Religious conservatives warn GOP against holding convention in Vegas

[rug]

Las Vegas has lots of hotel rooms for a convention and “64 pages of escort services” in the yellow pages, a critic says. (Monica Almeida/The New York Times)

By TODD J. GILLMAN
Washington Bureau
[e-mail]
Published: 09 April 2014 11:14 PM
Updated: 09 April 2014 11:31 PM

WASHINGTON — Some of the heaviest hitters on the religious right are pressuring GOP leaders to cross off Las Vegas as a potential host city for its 2016 convention, warning that putting the next convention in Sin City will harm the party’s image and drive away supporters.

Dallas already pitches itself as a more wholesome alternative to Vegas, and the push-back could bolster the city’s effort.

The leaders sent a letter last week to Republican chairman Reince Priebus, putting him on notice that picking Vegas would generate friction. They call the city a “trap waiting to ensnare. … What could go wrong? The answer is obvious.”

Leaders from the religious right who have joined the effort include Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association; Phyllis Schlafly, founder of Eagle Forum; Andrea Lafferty, president of the Traditional Values Coalition; Paul Caprio, director of Family-PAC; and James Dobson, president of Family Talk ministry.

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/headlines/20140409-religious-conservatives-warn-gop-against-holding-convention-in-vegas.ece

[rrneck]

1. If we could only make the slogan really work...

"What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas".

[rug]

2. In this case, we want it out there as it happens.

64 pages!

[yeoman6987]

3. Both conventions are a waste of money

Back in the day when we didn't know who the candidate was going to be and they made a huge announcement at the end, that was fine and actually probably fun to anticipate who was going to be the candidate. Today just a dumb get together. The money could be spent much better on making the US a better place.

[Blue Owl]

4. Sin City seems like the perfect spot

n/t

[cbayer]

5. It's a den of iniquity ruled by satan!

I've (regrettably) been there twice and it looked to me to be full of the same kind of people one generally sees at the republican convention, if you can use t-shirt slogans as a guide.

But hey, they met in New Orleans not that long ago and nobody seemed to mind that. There's nothing in Las Vegas you can't get in New Orleans.

Anyway, from the article it looks like they are much more concerned that the delegates would be "exposed" than they are that they would be tempted.

[LostOne4Ever]

6. If the GOP really wants to have a convention in a city representing them

I think they should have it in Wonderland. What better place to have a convention for a party whose entire platform is based on fiction and libertarian fairy tales?

[Jim__]

7. Maybe the GOP could just hold a bidding war between adelson and the religious conservatives.

The high bidder gets to pick the convention spot. It would fit right in with their ideology.