Top Republicans may skip GOP convention

[Cali_Democrat]

Source: CNN

Washington (CNN)A number of high-profile Republicans, fearful of a potential melee in Cleveland this summer, are considering skipping the Republican National Convention and campaigning back home instead.

With the presidential campaign hitting a fever pitch and Donald Trump warning about riots if he's denied the nomination, some House and Senate Republicans tell CNN that it makes more sense to spend time with voters back home rather than be associated with the drama engulfing their party.

But even some leading party stalwarts are planning to skip the convention.

Asked Tuesday if he'd attend the convention, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush told CNN: "No."

"Unlikely," GOP Sen. Kelly Ayotte said when asked if she'd be in Cleveland in the midst of her tough bid for a second term. "I've got a lot of work to do in New Hampshire, I have my own re-election and I'm going to be focusing on my voters in New Hampshire."

<...>

Quietly, some officials in the highest rungs of Republican leadership are advising their rank-and-file members to stay away from Cleveland. One top GOP party leader, who asked not to be named so they could discuss internal thinking, told CNN privately that he has advised his colleagues to hold campaign rallies and town halls in their home states during the time of the July convention. A senior Senate GOP leadership aide echoed that sentiment.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/12/politics/republican-convention-2016/index.html

[gordianot]

1. The chickens will stay in the coop!

Betcha FAUX noise will be there.

[mpcamb]

13. The 'duck and cover' program...

[Bernardo de La Paz]

2. Roger Stone threats and those outside the convention may be playing into the fear factor

If what I read is correct (grain of salt!) then there will be 700+ truckers, 20,000 bikers, and lots of open carry 'enthusiasts' milling around outside the convention.

Roger Stone may be publishing room numbers of delegates. He has threatened to do so. Perhaps that is also a factor.

[liberal N proud]

3. The riot will be televised

[silvershadow]

4. Is there a public viewing gallery? I'd love to go with a box of popcorn and a coke and sit back. nt

[ailsagirl]

5. Fasten your seatbelts...

[catnhatnh]

6. You know what would be fun?

Sneaking in a roll of bubble wrap!

[LiberalFighter]

7. That would be nasty!

[herding cats]

8. Looks like it's too hot in the kitchen even for those who started cooking this goose.

From the article:

But even some tea party-aligned conservatives are planning to stay home in 2016.
Rep. Mick Mulvaney, a co-founder of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, said in an interview with CNN that after discussing his plans with about 20 other conservatives‎ in recent days, roughly half of them agreed with him and have decided not to attend the convention.
His reason: "Let the activists, let the people decide" who the nominee will be, rather than the politicians.

Fascinating!

[olddad56]

9. rats abandoning the ship.

[csziggy]

10. Are they worried about a police riot or that they might be drafted to run?

Could it look like this in Cleveland?

Or are these guys worried that they could be drafted to be on the ticket in either position - president or VP?

If I were one of the Tea Party people, I'm not sure which would scare me more.

[rpannier]

11. Won't do them much good

If problems occur, which I doubt they'll be near the level republikkans fear, not being there will likely look more like an act of cowardice

[jmowreader]

12. Would you like to get so rich you never have to work again?

Sell army helmets outside the convention hall.

[dembotoz]

14. dem party made them super delegates so they have to show up to shill for the hil

in my state dem officials pretty much only show up if they are on the agenda to make a speech

otherwise they pretty much manage to avoid contact at the convention with the greater unwashed

[sofa king]

15. ? for our friends who remember the '60s:

Could you see the train wreck of Chicago '68 coming from this distance, like I think I see a train wreck headed for Cleveland '16?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Democratic_National_Convention

By this time in 1968, Lyndon Johnson had dropped out, and Dr. King had been assassinated. There was a bitter three-way race in which Robert Kennedy was beginning to show momentum but was pulling delegates away from the solid anti-war candidate, Eugene McCarthy. Meanwhile Hubert Humphrey was playing an insider game of not competing in the primaries and snapping up caucuses through deft scheming, openly planning to take the nomination at the convention.

In short, it was a wide-open clusterf&%, which threatened to get ugly, and in fact it totally did.

My question is, could those of you who were watching (or participating) in 1968 see all of this coming? Could you tell it was going to be a disaster? What happened that you did not expect to see?

Thanks for your time and recollections.