The GOP convention's opening day: 4 highlights
From Chris Christie's tough love to Ann Romney's ode to love, a look at the best of Tuesday at the Republican National Convention

A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
On Tuesday evening in Tampa, Mitt Romney all but became the official presidential nominee of the Republican Party, when New Jersey's delegation to the Republican National Convention pushed him over the 1,144-vote threshold. (Romney will formally become the nominee on Thursday, after the convention chairman accepts the delegates' vote tally.) Less than an hour later, the GOP began its push to boost Romney's image and low popularity numbers, and make the party's case against giving President Obama a second term. Here, four highlights from the first night of the GOP convention:
1. Ann Romney touts love, her husband, and women
The expectations for Ann Romney's primetime speech "were sky high," says Jennifer Rubin at The Washington Post. "Could she 'humanize' her husband? Could she single-handedly close the gender gap?" Time will tell, but from her beginning line — "I want to talk to you about love" — to her final appeal that her husband "will not fail," she certainly "delivered as promised." The trouble is, "she wasn't just trying to humanize her husband, she was trying to make us love him," says Rachael Larimore at Slate. "That's a tall order," and unnecessary. Mitt needs us to believe he can fix America; "we don't need to love him." Mrs. Romney also poured on the female-vote-trawling "a little thick" with her unsubtle "I love you, women!" says Andrew Sullivan at The Daily Beast. But overall she was fabulous: With her "Julie Andrews style and a Sarah Palin wink," Ann Romney is "a performer of real talent," and "by far the best way to soften up Romney's image."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
2. Chris Christie promotes respect, and himself
If Ann Romney was the "good cop," says Debra Saunders at the San Francisco Chronicle, Tuesday's "keynote speaker, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, played the bad cop." He delivered "a red-meat speech for the party faithful," but also hammered the need to tell "hard truths" about America's fiscal situation. Ann Romney preached love, while Christie vowed to "choose respect over love." Christie "did himself a whole lot of good, but maybe not much for Romney," says Howard Kurtz at The Daily Beast. He spent the first two-thirds of the speech talking about himself, and then only offered some generic praise for Romney. "It was as though the two had never met." Christie was delivering a "very old school, gritty" message, to a country that needs to hear it, says Lane Filler at Newsday. "I think this speech will grow on people."
3. A handful of mini-stars are born
Christie and Ann Romney were the standouts, but Tuesday was also a night to showcase up-and-coming talent, says Chris Cillizza at The Washington Post. And "of all the men and women touted as rising stars within the GOP who took the stage," South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley shone the brightest. "She was poised and relaxed and drew the crowd to their feet" touting her state's voter ID law. "Runner-up for the best performance by a rising star goes to Texas Senate nominee Ted Cruz." For my money, says The Washington Post's Rubin, "Democrat-turned-Republican Artur Davis gave the most stirring and poetic address," bashing Obama with "humorous jibes" and "the fervent energy of a convert." I agree, says Newsday's Filler. "Davis may be a rising star in the party, the speaker they've been craving for years."
4. Ron Paul's supporters stage a mini-revolt
When Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), Romney's last primary rival and a self-described "undecided" voter, strode onto the floor of Romney's tightly scripted convention, says Jeff Zeleny at The New York Times, the "slow, orderly, and largely symbolic process erupted in anger, presenting a raucous scene that even the most seasoned delegates said they had not seen in decades." The Paulites were furious about the RNC booting some of Maine's Paul delegates, but they lost their fight, says The Washington Post's Cillizza. Still, "optics matter at conventions" and having delegates "chanting 'President Paul' is not exactly a dream scenario for the party big wigs." But no worries, the "Great Ron Paul Revolt" will be forgotten by Wednesday, says Dave Weigel at Slate. Still, between Hurricane Isaac and Hurricane Paul, "the convention may be a valuable lesson in Romney's leadership style," says Dana Milbank at The Washington Post. A reputed "control freak," Romney seems to expect whatever crisis — natural or manmade — "to adapt to him." The Paul brigade didn't. If Romney wants to be president, he had better get used to adapting himself.
Read more political coverage at The Week's 2012 Election Center.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
-
Why is the government on the brink of a shutdown?
Today's Big Question GOP infighting is bringing the country to a standstill, but even Republicans aren't entirely sure why
By Rafi Schwartz Published
-
Today’s political cartoons — September 29, 2023
Friday's cartoons - Biden's dog bite incident, the government shutdown and more
By The Week Staff Published
-
'A teetering democracy of gerontocrats?'
Instant opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass Published
-
Will the cannabis banking bill get the Senate's green light?
Talking Point The SAFER Banking Act is advancing to the US Senate for the first time, clearing a major hurdle for legal cannabis businesses. Does it stand a chance?
By Theara Coleman Published
-
Trump surrenders in Georgia election subversion case
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries chosen to succeed Pelosi as leader of House Democrats
Speed Read
By Brigid Kennedy Published
-
GOP leader Kevin McCarthy's bid for House speaker may really be in peril
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Are China's protests a real threat for Beijing?
opinion The sharpest opinions on the debate from around the web
By Harold Maass Published
-
Who is Nick Fuentes, the white nationalist who dined with Trump and Kanye?
Speed Read From Charlottesville to Mar-a-Lago in just five years
By Rafi Schwartz Published
-
Jury convicts Oath Keepers Stewart Rhodes, Kelly Meggs of seditious conspiracy in landmark Jan. 6 verdict
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
A look at the White House's festive and homey holiday decor
Speed Read
By Brigid Kennedy Published