Tampa, Florida (CNN) - The Republican National Convention has cancelled the program's first day due to Tropical Storm Isaac, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus announced Saturday.
The convention will convene on Monday and then immediately recess until the following afternoon, Priebus said in a statement.
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"Due to the severe weather reports for the Tampa Bay area, the Republican National Convention will convene on Monday August 27th and immediately recess until Tuesday afternoon, August 28th," Priebus said. "After consulting with Governor Scott, NOAA and local emergency management officials, we are optimistic that we will begin an exciting, robust convention that will nominate the Romney-Ryan ticket."
Vice President Joe Biden had announced plans to campaign in Tampa on Monday and elsewhere on Florida on Tuesday. On Friday evening, the Obama-Biden campaign cancelled his Monday events, and Saturday, the campaign announced cancellation of his Tuesday plans.
GOP officials expect 50,000 people to attend the convention where Mitt Romney will officially accept his party's presidential nomination and make the final turn to the November election.
The delay was brought about because Isaac is expected to be west of Tampa in the Gulf of Mexico early Monday morning – the first day of the weeklong event.
Isaac was forecast to bring rain and wind to the Tampa area on Monday and Tuesday and was expected to increase in intensity and become either a Category 1 or 2 hurricane as it passed west of Tampa in the Gulf of Mexico.
Before the RNC announcement, Florida's Republican Governor Rick Scott announced that he was cancelling his activities at the convention but would remain in Tampa to monitor and coordinate the state's response to the storm.
Wind gusts in Tampa were recorded at 30 mph on Saturday afternoon.
As the convention and storm approached, RNC and government officials stressed their preparedness. "I declared a state of emergency for the state of Florida," Scott told reporters Saturday morning. "That's standard protocol to make sure we can coordinate our efforts with federal, state, and local so we can have the proper response."
On CNN's "Starting Point" Thursday, RNC communications director Sean Spicer said the convention had "contingency plans to deal with weather-related and other circumstances that may occur to ensure that the business can go on at the RNC and Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will become our nominees."
Officials were speaking with and distributing pamphlets to delegates and other guests as they checked into the over 15,000 area hotel rooms which had been booked, and encouraged those for whom this would be their first hurricane to be careful.
On Saturday afternoon, the storm had sustained winds of 60 mph with 70 mph gusts.
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Good. Why don't they just cancel it all together? Nothing good or positive ever comes out of that convention, anyway.
well i hate to see anyone in harms way but if its gods will
This is a sign from god condemning the Romney/Ryan ticket based on all of their lies.
Haven't heard any evangelicals saying that the hurricane is a sign that god is angry with the GOP
They might as well just cancel it. They haven't got a shot at the White House.
Cancel the election
Oh Holy Hell! Is God speaking or what?
No no, don't run away...... all the billionaires /millionaires and tea party peons should go stand on the beach and PRAY away the hurricane.
I hear Pat Robertson is declaring the storm as God's retribution against the sins of the Republican Party. What? No?
From news about Tropical Storm Isaac, I gather that the Republican Convention either sucks or blows?
clearly this is a sign.
Republicans may have gotten Cardinal Dolan to bless their convention, but God has shown his displeasure.
Hmm...Wondering if the Libtard Hypocrites should even choose a viable candidate....For the last four years we haven't had a viable or serous President...The world laughs at us then at our clown Obama!
A possible hurricane interfering with the Republican convention? Is God trying to send them a message?
I was really looking forward to see what would happen if they had thier little party party during the storm, would they build an ark? would they walk on the water? etc. I'm just happy they decided to be smart and get out of the way. All that science, ya know?
As multiple spokesman for the GOP have inquired on many prior occasions, I join those who are compelled to ask if this is this the face of God moving across the waters? Is it a warning sign to the hypocrites? Beware those who take upon it themselves to presume to take the Lord's mantle upon themselves and judge their neighbors as the GOP has for so, so long? Is this a sign from above?
"1. Judge not, that ye be not judged.
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." Mark 7:1,5-6
Let's all hope it decides to turn and just go back out to sea.
They'll have to Rinse Priebus after this one!
Reince Priebus either had a religious experience in the loo and someone talked some sense into his head. Come Ivan, you know what to do.
I guess the GOP can no longer claim God to be on their side if a tropical storm crashes the first day of their convention.
let me see if this was obama's convention this would of been a act of god to stop it so my guess is it is god sending a message
Isn't it about time Pat Robertson weighed in on this one, indicating it's a sign of something being bad about the GOP? OK, if he won't I will. "it's a sign!"
Why is it convening on Monday to recess immediately? There is always something happening when one is in a responsible position!? Taxes? Was romney to show them after the convention?
Even the weather is willing to fight the immoral right wing social engineering of the GOP !!!!!
See, there is a God and she's a Democrat!