 2012.
  25. ^ "Whoops: GOP Throwing Obama-Bashing 'We Built It' Convention Party Inside Arena Built with Government Dollars". Gawker. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 23, 2012.
  26. ^ WTSP. August 22, 2012 http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/22/1122641/-GOP-We-Built-This-live-from-government-funded-convention-center. Retrieved August 23, 2012. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help); Text "titleGOP: 'We Built This!' live from government funded convention center" ignored (help)
  27. ^ "GOP CONVENTION'S 'WE BUILT IT!' THEME NIGHT TO BE HELD IN ARENA THAT GOVERNMENT BUILT". WTSP. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 23, 2012.
  28. ^ Rudie, Preston (July 31, 2012). "Notable Republicans to skip GOP convention". WTSP. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  29. ^ Hunt, Kasie (August 21, 2012). "At odds with Romney, GOP platform draft keeps proposal to end abortion without exceptions". Washington Post. Associated Press. Retrieved August 22, 2012. {{cite news}}: More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)
  30. ^ a b Rowley, James (August 22, 2012). "Republican Platform Panel Backs Blanket Ban on Abortion". Bloomberg News. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
  31. ^ Johnson, Fawn (August 21, 2012). "Republican Platform Calls for Guest-Worker Program". National Journal. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
  32. ^ To Prepare for Republican Convention, Tampa Restricts Protests July 22, 2012
  33. ^ Butera, Jeff (January 5, 2012). "Tampa receiving $50M grant for RNC". ABC Action News. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
  34. ^ Rayfield, Jillian (January 25, 2012). "How The 2012 Conventions Will Leave A Permanent Surveillance And Security Footprint In Host Cities". Talking Points Memo. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
  35. ^ Danielson, Richard (February 15, 2012). "Republican National Convention funds to buy two tactical Tampa Fire Rescue vehicles". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved February 15, 2012.
  36. ^ Harrison, Steve (January 26, 2012). "N.C. Police Won't Talk About $25M In Equipment For DNC". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
  37. ^ "After questions, Tampa City Council approves police upgrades for Republican National Convention". Tampa Bay Times. January 5, 2012. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
  38. ^ a b Danielson, Richard (January 6, 2012). "Tampa City Council approves police upgrades for 2012 GOP National Convention". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
  39. ^ Danielson, Richard (January 26, 2012). "Merchants ponder Republican National Convention impact: headache or opportunity?". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
  40. ^ a b Wiatrowski, Kevin (August 2, 2012). "City to reimburse agency for lost tolls". Tampa Tribune. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  41. ^ Danielson, Richard (January 18, 2012). "Republican National Convention to disrupt civic life in downtown Tampa". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved January 29, 2012.
  42. ^ Muellner, Alexis (August 2, 2012). "Sources: RNC hotel bookings surpass goals, near 100,000 rooms". Tampa Bay Business Journal. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  43. ^ Davis, RaeChelle (August 1, 2012). "Rental car companies scrambling to keep up with RNC demand". Bay News 9. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  44. ^ a b Peltier, Michael (May 2, 2012). "Florida governor rejects Republican convention gun ban". Reuters.
  45. ^ Bingham, Amy (May 2, 2012). "Water Guns Banned, Handguns Allowed at GOP Convention". ABC News.
  46. ^ Shahid, Aliyah (May 2, 2012). "Florida Gov: Guns OK at the Republican National Convention". New York Daily News.
  47. ^ Danielson, Richard (October 23, 2011). "Tampa faces a double permitting challenge in Republican National Convention, Occupy Tampa". Tampa Bay Times.
  48. ^ Anton, Leonora LaPeter (July 30, 2012). "Political puppets popular with protesters, not police". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  49. ^ "ACLU to hold forum on free speech and the RNC". Sacramento Bee. Associated Press. August 2, 2012. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  50. ^ Danielson, Richard (August 1, 2012). "Tampa to provide RNC protesters with water, toilets and cooling misters". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved August 2, 2012.
  51. ^ Hamil, Jared (July 31 2012). "Florida protests build towards march on the RNC". Fight Back News. Retrieved 2 August 2012. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  52. ^ "Romney clinches GOP nomination with Texas primary win". FoxNews. 30-May-2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  53. ^ "Republican Delegate Count". New York Times. Retrieved July 19, 2012.
  54. ^ Holland, Steve (May 30, 2012). "Romney clinches Republican 2012 nomination in Texas". Reuters. Retrieved May 30, 2012.
  55. ^ "Romney completes GOP ticket with Rep. Ryan, projects 'steadiness'". FoxNews. August 11, 2012.
  56. ^ Ryan joins host of Wisconsin politicians in U.S. limelight, WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL, AUGUST 11, 2012
  57. ^ "RNC Rules 2012" (PDF). Republican Party. Retrieved April 29, 2012.
  58. ^ "Republican Hard and Soft Count Delegate Summary". The Green Papers. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
  59. ^ "GOP names 2012 site selection committee". August 17, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |publish= ignored (help)
  60. ^ "Salt Lake 1 of 4 finalists for 2012 Republican Convention". DemConWatchblog.com. January 30, 2010. Retrieved January 31, 2010.
  61. ^ "Phoenix 1 of 4 finalists for 2012 GOP Convention". The Arizona Republic. February 1, 2010. Retrieved February 1, 2010.
  62. ^ Lush, Tamara (May 13, 2010). "Tampa wins bid to host 2012 GOP convention". Associated Press.
  63. ^ "Host Committee details". Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  64. ^ Cashill, Margaret (May 21, 2010). "Republican National Convention to enlist local talent in 2012". Tampa Bay Business Journal.
  65. ^ Trigaux, Robert (February 12, 2012). "With big projects unfolding across Tampa Bay, 10 people to watch in 2012".


Preceded by
2008
Saint Paul, Minnesota 		Republican National Convention
Tampa, Florida 		Succeeded by
2016
Location TBD
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