First the Times reported on Thursday
Mr. Trump, who was heavily involved in the staging of his last nominating convention, has even shown a new openness to participating in a scaled-down event. He has mused aloud to several aides about why the convention can’t simply be held in a hotel ballroom in Florida, given all of the health concerns and the fact that Florida is further along in reopening portions of the state.
But with expensive contracts signed and money raised, the event is unlikely to move from Charlotte — unless the Democratic mayor and governor there say it can’t be held.
A Democratic mayor and governor. Which leads to Trumps twitter today:
“I love the Great State of North Carolina, so much so that I insisted on having the Republican National Convention in Charlotte at the end of August. Unfortunately, Democrat Governor, @RoyCooperNC is still in Shutdown mood & unable to guarantee that by August we will be allowed…
“…full attendance in the Arena. In other words, we would be spending millions of dollars building the Arena to a very high standard without even knowing if the Democrat Governor would allow the Republican Party to fully occupy the space. Plans are being….
“…made by many thousands of enthusiastic Republicans, and others, to head to beautiful North Carolina in August. They must be immediately given an answer by the Governor as to whether or not the space will be allowed to be fully occupied. If not, we will be reluctantly forced…
“…to find, with all of the jobs and economic development it brings, another Republican National Convention site. This is not something I want to do.
Could the GOP really move the convention 13 weeks prior to the start date? (and the clock is ticking). A full convention? Very difficult. Could he hold a glorified rally and call it a convention? Sure. This will be interesting to watch.
So here are my thoughts…
1. There is no doubt that there is a partisan differential between how seriously people take the coronavirus. https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/coronavirus-polls/?ex_cid=rrpromo
2. Republicans seem to WANT to gather en masse. Like a thing. And I don’t know how a city other than Charlotte could, at this date, get the rooms, arrange the transportation in the buses for the delegations, undertake all the logistics….I mean, correct me if I’m wrong — but I think the reason a city is picked several years out is to properly nail down the logistics — including all those volunteers.
3. Democrats are coming around to “It’s not safe” and “we don’t want to risk our voters” and “Hey! Lake Geneva!”.
4. Darwin.
You are correct on logistics. Two differences this year: 1) hotels and venues will be available, since, well COVID. And 2) I imagine they will scale it down bigly if they move it – 2 days tops, and maybe tell half the delegates to stay home.
YOU OPTIMIST!!!
First off, Trump is not a party to the contracts — that’s the RNC, City of Charlotte, County of Mecklinberg (however you spell it) — so I don’t know how he can “order” this. But since he seems to be getting away with it — he wants ALL 15,000 people there. And I am actually in favor of it. I know you wrote today about Charlotte asking for a safety plan, and I know that there’s a huge DHS grant for security, which will help….and I know that yeah, hotels available….so, yeah, it’s possible. And I hope it goes to Florida, I really do. Seems Jacksonville is all in for wanting it.
All those people in all those buses….the communal food….the mask refusers…..and if we can get them to quarantine for 14 days once they get home — I’m in favor.