NEVADA: Tony Perkins Cheers After Las Vegas Withdraws Its Bid To Host The 2016 Republican Convention

One month after the Nevada GOP dropped opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion from its platform, the Republican National Committee announced this afternoon that Las Vegas has withdrawn its bid to host the 2016 convention.

Heidi Hayes, spokeswoman for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said timing played a big role in the decision to withdraw the bid. "After analyzing the requirements and needs of the RNC, particularly the timing of the event, it was determined our existing convention calendar filled with previously booked business made it difficult to host the event at the Las Vegas Convention Center," Hayes said in a statement to FOX5. "We understand the decision and wish the RNC well in their endeavors." The Republican National Committee said the field of cities to host the convention had been narrowed to Cleveland, Dallas, Denver and Kansas City. A vote on a final choice could be made by late summer or early fall.

KKK-affiliated hate group leader Tony Perkins is exulting in the news and implies that Las Vegas withdrew after pressure from RNC chairman Reince Priebus.

"We are pleased to learn today that Las Vegas has withdrawn its bid to become a host city - a decision that comes only weeks after the state party ignited a party-wide firestorm by stripping pro-life and pro-natural marriage language from its state platform. We commend RNC Chairman Reince Priebus for his work to ensure the party upholds the core principles found in the party's platform. Those Republicans who want to rip up the planks of life and marriage in their party's platform will only succeed in building a boardwalk to a permanent GOP minority. The reality is that after two failed presidential cycles, the GOP can't afford to jettison the planks of life and marriage, which would only alienate a segment of voters which is the difference between victory and defeat."

RELATED: After the 2012 GOP convention, Perkins crowed that he had personally written the anti-gay marriage portion of the national party platform.

UPDATE: In tonight's daily message to FRC supporters, Perkins doesn't mention that Las Vegas withdrew voluntarily from consideration.

The reality is that these issues are non-negotiable to the base of the party. The Nevada Republican Party found this out the hard way after its party leaders removed the life and marriage planks from their platform. The plank stripping stunned Republicans around the country and caused many within the party to pull back from giving consideration to Las Vegas as the host site for the 2016 Republican National Convention. Today, the RNC announced that Las Vegas is no longer on the short list of possible host cities. Republicans like Governor Tom Corbett can continue to rip up these planks but they will only succeed in building the GOP a boardwalk to a permanent minority.

Who Is The GOP's Mystery Speaker?

I predict the Zombie Andrew Breitbart. Coke spoon in one hand, boxed wine in the other.

RNC Holds Opening Session

There was an official opening ceremony today even though the rest of the day has been canceled. GOP officials from several Gulf states have either returned or decided to stay at home to deal with storm preparations.

Billboard Of The Day

(Tipped by Mama JMG)

GOP Platform On Military Slams "Social Experimentation" On LGBT Rights

FRC president Tony Perkins engineered the GOP plank against same-sex marriage. And now it appears that the detestable Elaine Donnelly had a hand in the plank about gays in the military.

President Obama's expansion of gay rights in the military, including on-base same sex marriage and wearing uniforms in gay pride parades, would be radically yanked back in a Mitt Romney administration, according to Republican platform positions taking shape in Tampa and OK'd by the candidate. "We're pushing back," said Elaine Donnelly, of the conservative Center for Military Readiness. "This is pretty big."

While one subcommittee was tightening anti-abortion and "traditional marriage" language that won praise from the Family Research Council, a national security team moved rapidly to pull back expanded gay rights derided by critics as "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered Law." New language included rejecting "the use of military as a platform for social experimentation," and a demand that the military provide "objective and open-minded" recommendations to the president on personnel policies. The brass has been criticized for bowing to Obama's move to expand gay rights in the military.

With this and the marriage plank I can't imagine more vivid proof that the GOP is entirely in the hands on anti-gay hate groups. So much for all these Log Cabin claims about inclusion.

Headline Of The Day

Citing "severe transportation difficulties due to sustained winds and rain," the RNC has canceled the first day of the convention.

Convention Storm Watch

The predicted track for Isaac has shifted west, somewhat lessening the danger to the Tampa Bay area. As attention focuses on north Florida, it appears that the Florida Keys will not be evacuated.

A tropical-storm watch was posted at 5 p.m. Friday for all the Florida Keys as Tropical Storm Isaac continued its northwest march through the Caribbean toward Florida. No evacuation, for visitors or tourists or residents, is expected. The National Hurricane Center also posted storm watches -- meaning winds of at least 39 mph are possible within 48 hours -- for the state's east coast up to Jupiter, and on the west coast to Bonita Springs. All that was known for certain Friday is that Isaac -- expected to arrive near the Florida Keys late Sunday to early Monday as a tropical storm of indeterminate strength -- likely will drop several inches of rain, stir high seas and possibly inflict some damage from winds of 45 mph with gusts that may exceed 55 mph.

Discreet Convention Play

Buzzfeed beat us to it and posted a Craigslist round-up.

TAMPA: Human Rights Campaign To Run Marriage Ad During GOP Convention

Convention Storm Watch

Key West might be in for a direct hit on Sunday. Evacuation orders for the Keys may come tonight.

Forecasters with The Weather Channel think the evacuation decisions could come quickly. It is anticipated that watches will be issued for South Florida and the Keys by Friday night. In the event of an evacuation, Mayor Cates told The Weather Channel that tourists would leave first, followed by special needs citizens. Cates stated that residents wouldn't need to leave just yet, given the strength of the storm at this point. The Florida State Emergency Operations Center was activated to a Level 2 on Thursday. The EOC's website defines Level 2 as a limited agency activation. All primary, or lead, Emergency Support Functions are notified. The State Emergency Operations Center will be staffed by Division of Emergency Management personnel and necessary Emergency Support Functions.

Live From Tampa

Archbishop Dolan To Pray At RNC

Archbishop Timothy Dolan will give the closing prayer at the Republican convention in Tampa, an interesting choice because the national coalition of Catholic bishops that he heads recently issued a blistering denouncement of the Ryan Plan to eviscerate services for the poor. Obviously, this is meant to sway Florida's Hispanic vote.

A spokesman for Dolan said convention protocol calls for the local bishop to deliver such a prayer, meaning the slot would have normally gone to a Florida bishop, but that the Republican convention’s organizers insisted on Dolan’s participation. “The Cardinal made it clear to the RNC (and to the Democratic National Committee as well) that he was only there to offer a prayer, not to engage in any partisan politics,” the spokesman, Joseph Zwilling, said in an e-mail, “and that he would be willing to accept a similar invitation from the DNC if they were to invite him to pray at their Convention as well.” Catholics are considered the quintessential swing vote, and no presidential candidate has won the White House without winning that bloc since at least the early 1990s.

(Tipped by JMG reader Dwight)

Convention Storm Watch

Sort of related: A buddy of mine is flying to Key West today for a few days at Island House. How will he ever pass the time?

Headline Of The Day

The Hottest Party In Town

The Daily Bleach had some fun with the Tampa titty bars promoting convention specials. Actual ads are at the link. Check out the apparently real Craigslist entry while you're there.

Log Cabin: You Didn't See The Good Work We Did On The GOP Platform

"Tony Perkins may be boasting today about having written an antigay marriage plank into the Republican Party platform, but it will be a hollow and short-lived victory. The obsessive exclusion of gay couples, including military families, from the rights and responsibilities of marriage, combined with bizarre rhetoric about 'hate campaigns' and 'the homosexual rights agenda' are clear signs of desperation among social conservatives who know that public opinion is rapidly turning in favor of equality.

"Unfortunately, what voters can't see in this document is the significant debate within the Committee. We were pleased to see vigorous debate on amendments in support of civil unions and to delete language regarding DOMA. While these measures failed, the future direction of our party clearly trends toward inclusion. This may well be the last time a platform will cater to the likes of the Family Research Council on marriage, and the fact is, platforms rarely influence policy. Tony will never see his discrimination written into the United States Constitution." - Log Cabin Republicans head R. Clark Cooper, via press release.

Cooper must be referring to this kind of DOMA debate, during which the delegate compared gay marriage to drug use and polygamy.

TAMPA: Bathhouse Offers Free Admittance To Republican Convention Delegates

An Ybor City bathhouse is offering free admittance for GOP delegates during the convention. For those unaware, Ybor City is a homo-heavy entertainment district famed for its riotous nightclub scene, which is often described as Tampa's version of Bourbon Street. Google tells us that the above bathhouse is riiiight around the corner from GOProud's Homocon 2012 on the same block. How convenient! (Via Daily Bleach)

Gay Hookers Gear Up For Tampa

The Onion definitely needs a heads-up on acceptable trans terminology, but if you can get past that it's damn funny.

Tropical Storm Threatens Tampa

Tropical Storm Isaac is gaining strength over warm waters and may become a Category 2 hurricane as it approaches Tampa just in time for the start of the GOP convention.

Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center said a newly-formed tropical storm could threaten the site of next week's Republican National Convention by early next week. Storm warnings were issued Tuesday for portions of the eastern Caribbean Islands after Tropical Storm Isaac formed in the Atlantic Ocean. As of 5 p.m., Tuesday, Isaac had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. Isaac is moving to the west at 17 mph. On its present track, it is expected to pass over the Windward Islands on Wednesday, moving into the Caribbean Sea.

FRC: We Placed Anti-Gay Hate Into The GOP Party Platform! NOW PAY US!!!

Just in via press release:

Dear Joe, The Defense of Marriage Act is under attack. There's no question about it. In September, the Democrats will become the first major party to codify same-sex "marriage" into their platform. This is why Tony Perkins, along with me and other key members of the FRCA team are in Tampa, Florida a week before the convention. We are here to make sure that the Republican platform stays conservative in every way. That means defending marriage between one man and one woman. Yesterday morning we were able to make a good document even better.

As a delegate in the subcommittee that handled health care, education, and the family, Tony was able to reinforce the language on marriage and successfully helped with amendments on conscience rights, abortion in health care, and stem cell research. In other subcommittees, pro-family delegates managed to offer amendments protecting military chaplains and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Today on the last day of the platform meetings there will be other pro-marriage language voted on in the full committee.

We are there to represent you. We stand up for the family and the unborn wherever we go. We will not back down. Will you help our continued efforts to protect the family and defend the unborn? Whether you can afford $25 -- or even $1,005 -- you can be assured we will use every dollar wisely in our efforts. Thank you, once again for standing with us. Tom McClusky, Senior Vice President, FRC Action.