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Dublin: 13 °C Wednesday 22 May, 2013

Republican National Convention gets underway in Florida

Mitt Romney will take to the stage at the Republican National Convention in Florida to receive the official presidential candidate nomination from his party.

Mitt Romney boarding his plane for Tampa today.
Mitt Romney boarding his plane for Tampa today.
Image: Evan Vucci/Press Association Images

MITT ROMNEY’S CORONATION is getting underway today at the Republican National Convention.

Although Romney secured the nomination as the Republican presidential candidate months ago this is merely a formality in which state delegates affirm his nomination.

Romney has flown in early to the three-day event, which has already been cut short a day due to Hurricane Isaac.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus opened the convention on Monday afternoon and immediately put it in recess until Tuesday.

Even though the storm has passed Tampa, Florida, CNN reports that Republicans in attendance are wary about giving the perception of a “celebratory convention atmosphere with colourful balloons and soaring rhetoric” given the situation with Hurricane Isaac and the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

The convention’s events include speeches by Romney’s wife, Ann, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and a mysterious “to be announced” speaker scheduled to speak on Thursday.

Speculation in Tampa over who the “to be announced” speaker is has The Wall Street Journal questioning if it could be Sarah Palin.

The convention will culminate with Romney’s nationally televised acceptance speech on Thursday.

According to The Chicago Tribune this will be one of the biggest addresses of his political career.

Meanwhile, demonstrators have been marching through the streets of Tampa to protest against the Convention:

Republican National Convention gets underway in Florida
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    Delegates watch a video presentation during an abbreviated session of the Republican National Convention. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
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    A volunteer places pamphlets on chairs in Montana's delegation seating area before the start of the Republican National Convention today in Florida. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
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    Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and his wife Callista look over the podium during a sound check at the Republican National Convention today in Tampa, Florida. (AP Photo/J Scott Applewhite)
  • Republican Convention

    Police officers stand in a downpour as they watch demonstrators marching through the streets of Tampa, Florida, to protest against the Republican National Convention. (Chris O'Meara/AP/Press Association Images)
  • Republican Convention

    Tampa assistant police chief JA Bennett speaks with demonstrators sitting on the street during a march through the streets of Tampa, Fla., to protest the Republican National Convention. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

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