RNC Pushing Ahead Despite Isaac
TAMPA (CBSMiami) – Presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney said Monday he is not considering canceling the Republican National Convention even as New Orleans is in the path of another potential hurricane.
"Our thoughts are with the people that are in the storm's path and hope that they're spared any major destruction," Romney said.
The Tampa-based RNC was in doubt as late as Saturday as Tropical Storm Isaac was taking aim at South Florida. The storm pushed further to the west and spared most of S. Florida and kept Tampa from getting the brunt of Isaac's wrath.
"We've got a great convention ahead," Romney said. The gathering already has been trimmed to three days because of the storm.
The weather situation could get more complicated if Isaac turns into a hurricane and does significant damage to New Orleans. Isaac is expected to hit as late as Tuesday, which would coincide with the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina which devastated Louisiana and the Gulf coast.
Many Republicans blamed President Bush's failed response to Katrina as part of the reason Republicans lost control of the House of Representatives in the next Congressional election in 2006.
Still, Republicans are remaining on message about the 2012 Republican National Convention, despite the weather woes surrounding it.
"Obviously, we want to pray for anyone that's in the pathway of this storm, but the message is still the same: that all Americans deserve a better future and that this president didn't keep the promises he made in 2008," said Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus.
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