GOP Convention Rules!

[Lucky]

Apparently the Rules Committee passed a new rule stating that Romney could essentially veto and replace any delegate he wished. This was proposed by Romney's campaign lawyer last week and pushed through by Haley Barbour.

Reportedly, the many of the delegates went berserk, including over 100 from Texas, and threatened a floor fight. The latest I've heard is that the National GOP has backed off this rule, and they reached a compromise in which all Romney's candidates are irrevocably bound, and are deemed to have resigned if they do anything other than nominate, vote for, and support Romney.

Somebody who knows how the GOP convention works...what was this all about? Why after so many conventions was this necessary?

[Pogues]

He's afraid of Ron Paul and the Paulites?

[JudeBaldo]

He's afraid of Ron Paul and the Paulites?

That was my first thought as well.

[Lucky]

What could Ron Paul do to make problems for Romney at this point? Didn't he fall short of the number of states necessary to put him in a position to be placed into nomination? I don't imagine any Paul supporters will be given prime speaking slots, if any at all. So why the fuss?

[Hornsby]

What could Ron Paul do to make problems for Romney at this point? Didn't he fall short of the number of states necessary to put him in a position to be placed into nomination? I don't imagine any Paul supporters will be given prime speaking slots, if any at all. So why the fuss?

They simply don't want to acknowledge that there's ANY sort of a divide in the party at this point...it's supposed to be the Governor's coronation, not a partisan squabble. If delegates are allowed to vote for Paul, it messes up the choreography of the event. Pretty good article here:

The campaign of presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney has been working for weeks to minimize any disruptions at the convention because of the Paul supporters, and some party leaders want to limit similar situations in the future.

Paul didn't garner enough support in Oklahoma to win any delegates outright. However, some of his supporters won delegate slots controlled by former presidential candidates Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich.

Santorum and Gingrich released their delegates last week, and, under state party rules, the Paul supporters can now vote for Paul if they want. At least six intend to do so, according to one delegate, who supports Paul.

http://newsok.com/oklahoma-republicans-to-fight-proposed-rule-change-on-delegate-selection/article/3704720/?page=2

[Bernie Brewer]

They simply don't want to acknowledge that there's ANY sort of a divide in the party at this point...it's supposed to be the Governor's coronation, not a partisan squabble. If delegates are allowed to vote for Paul, it messes up the choreography

I agree but it may as simple as logistics. With the weather delay and the loss of one day of the event, It may be to just keep it moving without the sidetracking of the Paulette's.

[Hornsby]

I agree but it may as simple as logistics. With the weather delay and the loss of one day of the event, It may be to just keep it moving without the sidetracking of the Paulette's.

No, according to the article I linked it started weeks ago...click on the link.

[chancellor]

What could Ron Paul do to make problems for Romney at this point? Didn't he fall short of the number of states necessary to put him in a position to be placed into nomination? I don't imagine any Paul supporters will be given prime speaking slots, if any at all. So why the fuss?

I think Hornsby's dead on with his response. IMO, it's a big mistake by Romney's team to do this. They'd be ahead finding a Paul supporter who'd be willing to give the "Ron Paul is wonderful and we have to keep working for these libertarian ideals, but our choice is now Obama or Romney, and it's time to get Obama out of office" type speech.

[Moonlight J]

I think Hornsby's dead on with his response. IMO, it's a big mistake by Romney's team to do this. They'd be ahead finding a Paul supporter who'd be willing to give the "Ron Paul is wonderful and we have to keep working for these libertarian ideals, but our choice is now Obama or Romney, and it's time to get Obama out of office" type speech.

One of my best friends is a HUGE Paul Ryan guy (and Ayn Rand worshiper) and he thinks Romney's campaign is run by morons

[Lucky]

One of my best friends is a HUGE Paul Ryan guy (and Ayn Rand worshiper) and he thinks Romney's campaign is run by morons

Hey! I resent that!

[Bob Kohm]

He's afraid of Ron Paul and the Paulites?

Yep, chatted with a friend down there about it. It's all about the Ron Paul folks, as was the move to nominate Romney on Monday (ahem, Isaac) rather than at the traditional time.

[Bob Kohm]

What could Ron Paul do to make problems for Romney at this point? Didn't he fall short of the number of states necessary to put him in a position to be placed into nomination? I don't imagine any Paul supporters will be given prime speaking slots, if any at all. So why the fuss?

They know that the media will positively pounce on ANY story about dissension at either Convention and Ron Paul and his nutty minions are great fodder for stories reintroducing just how fractured the GOP is. The Paulites didn't need to actually put the nomination in doubt, just show that they want to.

[Bob Kohm]

I think Hornsby's dead on with his response. IMO, it's a big mistake by Romney's team to do this. They'd be ahead finding a Paul supporter who'd be willing to give the "Ron Paul is wonderful and we have to keep working for these libertarian ideals, but our choice is now Obama or Romney, and it's time to get Obama out of office" type speech.

Yeah, if only they could've found one who would do that. The fact that they weren't confident that they could find what the RNC/Romney Campaign would deem "reasonable" Paulites is what lead to these draconian rule tamperings.

I know that folks like Bernie and Cardboard Box or RotoRooter will argue this, but it does very clearly illustrate the insecurity that the RNC has over the cobbled together coalition behind Romney and their fear of another internal divide a la the Palin debacle. They got burned badly in 2008 and are now afraid of getting too close to the fire.

[GwynnInTheHall]

I mentioned a brokered convention way back when the story about the Paul supporters staying around after the elections to make sure they got a delegate spot. This is an old idea and as has been stated, why the Romney camp wants to head it off at the pass.

[chancellor]

Yeah, if only they could've found one who would do that. The fact that they weren't confident that they could find what the RNC/Romney Campaign would deem "reasonable" Paulites is what lead to these draconian rule tamperings.

I hear what you're saying, but I suspect Jason is right and Romney's team didn't even bother checking into it very much...which could well match up with your point on insecurity.

That being said, they must not have looked very hard in either case. I know some convention goers from my state, some of whom favor Ron Paul, and a couple of them would give excellent speeches.