McMorris Rodgers GOP convention “host”
Tropical Storm Isaac might be bad news in general for the Republican National Convention, but the storm clouds at least have a silver lining for Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers.
The storm is shortening the convention by one day, by knocking out all but the official opening from today's agenda. McMorris Rodgers was among the long list of people scheduled to speak from the podium tonight on the theme of "We can do better."
Now, the Eastern Washington congresswoman won't be making that speech, but will be on the stage for the three remaining nights as the convention's "host." This may sound a bit strange when one considers her district is pretty far from Florida -- you can't get much farther without leaving the lower 48. When one throws a party, the "host" is usually the person whose house the party is at, or who is paying the bar tab at the restaurant, and neither of those descriptions fit.
"I wouldn't look at it from a geographic perspective, but from a national political perspective," her spokesman Todd Winer said.
McMorris Rodgers has been involved in the Mitt Romney presidential campaign for months, and is currently campaign co-chairwoman for Washington state, campaign liaison to the House of Representatives, co-chairwoman of Farmers and Ranchers for Mitt and co-chairwoman of Women for Mitt.
The title of convention host is a new rule for this GOP national convention, Winer said. McMorris Rodgers, who had been slated for a seven-minute speech in the original game plan, will speak from three to five minutes at the beginning of each night's events, explaining who the speakers are and the evening's theme. (There's a different theme for each night.) . She'll be on the stage a fair amount, throughout the convention, Winer said.
For the complete "Order of Business" for the convention, click here.