Charlotte, North Carolina was contracted to host the Republican National Convention this August.
That is unlikely to occur:
North Carolina Gov. Cooper said he would not provide President Trump with a "guarantee" that the Republican Party could hold a full-scale convention in Charlotte this summer, citing public health concerns. https://t.co/4iCCiQHwIy
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) June 3, 2020
Via the Raleigh News and Observer is a description of the RNC COVID plans:
In a letter to Cooper last week, McDaniel and Kelly outlined eight specific safety measures they plan to take.
They included thermal scans of convention participants prior to boarding buses, a “clean health check” for everybody entering the Spectrum Center, widely available hand sanitizer and daily health questionnaires of participants delivered via apps. They do not include social distancing or masks.
What do we know about COVID-19?
Clean health checks may pick off obviously symptomatic people and individuals who are several days infected with appropriate PCR testing. A pre-convention health check won’t obviously screen out folks who are asymptomatic, or become infected between the health check and the arrival at the convention hotel. It is public health theater at best in a localized environment that seems to be built to create super-spreader events.
MisterForkbeard
Bigfooooooooooooot :)
Didn’t you do this yesterday? Really upping your blogposting game, Mr. Mayhew
MisterForkbeard
I think it’s pretty clear that no one can promise to hold a convention for 50,000 people under existing safety guidelines. This is Charlotte doing a really good job protecting themselves and their populace: Telling the President’s campaign that they can only hold the convention there if they comply with the President’s own CDC safety guidelines is perfectly choice.
It puts the responsibility where it belongs: On the convention planners and Republicans. It lets Charlotte effectively get rid of big chunks of the threat without legal liability, and shields them from political criticism as well.
Just Chuck
I say we let them have their convention center.
Then weld the doors shut.
Sebastian
I am so worried about COVID spread amongst protesters. I really hope that being outdoors and wearing masks mitigates the infection rate but it’s as if we have all forgotten what is going on.
MomSense
My step mom’s 100 year old mom had asymptomatic COVID-19. They thought she had a really low temp (99) but she was just dehydrated. After two weeks she tested negative. I’m not sure if she has had an antibody test.
Is anyone else freaking out about the protesters spreading/getting COVID?
MomSense
@Sebastian:
I see I am not the only one.
WereBear
Trust them to studiously avoid proven methods of lowering the curve.
otmar
Are they applying for the Darwin Awards?
zhena gogolia
@Sebastian:
I’m worried too.
David Anderson
I am not worried about the outdoor spread. I am very worried about COVID spread among individuals arrested/detained and forced into tight, indoor space with a bunch of unfamiliar individuals who will then disperse throughout metro areas.
hueyplong
So glad the convention will go to a Trump lackey governor’s state instead of here.
The door-welding idea has its merits.
Frankensteinbeck
@MomSense:
I’m not freaking out, but I’m assuming there’s going to be a big uptick in infection rates in a couple of weeks. Police as well as protestors, and then whoever they brought it back to. The protestors are spending all their time outside, so it won’t be ‘they all get it’, but yeah, we’re looking at a spike.
Oh, and the agitator folks will be part of the spike.
wcranger
I think the Republican National Convention will be the ultimate test of loyalty to their fearless leader, Donald Trump. It is my hope that they cheer, jeer, chant and rant around with all of their faces painted in their favorite flag colors – red, white and blue, stars and bars, etc. I am hopeful that they pick some really sticky, sweaty town like Nashville to put a cherry on top.
MattF
There’s no actual controversy here. Trump thinks a few dozen ‘excess’ deaths in NC are OK. Governor of NC disagrees. RNC will go along with whatever Trump wants.
rikyrah
I absolutely love this.
NC didn’t want it.
Them asking THE RNC TO PROVIDE A PLAN WAS GENIUS????
those lazy, no responsibility accepting muthaphuckas ??, were never going to give a thoughtful plan.
Michael Cain
I am (almost) eagerly awaiting attempts to negotiate a new location. For example, Gov. Kemp says Georgia would love to host the convention. Mayor Bottoms of Atlanta says the city’s plans for reopening do not include any large gatherings in August. It’s unlikely there’s anywhere else in the state with the convention and hotel facilities to host it. What’s the governor going to do? Occupy the city? Even the RNC doesn’t strike me as dumb enough to hold a convention under those conditions.
MisterForkbeard
@MomSense: I’m right there with you. I was worried about pointless whining protests to re-open, and I’m also concerned about necessary protests against police violence and systemic racism.
These things are risky. You’re generally outside and a lot of people are wearing masks, but you’re also packed in closely with thousands of other people. Super spreading is a little less likely, but it only takes a few clusters in that crowd, and… bam. And many of the people attending are in those critical groups that get hit much harder by the pandemic
ETA: @David Anderson: Well crap. I hadn’t even figured on prisons and holding cells. That’s going to do it >_<
Roger Moore
@David Anderson:
I’m also worried about spread in the police force. Just like the protesters, the police are being put together in large groups with unfamiliar people, often without masks. It’s going to get ugly really quickly if a large fraction of a police force comes down with COVID-19 simultaneously in a couple of weeks.
Roger Moore
@MattF:
He should be more worried about a bunch of excess deaths among his most important supporters. For all we talk about the risk to the community hosting it, the risk to the attendees is likely far higher.
Robby-D
I for one hope they find a new location in a red state that permits them to cram all 50,000 people into a multi-day event that includes all the worst of elected R’s, TV and talk radio personalities, think tanks, lobbyists, rally-goers, and of course, the current executive. The cost-benefit to the future of the USA is very net positive.
Anonymous At Work
What’s hilarious (to me, anyway) is the talk of the alternate sites. There’s talk of Florida, Georgia, and Texas. Why it’s hilarious is none of those *states* has a state-owned-and-operated convention center. Miami, Orlando and Tampa have convention centers in Florida, so does Atlanta in Georgia, as do Houston and Dallas in Texas. Guess what all 6 have in common? Democratic Mayors.
Also, none of the convention centers have a full suite of hotels under their ownership, nor restaurants capable of serving 50,000 guests, even without social distancing.
I suppose, with the right leverage, taking over Orlando’s convention center by having the Florida Lege and Governor seize it, then forcing Disney Corporation (via threat of antitrust action) to force the convention area hotels to operate at capacity rather than maintaining social distancing *might* get you to enough hotel beds. But that’s seriously messy, would have multiple lawsuits and would leave the RNC and State of Florida open to liability for anything bad happening when gathering 50,000 unmasked individuals together indoors for a week while a highly-infectious pandemic rages.
satby
The people who would go to a Republican convention are all horrible humans who have no trouble being ok with other people catching and dying from covid. So fuckem. Let them all cosy up and scream for their cult leader in close quarters.
yellowdog
In that letter, the RNC promised to provide antibacterial gels–to counter a virus. They were never serious.
WereBear
@Anonymous At Work: I’d give everyone a tent in the surrounding palmetto fields. They can social distance in those circles drawn for the homeless.
Jinchi
Asking the RNC to provide plans that would meet the guidance set out by the president’s own administration, even better.
Doug R
It’s not like that abomination of a “stadium” in Arlington has any Cowboys games. Why not there?
MisterForkbeard
@satby: Problem: Hotel and event workers ALSO exposed. :(
satby
@MisterForkbeard: Yes, they would be. And they are many of them exposed right now. And that sucks.
Jinchi
Trump is probably planning to use the Defense Production Act to force them to comply.
Frankensteinbeck
Okay, that was easier to find than I liked. Imm wanted this link. Sanders economically All Lives Matters the protests. https://twitter.com/berniesanders/status/1267894979827040259?s=21
randy khan
I read that the contractual situation is complicated, which may lead to the GOP conducting the official business part of the convention in Charlotte and doing a “celebration” somewhere else, with Vegas as one of the possibilities. I really don’t understand how that would work, and you have to wonder if the networks would cover both, but I guess it isn’t my problem.
The Pale Scot
How about holding it under circus tent in a big field surrounded by trailers? (Like the sexworker camp in the original Walking Tall)
Three rings, clowns provided at no cost. Just call it a MAGAt “revival” meeting. If put to him just right, he’d insist on it.
Somewhere on a nice field in East Texas or the Florida Panhandle, so as they can enjoy the hurricanes.
MisterForkbeard
@Frankensteinbeck: It’s dumb, but so far down my list of concerns about what’s going on that I don’t want to listen to complaints about Bernie.
The exception is where frothing Bernie supporters attack Biden for being insufficiently awesome about the protests, which is something I still weirdly see from the red rose brigade. Telling them that Bernie is part of the problem is a nice “shut up, idiots”.
@randy khan: I’ve heard this too. The contract is designed to be hard to break by either NC or RNC. So the most likely thing is what you said: The actual convention happens in a subdued way with a lot of remote action in Charlotte, but Trump has his big “ME ME ME” moment in a city like Vegas that’s been fine with exposing a ton of people to COVID.
Sebastian
@Michael Cain:
Dude, it’ll be Mar-a-Lago. With any luck we have a Cat 5 Hurricane hit it dead center on Aug 26th.
Ceci n est pas mon nym
Case in point: 15 West Point cadets brought back for Orange Fuhrer’s next asshole photo op have tested positive. They were asymptomatic. And West Point is taking strict pre-asshole quarantine measures to make sure there’s no spreading.
Now imagine 50000 MAGAts where you have no control over their behavior before or during the convention.
VeniceRiley
Good luck to whatever state gets the convention. Anyone follow up with conservatives that were pushing for the Sweden model here? They’ve sure gone quiet of late, what with Sweden now being in the shitter numberswise.
LuciaMia
Think about the types of crowds at his usual rallies. Just the ones to hold masks and social distancing in contempt as liberal wussitude. So, Id say, let em gather. Except it wouldnt only affect them.
evodevo
@Frankensteinbeck: And that will be in addition to all the covidiots coming down with it after their “open up” memorial day celebrations…
Immanentize
Ugh. I just had a ‘rona related near emergency. My mother (almost 90, woot!) is in an independent living apartment in a stepped care facility in upstate NY. She called this morning after 10 telling me that the facility was going to come back and give her a shot(!!!!!11!!!1) of something for the virus. eeeak! Chloroquine fairies danced in my head.
A couple panicked calls by me to the facility (many who knew nothing about anything) and I learned that it was not a “shot” but a “test.” They are testing all the residents for CV-19. Phew. I was then able to tell her what they were going to do — swab not shot. Unpleasant, not painful…. Crisis averted for the minute.
I’ve read too many articles about MAGA human experiments in Nursing Homes to be sanguine.
MisterForkbeard
@Ceci n est pas mon nym: What’s the size of a West Point class? 15 out of a few hundred is a lot. 15 out of a few thousand is pretty small.
But this is absolutely going to explode if they invite 50k people to an event in a closed area. Eeep.
zhena gogolia
@Frankensteinbeck: Even in our church Zoom prayer meetings, the Bernie people always want to change the subject from racism. It’s quite striking.
Leto
@satby: This is where I’m at: let the death cult members breathe the kool-aid. Like everyone else, I worry about spread among the protestors. Just hoping for the best.
Immanentize
@MisterForkbeard: About 1000.
SiubhanDuinne
@MomSense:
Fear of spreading/getting COVID-19 is what is keeping me off the streets. I’m not a protester by nature (in the sense of marching or demonstrating), but every cell in my body wants to be out in the streets right now. It’s only the awareness that we’re still in a dangerous pandemic that brings me back to my senses.
Leto
@Immanentize: oh man! Glad it turned it out well. Most of our deaths here, Montgomery County PA, have been in nursing homes, so it’s something we’ve been keeping a close eye on for a while.
Barbara
@Doug R: The problem with outdoor stadiums is that restrooms and other facilities are indoor, closed contained spaces.
I actually think having a pared down convention that is mostly virtual is a really good idea. People’s interaction with the convention is mostly through television. Yes, there is some excitement because the onsite crowd can generate enthusiasm, but it’s not necessary. I hope Dems are doing a lot of planning along these lines.
Immanentize
@Leto: It is this weird type of scared. Fearful of my mother getting the virus, fearful of people exploiting her isolated and vulnerable position. But she did call me immediately. Good mother
ETA Of course my brother lives about a five minute drive from where my Mom lives. She is both a good mother and also smart!
MisterForkbeard
@Immanentize: So even with all their controls, quarantine and safety measures they still got a 1.5% infection rate. Ooof. That’s not much better than the general population.
WereBear
Governor Cuomo had a short press briefing with hardly anything about COVID-19. At the end he said, “I’m taking my Bible, and going out,” and he left.
OH THE BURN.
Ksmiami
@Just Chuck: exactly- Republicans are basically Confederate traitors so let them have their fun and their infectious disease. Lock them up.
Geminid
Gov. Brian Kemp does control Georgia state parks. Maybe the republicans can do an evening rally at Stone Mountain. trump could make his acceptance speech in front of the Davis, Lee and Jackson sculpture. With commemorative tiki torches.
Leto
@Immanentize: my parents are two decades younger, but I worry just the same. They still live in SC, so… My dad called me last week to say that they had been tested and that it came back negative. Didn’t say why they needed to be tested, but they’ve been relatively good about following all the guidelines. They go out a bit more than I would care for but I do what I can, you know?
Geminid
MomSense
@SiubhanDuinne:
I feel the same way. I convinced my older kids to donate instead of protesting because one is higher risk and the other is taking care of my youngest because I’m working in an office 2-3 days a week with people who won’t wear masks.
Being outdoors helps however the raised voices and lack of physical distancing make protesting risky. Of course the people who are arrested and in close quarters with others in holding cells is super high risk.
rikyrah
@Sebastian:
Totally worried about it
MomSense
@MisterForkbeard:
As governor Mills said when responding to a reporter who asked why we weren’t reopening when most of the new cases are in nursing homes, “they are not getting it from the potted plants”. Workers are coming in from the community to the nursing homes and bringing the virus with them.
MisterForkbeard
@MomSense: I’m not protesting. I may go to an event planned later today in my city, but I’d be far away from everyone else. Might do the “drive by repeatedly and honk in support” thing that’s been pushed by event organizers as an alternative to protesting on foot.
I have a 5 year old with a repeated history of pneumonia and elderly parents that I drop off supplies for once a week. Can’t risk the protest in person. So we contribute in other ways.
Kent
Las Vegas has the crazy lady GOP mayor who went on Cuomo talking about making Vegas into the control group or some shit. And there are a ton of hotels there owned by MAGA types like Sheldon Adelson. They also have some massive new sports arenas built by the city to attract the NHL and NFL.
Putting the GOP convention in Vegas would be about perfect on a whole lot of levels.
Anonymous At Work
@Geminid: Outdoors and well away from hotels and restaurants. You don’t hold conventions in convention centers just for the convention center but for the amenities surrounding the convention center. 50,000 people is a lot of people to see fed, getting water, and using restrooms. Anyone else having flashbacks to Woodstock 98 (aka Bosnia-stock)?
Phylllis
@Leto: SC has really stepped up community testing over the past couple of weeks, with lots of drive-up events hosted by local health centers or hospitals. You do not have to be symptomatic to get tested. Hubbie and I went to one not far from us yesterday and were tested. Our thinking is, if nothing else, it helps contribute to public health data.
Anonymous At Work
@Kent: Possibly but the unions involved in the hotels and restaurants out in Nevada are powerful and well-organized.
And Steve Sisolak is a Democratic Governor, as unlikely as Cooper to “guarantee” everything the RNC wants, which was the issue. Rhona nee Romney Danial wanted an ironclad guarantee that Trump could get his way on everything from the state governor.
WaterGirl
@Phylllis: At this point, there are so many false negatives that I wonder what the value is to the individual?
Totally agree that taken as a whole, they can apply the appropriate % of false positives, and get a pretty good picture of who is sick at any given time.
But that test doesn’t tell you if you DID have it. Testing needs to get a lot better.
Kent
Actually I think what happened is Trump just jumped the gun and tried to strong-arm NC in a show of dominance that backfired because the NRC turned out not to have the leverage that they thought they have.
Prior to Trump’s involvement, it looked like the NRC was actually trying to work with NC to come up with some sort of plan. Trump waded in and shat all over the place and gave NC a handy out to say “fuck you”, don’t come if you can’t follow safe rules.
Popcorn is right.
Boris Rasputin (the evil twin)
@Robby-D: Come sit six feet from me. Sounds like we’ve a lot in common.
Boris Rasputin (the evil twin)
@satby: You both forgot the hookers. It wouldn’t be a GOP – family values event without the hookers! I for one do not want the sex workers exposed to Covid-19 and/or Republicans.
lee
I agree Vegas is a good backup location.
Also allow any workers to opt-out of working the convention if they fear infection.
I honestly want them to have a full blown convention. I just don’t want anyone not in attendance to get infected.
Barbara
@MomSense: Do they think the approximately 3.5 employees per resident are robots? Well, not yet at least.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Kent:
There even one there owned by the MAGA in Chief.
Barbara
@Kent: Vegas is the site that is most able to handle an on the fly convention. Vegas and Orlando handle more conventions than any other city. Vegas probably has enough space to do it safely if the RNC were interested in doing that.
BUT it would not be the same because it would have to be really spread out. The conventions that occur in Vegas are trade conventions, with people walking around huge spaces that have vendor displays and such. I am sure many have (as I have) participated in such conventions.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Barbara: They have a new arena there, so Vegas could work well.
ETA: Also a new football stadium if Trump want’s to try* to upstage Obama/JFK.
*It won’t work.
David Anderson
@Kent: All I am saying is that Governor Cooper does not want a mass-spreader event nor several hundred thousand protesters in Charlotte so the threat was:
T: GIVE ME EVERYTHING
C: That will cause a mass spreader event, what about these options…
T: NO, GIVE ME EVERYTHING
C: No
T: I’M LEAVING
C: Good Riddance
T: WHATTTTTT
Origuy
As Anonymous At Work mentioned, the Nevada Governor is a Democrat. The Las Vegas Mayor is a woman who claims to be Independent, but talks like a Republican. However, the airport and most of the major hotels on the Strip are in Paradise, while the convention center is in Winchester. Both are unincorporated communities administered by the Clark County Commission, which is made of of seven Democrats.
Just Chuck
@Anonymous At Work: I’m thinking more Fyre Festival myself.
Geminid
@Anonymous At Work: A Stone Mountain acceptance speech would be efficient, though. Instead of dragging things out for four days they could just cut to the chase with a 6hr klan rally. And the political talking heads wouldn’t have to tie themselves in knots explaining what the message is. Although they would.
Geminid
Bill Arnold
It’s not my city, but I’d trade everything in their list of things they said they’d do for full-compliance facecovering/mask wearing and distancing where possible. With a promise to enforce a policy of shooting The Unmasked in the head like in a zombie movie[1] expelling The Unmasked.
[1] If they are not breathing, they are not breathing on other people. (Just a joke, conservatards! You like zombie apocalypse stuff, right?)
Arclite
I really don’t have a problem if Republicans want to hold their convention in person. If they want to be Darwin award recipients, let them.
moops
The RNC is high on their own supply if they think they are going to get 50,000 people to risk their lives to attend. The Fuhrer wants his giant rally. It is more important that his election chances. It is his chance to launch his post-presidential grift. He thinks 50,000 will show up to worship him.
moops
A huge outdoor rally might be a better event than a convention. It’s what Trump wants anyways, and it would likely be much safer. Burning Man in 2019 was about 70,000, for a week in the desert. So, it can be done, but they would have to start planning like mad right now. In their favor, most big outdoor event service providers are furloughed and needing work. Pick a huge field in Nebraska and start building shelters and a stage.