Isaac forces Republican convention planners to be 'nimble'

Lane Turner is just excited to be in Tampa, and to bea"part of history."

Turner is slated toperform two songs at Tuesday's first full day of events at theRepublican National Convention. His tracks' titles Blood, Sweat and Freedom and I Built It fit in with theanticipated themes of the party's overall message in the coming days.

"It's really a tremendous honour," Turnertold CBC News inside the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

With a broad smile, black cowboy hat and warm Texas drawl,Turner recalledmeeting his wife Paula, a Canadian from Selkirk, Man., at the Calgary Stampede.

But as tropical storm Isaac approaches the U.S. Gulf Coast and Republican organizers vow to be "nimble" in the face of the storm threatening to make landfall in the region on the seventh anniversary of the Hurricane Katrina disaster, Turner, along with numerous other performers and speakers, could see their stage time reduced or cut if further changes are made to the schedule.

The convention, initially scheduled to start on Monday, had been in a holding pattern for a day as organizers opted to put safety first, leaving delegates and organizers spread over hotels across Tampa warily viewing updates on Isaacs progress.

But while the convention area itself was largely spared any severe weather aside from rain, the storm is now on a straight path for New Orleans, a city devastated by Katrina and left scarred by the responses to the aftermathof municipal, state and federal government officials especially the Republican president at the time, George W. Bush.

3 states declare emergencies

Isaac is expected to make landfall along the Gulf Coast early Wednesday morning. Three Gulf Coast states have already declared a state of emergency Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, where most residents learned to take every storm seriously after Katrina.

Back in Tampa, Republicans are eager to avoid comparisons to Katrina during their convention, as well as having television coverage of their event compete for airtime with images of Isaacs damage.

Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, said organizers are still "planning on having all three days" of the convention.

"That's the plan right now," Priebus said Monday afternoon. "But I will tell you we are going to be nimble, if we have to do anything to incorporate some of the occurrences around this into our schedule and program."

Some delegates from the threatened areas expressed mixed feelings about being safe from the storm but away from their homes and loved ones.

Mike Bayham, a convention delegate from St. Bernard Parish in New Orleans, insists organizers made a mistake with the timing and location of this event. Conventions, Bayham told CNN, "need to go back in July."

"Having the convention in Tampa was probably not a good idea in peak of hurricane season but uh there's no need for the conventions to be this late," he said.

Romneys wife, Christie among Tuesday speakers

Assuming Tuesdays schedule goes ahead as planned, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is expected to get a primetime boost from one of his campaigns strongest assets: his wife, Ann Romney.

Convention organizers are seeking to emphasize Romneys personal story as a father, husband and business leader in an attemptto convince Americans he is a better alternative to Democratic incumbent Barack Obama in Novembers election.

Romney, a former Massachusetts governor who has amassed an estimated $200-million fortune, has struggled on the campaign trail to connect with voters on a likeability scale. Ann Romneys speech is expected to emphasizeher husband'swarmer, more human side with his family away from the campaign spotlight.

Also among Tuesdays scheduled speakers is one of Romneys staunchest supporters, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a conservative favourite who is expected to let loose on Obamas policies and his handling of the country's economic recovery.