Day 3 LIVE from Tampa Bay. Today on AirTalk we'll take a look at last nights speeches by Ann Romney and Chris Christie, KPCC’s Frank Stoltze heads to the coast for California delegates’ beach party, whether or not the Pentagon is no longer the sacred cow, what Paul Ryan brings to the GOP ticket, the role of health care in the 2012 election and the young California delegates. Plus, the latest news
Ann Romney and Chris Christie get on the GOP soapbox, and more from Tampa
Last night, viewers of the Republican National Convention were treated to the first round of primetime speakers. Most notable were the keynote speaker, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and the presumptive nominee’s wife, Ann Romney.
Christie told his own personal story, and reminded Republicans that, “We win when we make it about what needs to be done; we lose when we play along with their game of scaring and dividing.” His speech is being heralded as a success by critics, both Republican and otherwise. Former Democratic Presidential Candidate Al Gore said that Christie showed his “trademark energy” and said it looks like his first step towards running for president in 2016.
Ann Romney delivered a beautiful speech according to most analysts, but some feel it might have lacked substance in the same way Mitt Romney’s critics attack the man himself.
Larry Mantle interviews alternate delegate Colonel Oscar Poole from East Ellijay, Georgia, at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, FL. Poole has owned Colonel Poole's Bar-B-Q for 23 years, and has been called the "Colonel Sanders of BBQ."
Weigh In:
What moments stood out to you last night? Did your impression of the candidate or the party change significantly? What can we be looking forward to seeing and hearing tonight? Who is making news so far today?
Guests:
Doyle McManus, Washington Columnist, covering national and international politics, Los Angeles Times
Mike Spence, California Delegate; President, Conservative Republicans of California
Karen Bass, Democratic Congressman (CA-33) (West Los Angeles, Culver City, Ladera Heights and surrounding areas)
Colonel Oscar Poole Owner of Colonel Poole's Bar-B-Q in East Ellijay, Georgia
KPCC’s Frank Stoltze heads to the coast for California delegates’ beach party
Larry checks in with KPCC reporter Frank Stoltze who's kicking it beachside with a boisterous group of California delegates.
Guest:
Frank Stoltze, KPCC reporter currently in Tampa
Is the Pentagon no longer a sacred cow?
Both Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan have decried defense cuts which were put in place by a Congressional supercommittee designed originally to handle the debt ceiling crisis. These cuts are scheduled to go into effect in January 2 with layoff notifications to go out 45 days ahead of time unless overturned by Congress.
The cuts, known as “sequestration,” are designed to cut $500 billion from the Department of Defense over the next ten years. The first casualties are likely to be jobs in the federal workforce, rather than defense contractors, research and development or weapons procurement, as those budget outlays have already been made. Romney and Ryan have suggested that, if elected, they’ll fast-track Republican legislation that shifts the burden of cuts to other programs. But the candidates have been silent on the fact that Ryan – along with 173 other Republicans - voted for the Budget Control Act that included the defense trigger cuts.
Rather, the campaign has focused on the inherent peril the nation faces in reducing defense programs, and the massive blow it will deal to the economy. How will the GOP address defense spending in their platform? If elected, will Romney be able to reverse the trajectory of sequestration that Congress voted into effect? What will he put on the chopping block instead?
Guests:
Congressman Buck McKeon, (R), 25th District, Santa Clarita Valley, Antelope Valley, San Bernardino, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee
Mattie Duppler, Director of Budget & Regulatory Policy, Americans for Tax Reform
Democratic Mayor of Tampa welcomes the nation’s Republicans
Even with seasonal weather patterns threatening to dampen the RNC, the city of Tampa Bay and its Mayor Bob Buckhorn have delivered on their promises.
In a briefing earlier today, Mayor Buckhorn expressed all the positive remarks his team and his city has received from delegates across the country saying “I can’t tell you how many delegates and staffers have stopped me and told me this is the most welcoming, warmest, friendliest city they’ve ever been too.” Hyperbole aside, getting the RNC to this point alone was an accomplishment considering the cancellation of Monday’s events due to now Hurricane Isaac.
In the Mayor’s welcoming speech yesterday, he was thankful and gracious that the GOP could put their faith and trust into his city, addressing them as his ‘Fellow Americans’ as the Mayor is a Democrat. Party affiliation and threatening storms aside, Tampa Bay is ready to finish the rest of the week strong and make Tampa Bay a true political player.
How important is the host city to voters? Is it safer to set up camp in a true base city? How big is the economic impact of hosting a convention of this size?
Guest:
Bob Buckhorn, Mayor; City of Tampa Bay
What Paul Ryan brings to the Romney-Ryan ticket
Tonight, Paul Ryan will take the stage at the RNC as Mitt Romney’s official vice presidential running mate. And a recent Pew study shows that more people are interested to hear from him than the man at the top of the ticket.
Young, attractive and considered one of the more intellectually astute policy makers for the GOP, Ryan brings equal amounts of optimism from the right and skepticism from the left. He has set his sites on overhauling Medicare, the popular health insurance program, which makes him less popular with moderates and even older voters in his own base.
However, his budget plan is largely considered a blueprint for conservatives which among other things, would repeal the 2010 federal healthcare law and limit government spending up to 20 percent by 2015. As chairman of the House Budget Committee, it is Ryan’s fiscal policy that has energized the GOP base the most and gives Romney some much needed conservative credibility.
But the candidate remains largely unknown outside of those who follow politics closely, which is why his speech tonight will be the most anticipated of the convention so far. Are you going to watch Ryan's speech? What part of his policy are you most interested in hearing about? Do you think it was a good choice by Romney?
Guest:
Manu Raju, Senior Congressional Reporter for POLITICO
Did GOP conservatives force openly gay Romney spokesman's resignation?
A Southern California native, Richard Grenell has been active in politics for years. He has served as a consultant to former New York Governor George Pataki, as well as the Director of Communications and Public Diplomacy for the previous four U.S. ambassadors to the United Nations.
His most recent role was on Mitt Romney’s campaign, working as the Republican nominee’s national security spokesman. However, that stint lasted less than a week as conservatives concerned with traditional marriage and family values pressured Grenell, an openly gay man, to resign. He acquisced, and Romney accepted his resignation.
What does this mean for those who are openly gay within the Republican Party? How does Grenell feel about his decision to leave the campaign now?
Guest:
Richard Grenell, spokesman for the last 4 US ambassadors to the UN; he also briefly served as Mitt Romney's national security spokesman
Healthcare’s role in the 2012 election
Since the passage of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act, healthcare has been one of the most important, and contentious, issues for politicians and voters.
Mitt Romney has been fighting “Obamacare” for some time, mainly from his Republican rivals during the primary season, as his healthcare plan in Massachusetts served as the basic model for Barack Obama’s. If that weren’t enough, Democrats then got up in arms after Romney chose Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin as his running mate. That’s because Ryan’s proposed budget plan would dramatically change the way Medicare for seniors is managed and funded through the introduction of insurance vouchers, which could end up costing seniors $6,400 more on average.
Democrats are pounding Republicans, Romney and Ryan on these numbers, but they are being attacked for Obama’s proposed $716 billion in cuts as part of the Affordable Care Act.
And then there’s Medicaid coverage, which would grow under Obama’s plan, and likely decrease under the Romney/Ryan model, as Ryan’s proposal converts federal payments to fixed-dollar block grants to be doled out according to the discretion of individual states.
Are the two parties fairly or unfairly characterizing the healthcare proposals of one another? What would happen to Obamacare if Romney is elected? How will these nuanced issues play out and affect the rest of the campaign? Which side has the winning argument? Florida has quite a good deal of seniors and elderly on Medicare, will the issue be covered in depth at the convention?
Guests:
Tammy Frisby, Advisor to Mitt Romney; Hoover Institution Fellow specializing in health care and tax policy; Professor of American Politics, Stanford University
Dan Adcock, director of government relations and policy, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare