Tampa to RNC: You're on your own.

[HooptieWagon]

From today's Tampa Bay Times (sorry, can't link from phone): "It's our role to deal with the residents of Hillsborough County", said Hillsborough County Emergency Management spokesman Willie Puz. "It's (the RNC committee's) role to work with the convention."

Well, the GOP is getting the limited govt they like. Good luck with the hurricane. You're gonna need a bigger boat.

[sadbear]

1. I think they should just move their convention to the Gainesville Holiday Inn.

The one by the airport.

[HooptieWagon]

4. They should have had it in Orlando from the get-go. Nt

[ChairmanAgnostic]

64. But Mickey is bisexual. Just ask Goofy. It simply won't do.

And never forget how Pat and Oral and others condemned the Disney Company for (horrors!) allowing gays to gather and enjoy themselves! Didn't the Moral majority once try to boycott Disney? (which lasted about as long as the start of summer vacations).

On the other hand, Disney is intended to be a fantasy world. I can see how that would be a natural fit for today's GOP.

[Sheepshank]

66. so it was Disney vs. strip clubs?

It's understandable why the family values group went with Tampa.


ps...love the warm welcome the government is giving them lol

[ChairmanAgnostic]

74. no shit. "you are on your own." Heh heh

[HopeHoops]

8. Gainesville green - haven't had that in 30 years. Hmm. Good weed.

[Aviation Pro]

23. Hey, I've flown into that airport many times...

...and my point is, armpit asshole of the aviation world.

[highplainsdem]

2. Link to the article with that quote:

http://www.tampabay.com/news/weather/hurricanes/article1246926.ece

[HooptieWagon]

6. Tnx.

[bluemarkers]

53. Secret Service??

Why would the secret service do this?

"RNC officials would not go into specifics about "contingency plans" for the more than 50,000 visitors expected for the convention, noting the U.S. Secret Service would coordinate any emergency response."

[HooptieWagon]

57. I think Secret Service is handling security inside the convention.

I don't think they are equipped or trained to handle hurricane response, nor do they have the man-power to oversee conventioneers safety at the widely spread out hotels. Local emergency response would be primarily for residents. Pukes are on their own.

[bluemarkers]

59. a hurricane is coming and you can carry concealed

What can go wrong?

Wouldn't want to be on that detail. Thanks for the info

I've been through a hurricane. It is no fun and the only place you want to be is at your home with your family. If only for the well being of the "you people" working the convention, I hope Isaac stays away.

Interesting that it's a biblical name.

[malaise]

88. The meaning is way more ironic

Isaac means 'he will laugh'.

[HooptieWagon]

90. OMG! That's rich!

[Kennah]

102. Too bad it's not Hurricane Shaft. He's a bad mutha.

[Ruby the Liberal]

60. Protect the candidate.

Everyone else is on their own. Going Galt, if you will.

[HooptieWagon]

78. Yes, I imagine SS will whisk the cadidates and VIPs

to a safe location. Delegates will be left to fend for themselves, with whatever assistance RNC committee can provide them. That will be difficult, since the hotels are spread all over the area, power and communications will be out, and many roads impassable and bridges closed. It could be an epic clusterfuck for the GOP.

[Politicalboi]

76. Don't worry

The GOP has Heck of a job Brownie.

He'll probably be there, he can direct the horses asses out of the building in no time.

[HooptieWagon]

79. Ocala is horse country.

Maybe they'll reconvene there...

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. As a former emergency worker I get it

if YOU KNOW a disaster is coming your way (potentially) and you still hold your event...

Now if you end up in one because it happens, it's a different story.

And yes, I know it would cost millions to reschedule. Now the other question to ask is how many delegates will chose to stay home?

[malaise]

5. I'm betting less folks are flying in

on private planes

[HooptieWagon]

70. The closest civil airport is Peter O Knight, at the southern end of Davis Islands just south of do

It is an extremely exposed location, that routinely is damaged by wind, waterspouts, and flooding.

[malaise]

72. Wow

Not good

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

9. The GOP could have always had their convention at sea instead.

It would be fitting seeing how campaign (R)Money is going right now.

[hifiguy]

20. They will just "pray away" the hurricane.

Good luck with that, chumps.

[genxlib]

33. Not to worry, FEMA is ready

the feds will bail them out (like ususal) when their bootstraps fail from excessive pulling.

FEMA will have search and rescue teams standing by. I know because I am on one.

We were already having a readiness drill since the RNC is considered a terrorism target. But we are transitioning the drill to be something more like standby.

I guarantee you, if a hurricane actually comes into play during the convention, there will be at least 2 Search and Rescue teams staged and ready to go.

[nadinbrzezinski]

36. you be careful

and you got it

[genxlib]

40. No worries

When I am on deployment, I am surrounded by 70+ of the most heroic, competent and professional people I have ever met. That includes 2 doctors and dozens of EMT's

I feel safer on deployment than when I am at home.

Of course, I knew the world had changed after 9/11 when our hazmat training included how to jab ourselves in the thigh with nerve agent antidote. YIKES

[nadinbrzezinski]

44. Yeah, the world changed indeed

And I know exactly what you mean.

Still, as I used to tell my people before going out...

take care of yourself, your partner, your equipment and your patient, in that order...

[JNelson6563]

55. Thank you for protecting the masses.

Thanks to you and your team! A belated welcome to DU!

Julie

[calimary]

92. Welcome to DU! And thank you for your excellent work!

FEMA rocks! Especially when a Democrat chooses its leadership. ("Heckuva-Job Brownie," anyone?)

[LongTomH]

96. Good on ya, Mate! And thank you for being ready to serve!

[highplainsdem]

7. More from that article, on the possible RNC response:

http://www.tampabay.com/news/weather/hurricanes/article1246926.ece

As for the convention itself, the Republican Party's rules allow the chairman of the convention to permit some roll call votes to be taken by telephone, computer or other electronic means.

In the most extreme cases, the rules say that if the convention "cannot convene or is unable to conduct its business" at its site or in the chosen city, then and only then can there be an alternate method for the roll call votes to name the presidential and vice presidential nominees. The rules do not specify the procedure but say it must be authorized by the Republican National Committee.

[ananda]

10. Hehheh

I can just picture our nation's first electronic convention...

... including phone and internet sex with ho's.

[Segami]

13. LOLOL!

[HooptieWagon]

16. LOL at GOP internet sex.

But vote tallying isn't the main reason for a physical convention. Its the media coverage, the speech-making, and the exposure for up and coming GOPpers. All that down the drain. I think I'm going to cry... not.

[nadinbrzezinski]

21. I am, as a reporter who am I supposed to see the up and coming

Yup, seriously, I know next week I will be a shut in watching... and the week after that, the Democrats, unless of course, we have another large wild fire.

(Which this time of the year it is very much possible)

[cyclezealot]

42. Article below says , Gobbers spend more at Strip Clubs than Dems..

Again, the working class takes it under the belt thanks to GOP economics. As some have read, electronic porn is more frequented on

pay per view

in the Red States than the Blue States..
.
.Strip Clubs in Tampa Are Ready to Cash In on G.O.P. Convention
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/27/us/strip-clubs-in-tampa-are-ready-to-cash-in-on-gop-convention.html?_r=3&smid=pl-share

[CabCurious]

24. This is fun to imagine :)

[Renew Deal]

47. Ron Paul may win after all

[AlbertCat]

49. to be taken by telephone, computer or other electronic means.

Like the power's ON during a hurricane....

[HooptieWagon]

11. Potential problems RNC faces.

1) The convention center roof leaks like a seive in heavy rains. Communications, power, and staginging could be damaged by water.
2) If the storm is a major one, cat4 or5, and brushes the coast, strong southerly winds will push storm surge from Tampa Bay into downtown Tampa, Seriously, downtown could be under several feet of water.
3) Regardless of storm surge, heavy rain will make many streets impassable. Low-lying areas don't drain as quickly.
4) Many of the conventioneers are being hoteled in Pinellas County. During TS Debbie, all the bridges out of the county were closed due to high winds and causeway flooding. US19 heading north was closed due to standing water just north of the county. Essentially, conventioneers will be stuck.

[Panasonic]

38. If we could get them to stay there for 3 months until after November 7th

and the floods abate and the birds twitter happily as if they are happy that the Republicans are out of power, for good.

[yardwork]

62. Republicans don't want government messing with people's lives. They're on their own.

Failing infrastructure? Looks like the RNC will need to take up a collection from delegates to fix the roof of the convention center. Storm surge in Tampa? Better start bailing, boys. You don't believe in government, remember? Highways and bridges closed? Those should all be private-access anyway, paid for with tolls paid by the individuals who use them, not government.

[Baitball Blogger]

12. Oh, that would be precious.

Stay away from the windows! Head for a closed room--like your mind.

[socialist_n_TN]

14. Sounds like God doesn't like Republicans.....

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. I know, God is trying hard to send a message

You think Roberts will agree, or try to pray away God?

(Sorry, could not help)

[beveeheart]

26. I was just going to say that too.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

30. Doesn't Pat Robertson love Mormons enough?

[Hugabear]

46. God's punishment for nominating a Mormon

Anyone short of Fred Phelps would be unacceptable to many rethugs

[sadbear]

15. I'm getting Katrina flashbacks....

I can envision a bunch of old white guys trapped in Tropicana Field for a couple of weeks, with no one willing to help them out. But there won't be any looting, only "finding things".

[Berlum]

17. "Pull yourselves up by your own damn life preservers." - Tampa to Repubbies

[Yavin4]

18. Won't The Invisible Hand of the Free Market Push The Hurricane Away?

Or, is a hurricane nature's way of acting in its own self interest?

[HooptieWagon]

19. They'll try to pray away the Bay.

LMAO at triumph of mother nature/science over "faith".

[Blue Meany]

25. I'm sure the RNC has contingency plans for this that don't involve

government intervention (which they detest). And their response will provide the country something on which to gauge their ability to govern the country. (In other words, get ready to hear them blame everything on the local, Democratically-led, govt., just as they blamed the drought on Obama)

[HooptieWagon]

29. Gov Prick Scott is in charge of emergency response.

because the effects will cover many counties. So any blame will be directed at him, not local officials. GOP was warned in advance this was peak hurricane season.

[Blue Meany]

32. Yes, so like I said, get ready to hear them blaming Democrats...n/t

[genxlib]

39. Actually

Florida actually has one of the best disaster response programs in the Country because we have been dealing with this kind of stuff before.

Scott just needs to stay out of the way. See Reply 33

[cleduc]

27. The Bush executives ought to be hanging around the convention

Let them handle hurricane relief. It might be poetic justice.

[librechik]

28. wouldn't it be ironic if they were all stranded in the Convention Center w/o power or

services or supplies and the toilets piled high with waste? For days? I would love to see that, actually.

But then, I think we've all seen that one before, only the victims really didn't deserve that treatment. Like the Repubs do.

[catchnrelease]

82. I want to see pictures

of them huddled together with signs saying "Please help us" outside of the Center. Oh the humanity!!!

[HooptieWagon]

84. If it happens, I'm sure there will be media covering it.

But more likely, they'll be stranded in their hotel rooms spread over the whole area (some 30 miles away) unable to reach convention site due to impassable roads and closed bridges. And power and communication down. With luck, some will have battery TVs they can gather around watching news coverage of a GOP convention clusterfuck.

[genxlib]

31. Nice work

What kind of moron sschedules an event in Florida on the coast during Hurricane season?

[HooptieWagon]

37. Republican morons.

But that's being redundant.

[starroute]

34. Current forecast map

This has it restrengthening to a Cat. 1 hurricane after it gets past Cuba and rolling up the Florida coast on Monday. The forecasts have been converging as far as track is concerned, and it's not likely to go way to the west or east -- but it could still be either just onshore or slightly offshore. And intensity is always uncertain until the last minute.

I think I vote with the people wishing a large, soggy but not too powerful tropical storm on them. Just enough to take the edge off their party.

[Loudestlib]

35. This hurricane is proof that even God is against the GOP

[mattclearing]

93. This is the same crap Pat Robertson said.

If there is a God, it really doesn't give a shit about any of this.

[Hubert Flottz]

41. Gawd is prolly mad at Mitt, for having been for government health care,

when he was the governor, like some damned liberal!

[cbdo2007]

43. Act of God. See, I knew he was on our side.

[Hugabear]

45. Did somebody call for a bigger boat?

[SheilaT]

48. Yes, let's see those sanctimonious, lying, hypocritical sacks of

poop actually learn what limited government means.

[alfredo]

50. Move the convention to Treasure Island. Image of the island

[HooptieWagon]

58. Yep, barrier islands will be underwater in a major storm.

Charley flooded Sanibal and Captiva Islands to the south of us. Even TS Debby did extensive erosion damage to the barrier islands because it lingered offshore for several days.

[alfredo]

69. I had a friend who lived there. He would ride the storms out. I think it was a reason for

binge drinking. He survived the storms, but not the beer.

[HooptieWagon]

71. Its been 90 years since a direct hit.

Ive seen pictures of that one. Downtowns St Pete and Tampa were under 8' of water, Pass-a-grille, on the Gulf, was levelled. I'm on high ground in middle of St Pete, 50+ feet above sea level. I can ride it out. Anybody within 20 blocks of the water, or on a barrier island, is taking a big chance.

A friend of mine tried to ride out Katrina in Bay-St Louis, Ms, a block from the water. He figured it couldn't possibly be worse than Camille. As the storm surge came up, he was forced to the attic. He then had to kick out an attic vent to climb on the roof. When the eye passed over, he swam to a small boat drifting by. The resuming storm then swept him out the bay. He was found a day and a half later, clinging to the pilings of the ruined US90 bridge. The house he was staying in, and those blocks further inland, were swept away. Storm surge estimated at 30'.

[alfredo]

75. I bet he won't do that again.

[HooptieWagon]

80. Thats for sure.

This is a guy who's done a lot of dumb-ass shit, he said it was the dumbest. Next time, he says hes the first one out of Dodge.

[alfredo]

83. Too many people think they are immortal. Age and experience helps.

[HooptieWagon]

85. Unfortunately, hes old enough to have known better.

And his personal experience in Camille led to false sense of security, and not a small amount of bravado. I know several people in that town... NO ONE thought there would ever be a hurricane worse than Camille. Katrina was, by a lot.

[get the red out]

51. But....

If the strippers evacuate that will REALLY destroy the convention!

[Auggie]

52. I like Florida, but I would think twice about scheduling a major convention there

during hurricane season.

[HooptieWagon]

61. Orlando would have probably been OK.

Anywhere on the coast was taking a big risk.

[Auggie]

87. Well, the Repukes do have a Mickey Mouse candidate ...

[BlueStreak]

54. The most important person in the RNC right now

Is the one in charge of making sure they transport all the booze and hookers to wherever the convention ends up.

[HooptieWagon]

65. Interesting you mention that.

One of the locals biggest complaints about the RNC was the permitting of an out of town business to set up a large, tented, entertainment complex on a riverfront city park a block away. This not only takes money away from local bars and resturants, but also prevents people from using the park they paid for. I doubt this tented complex would survive even a tropical storm, let alone a hurricane. Serves them right.

[Shankapotomus]

56. There would be multi-levels of

glorious irony should the hurricane wipeout the RNC venue. From their denial of climate change to their use of "God's wrath" to explain natural disasters to the metaphor of a "perfect storm" hitting their party.

The catastrophic implosion of the Republican party and their campaign marked and symbolized in one last memorable moment of destruction would be a welcomed sight.

[HooptieWagon]

63. Yep, it is quite the mental image of Old Testament wrath of God

smiting the bat-shit crazies.

[tableturner]

67. About Orlando and Tampa regarding hurricanes.....

The truth is that Orlando has had much more difficulty dealing with hurricanes over the last decade compared to Tampa.

First, Charley entered at Punta Gorda, about 90 miles south of Tampa and headed northeast directly over Orlando. Tampa had very modest trouble and damage from that storm, while Orlando had many major issues. Tampa had some winds of 50-60 mph, while Orlando had winds of about 100 mph.

With regard to the litany of storms during the following two years, many of them entered Florida on the east coast, and all of them affected Orlando much more than Tampa.

Tampa is somewhat protected being on the west coast. For a hurricane to retain its strength while affecting Tampa, it has to get into the Gulf and then loop back to the northeast to hit the Tampa area with full force. That does not happen very often......in fact, almost never.

[Chorophyll]

68. No worries. They'll just "bootstrap" themselves out of there.

They're all super-tough lone-wolf cowboys, aren't they?

[Jack Rabbit]

73. I don't blame the city fathers of Tampa for inhospitalble to the Republicans

All the hot air coming out of the convention center will just feed the hurricane.

[avebury]

77. Here is the link

http://www.tampabay.com/news/weather/hurricanes/tropical-storm-isaac-becomes-a-concern-for-rnc/1246926

[HooptieWagon]

81. Thanks.

Somebody posted it upthread, also.

[alfredo]

86. Right now the forcast is for the eye to go west of the coast at Tampa. That is not good news. If it

does keep trending west, that would be good for Tampa, but bad for the Redneck Rivera. An extra day or two in the gulf could allow it to strengthen.

[HooptieWagon]

89. Just west of Florida is a worst case scenerio.

Strong southerly winds on the east side of storm will push water up the bay. Probably not enough in this case to send storm surge into downtown, but will be high enough to cause problems getting rainwater to drain.

Storm passing to east would be better. Either way there's wind and rain, but northerly winds will keep bay water levels down, helping drainage.

[alfredo]

97. High or low tide will make a difference.

[HooptieWagon]

98. A little, maybe 2 1/2 feet.

If storm is cat1, that might be about 5-6 feet of storm surge in the bay, if storm stays just offshore.

[alfredo]

99. 2 1/2 ft might be enough to push the water even further inland.

[HooptieWagon]

104. So could a few inches, for that matter.

We don't cut it that close, letting tide status or a couple feet of surge decide whether to evacuate or not. There are other variables that make a bigger difference, like the size of the storm, direction from which it comes, anticipated wind direction, and how fast the storm is moving. Generally, the tide only matters with a minor storm, when it influences how quickly storm water drains. If we were to see major storm, there is going to be a lot of storm surge flooding,, and a foot or two either way isn't going to make much difference.

[alfredo]

105. No matter what happens, it's going to be hard to light the grill,

and your beer will get watered down.

[mattclearing]

91. The funniest part is that in the worst case scenario, the only person who can rescue them will be...

...Barack Obama!

[madinmaryland]

94. Well at least they will have their guns to try and shoot the hurricane down!!

[malaise]

95. My hope is that they

'stand their ground'

[HooptieWagon]

103. Or Tread their water.

[malaise]

107. OK this is looking like Florida

Get ready folks

[pstokely]

100. They can pray the hurricane away

nt

[HooptieWagon]

106. "Pray away the Bay", we're calling it.

The republican plan for dealing with storm surge.

[malaise]

108. DUzy

[aquart]

101. Why did 84 people rate it LOL?