Donald Trump Only One of Many RNC Victims of Isaac

Elspeth Reeve
Donald Trump Only One of Many RNC Victims of Isaac

Here are some things Tropical Storm Isaac is ruining for the Republican National Convention: Donald Trump's special surprise, the entire night devoted to the slogan "We Can Do Better," maybe Mitt Romney's Thursday speech, and TV networks' coverage of the event. The Republican National Committee had to cancel Monday's events, which is having a bit of a domino effect. Here are a few ways they're struggling to reschedule.

  • Going 'Til Friday? The convention might go longer. Romney's big speech closing the event was supposed to be on Thursday night -- the classic must-see TV time. But National Journal's Chris Frates and Alex Roarty reports Republicans are considering extending the events through Friday. That would seem to mean Romney would give his speech on Friday, unless the RNC would schedule the convention to keep going after the main event.

  • Or Going Just One Day? Another possibility is that Romney will say the weather emergency is "bigger than politics," according to National Journal. In that scenario, he would give a short speech and then close the convention. (A similar move did not work out well for John McCain during the 2008 financial crisis.)

  • Get the Clock Ticking. RNC chair Reince Priebus will open the convention for about five minutes Monday so Republicans can start their National Debt Clock ticking. At the end of the convention, they will tell viewers how much the debt has increased while they were giving speeches in Tampa. 

  • Mixed Messages. The message of night one was supposed to be "We Can Do Better," Politico's Mike Allen reports. That message, which appears to be how Republicans will attack President Obama's record, will be weaved into the message of the three remaining days instead. 

  • Trump Silenced. Donald Trump won't be able to do his surprise publicity stunt from the convention floor, The Washington Post's Jason Horowitz reports. That was scheduled for Monday. One Republican alternate delegate called the birther reality star's absence "a blessing."

  • Network Dilemma. The networks are being forced to guess where the bigger news will be: At the convention or elsewhere in the Gulf of Mexico, where Isaac could do a lot of damage seven years after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. Networks are dividing staffs between the two areas, The New York Times' Brian Stelter reports. The big question is where to move the anchors. CNN is sending Anderson Cooper and Soledad O'Brien to New Orleans and keeping Wolf Blitzer in Tampa. Fox News' Shep Smith is going to New Orleans. ABC, NBC, and CBS are staying in Tampa for now.