Best Foot Forward?

What else could we say? We knew this was coming. Last month, we explained why there was a better chance of hell freezing over than Las Vegas hosting the 2016 Republican National Convention.

This is why Republicans probably won't pick Las Vegas to host their 2016 national convention. While Southern Nevada is home to a diverse electorate who likely resembles the future of America, "Republican rebranding" has accomplished nothing but the repeat of the same old lame excuses of why the G-O-TEA base rejects 21st century America. And even though Nevada is a key state that Republicans need to win more often in order to remain a nationally relevant party, the Nevada Republican Party long ago lost interest in winning elections as it's pursued ideological "purity" to the point of endorsing "Chickens for Checkups" and armed anarchy. Southern Nevada can all too easily remind everyone of why the Republican Party has become radically out of touch with the mainstream electorate, and this is why the Republican National Committee will likely "rebrand" itself into a convention somewhere else.

Surprise, surprise, we were proven correct yesterday. But of course, "reliable sources" claim this happens due to "logistical reasons".

"Logistical reasons"... Like what? Cliven Bundy and his gang of "outlaw cowboys" fighting for free-dumb? Adam Laxalt continually reminding everyone of who's truly in charge of the Republican Party? Cresent Hardy's "segregation laws"? Sue Lowden's return?

Of course, @LV2016 operatives have been engaging in damage control. And to be fair, money (or more accurately, the lack of it) probably did play a role in the untimely demise of @LV2016. And perhaps the lack of an arena... Wait, what?! So Cashman Field, Sam Boyd Stadium, Thomas & Mack Center, and Henderson Pavilion weren't good enough for the RNC? Seriously?

Apparently, this was already a done deal before yesterday. So @LV2016 boosters tried their best to save face as their ship was sinking. And apparently, the best excuses they could come up with were "logistics" and money. (So #1 G-O-TEA Sugar Daddy Sheldon Adelson couldn't save their day?)

The Nevada Republican Party has been trying lately to put its best foot forward. And look how this latest attempt played out. Great job, Nevada Republican Party. And great job on that "Republican rebranding", RNC. So much for that putting best foot forward.

RNC... W. T. F??!!

Honestly, I was going to say something about Mitt Romney's speech last night... But come on, Clint Eastwood totally upstaged him. Look, there's an empty chair!

“It has been an inspiration to not only hear from our leaders, but to meet like-minded Republicans who are fired up and ready to make a difference in this country,” Dave Buell, a delegate and Washoe County Republican Party chairman, said Thursday on the last night of the convention.

“(The convention speakers) have inspired us to go out and make sure we win this election. I know how important Washoe is to Nevada and how important Nevada is to winning this election,” Buell said.

Yes, he really said that (to The RGJ). And yes, this is coming from "The Renegade County Party" that's seeking a divorce from "The Renegade State Party". And oh my Gaga, is that an empty chair??!!

In so many ways, truth is stranger than fiction. Yesterday, some progressives in Las Vegas decided to celebrate Mitt Romney's G-O-TEA coronation with an extra special "wedding". You just have to see it to believe it.







And here's some video from KSNV.



So what was that about? Oh, it's just a reminder of Mitt Romney's "private sector" experience, Mitt Romney's economic priorities, and Mitt Romney's love for "billionaire bailouts". Fortunately for them, Sheldon Adelson's posse wasn't around to "rough them up". They did it at The Venetian, after all.

Now coming around full circle, I can finally start to understand why Clint Eastwood was allowed to argue with an empty chair. Since Mitt Romney doesn't really have a convincing message of his own, the only way he can win is by convincing us that we must get rid of this "evil, COMMUNIST, un-American!!!!" Barack Obama. Basically, Romney is running as "Generic Republican" against the teabaggers' caricature of President Obama. While Eastwood's deranged rant still reeks of nonsense, at least his episode becomes somewhat understandable when viewed from this lens.

It seems like the Romney campaign truly believes he can win just by being "Not Obama"... That is, not that scary caricature of Obama that teabaggers love to yell & scream about. But what happens when we dwell some more on who Mitt Romney is and what he does? That's what the Romney campaign fears. And that's why we saw that "wedding" at The Venetian yesterday. If working families can't trust Mitt Romney when he promises to "fix the economy", what does he have left to campaign on?

An empty chair?