By Griselda Nevarez, VOXXI
Latino politicians scheduled to speak Monday at the Republican National Convention will now be weaved into a three-day schedule after Tropical Storm Isaac cut the convention short by one day, planners announced Sunday.
Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval and Texas Senate candidate Ted Cruz had their Monday speaking slots changed to Tuesday. Puerto Rico Gov. Luis Fortuño was also scheduled to speak Monday and will now make remarks on Wednesday.
Other changes were made to accommodate for the new schedule. That includes moving New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez’s speaking slot from Tuesday to Wednesday’s prime time. She will follow Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and will speak just before vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan.
Ann Romney and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie are still on for speaking during Tuesday’s prime time. There were also no changes made to Thursday’s prime time, when Florida Sen. Marco Rubio will present Mitt Romney, who will formally accept the Republican presidential nomination.
Russ Schriefer, Romney for President strategist, said in a conference call with reporters Sunday that because of time constraints, several speakers scheduled to speak Monday were taken off the program. Speeches will also be cut short to make time for the speakers who will be weaved in to the new three-day schedule.
“By doing that, we were able to maintain all our headliners, put them in on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and be able to continue our program,” Schriefer told reporters.
Plans to convene the Republican convention on Monday still remain. Except that when the Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus calls the convention to order at 2 p.m. on Monday, he will immediately declare a recess. Schriefers said the process will take about five minutes and doesn’t expect many delegates to show up for it.
He added that the convention’s messaging will not change because of the schedule change. Initially, Monday’s theme was “We can do better.” Schriefers said that theme will be weaved into the other days: Tuesday (“We built it”), Wednesday (“We can change it”) and Thursday (“We believe in America”).
“We believe that the Monday theme – President Obama’s failed leadership, not serving the American people – is something that we can talk about in each one of these areas, and we will continue to do that and drive that message,” Shriefers said.
The storm had originally threatened to hit the Tampa Bay area but has now digressed west into the Gulf of Mexico and away from Florida. Convention planners will continue monitoring the weather and are not ruling out the possibility of extending the convention to Friday if needed.
Before You Go
