During the Fox News Channel’s Sunday night coverage of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Washington Post columnist Charles Krauthammer explained to viewers why now-Tropical Storm Isaac may force Republicans to adjust their messaging strategies during the convention.
Krauthammer told host Bret Baier that the first day’s cancellation takes a few pages out of the Republicans’ attack-President-Obama playbook.
“There are two problems,” Krauthammer said. “Number one: The cancellation of day one and some of day two is difficult for Republicans because that is the day for red meat. You want to be really negative, hit really hard, talk about the path at the beginning and then you end the convention with Ryan and Romney talking about the future, talking about hope and all that. You’re losing the opportunity to really hit the other guys hard.”
If the storm is serious, Krauthammer added, it could mean the entire convention sees a shift in tone.
“The other part is when you get to Tuesday and Wednesday, if there is a catastrophe somewhere on the southern coast on the Gulf of Mexico, then what’s the tone of the convention? It has to change completely.
“It has to be kind of solemn,” he concluded. “It has to be more we are in this together, more inspirational.So you have to shift the emphasis of the speeches and the introduction of Romney. That’s the whole point, was introducing Romney. But now you have to think in larger terms and a lot softer terms.”