Republican National Convention

The Republican National Convention is a convention held to revise and approve the Republican National Platform, and to nominate the Republican candidates for President and Vice President.

RINOs have already unnecessarily canceled the first 36 hours of the convention, which limits the presentations and discussions. Additional questions to be resolved at the 2012 convention include:

• will conservative delegates be able to defeat the RINO rule change that would centralize power by unfairly allowing a nominee to replace any elected delegate?
• will RINOs allow the elected Maine Ron Paul delegates to be seated at the convention?
• will RINOs prevent speakers from making meaningful statements against abortion and same-sex marriage issues, in prime time?
• will the Republican National Platform criticize Planned Parenthood this time?
• will someone more conservative than Paul Ryan, such as Allen West, at least be nominated for vice president?
• will RINOs really exclude conservative Florida congressman Allen West and Sarah Palin from speaking at the convention?

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This convention is held every four years, in the summer before a presidential election. It lasts about 4 days on average, and typically features speeches from liberal Republicans while excluding conservatives.

The Republican National Convention also considers and approves the official platform for the Republican Party. Nearly all state Republican Party organizations typically adopt the national platform, and most Republican candidates campaign on the principles set forth in the party platform.

2012 convention

The 2012 Republican National Convention was held in Tampa, Florida from August 27 to 30.

Speakers included former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Rand Paul, Nikki Haley, New Mexico Governor Susanna Martinez, John Kasich, Rob Portman, Kelly Ayotte, Bob McDonnell, Connie Mack, John McCain, Jeb Bush and Artur Davis.

In a move reminiscent of the Hurricane Irene debacle, in which the Michael Bloomberg administration inconvenienced millions of New Yorkers for no good reason, the RNC delayed the convention kickoff over fears that Hurricane Isaac may have interrupted the proceedings. Even so, RNC Reince Priebus told reporters, "We don't think it will hit Tampa."

Prior conventions

The 2000 convention was held in Philadelphia, PA. The 2004 Convention was held in New York City, New York, and the 2008 Convention was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Most Republican National Conventions that have led to victory have been contentious:

• 1952 - epic struggle between Robert Taft and Dwight Eisenhower for the nomination
• 1968 - multiple candidates, including Ronald Reagan, stayed in the race until the convention
• 1980 - Reagan passed over Gerald Ford and picked George H.W. Bush as V.P.
• 1988 - George H.W. Bush picked Dan Quayle as V.P., and received a "bounce" in the polls that continued through the election

External Links

• Official site for 2012 Convention
• Official site for the 2008 Convention
• Official RNC site
• A Sample of What Happens at Conventions
• Past Conventions