No Ron Paul at the RNC

Next week's Republican National Convention just got one billion percent less interesting…

Using a mix of charm and procedural hardball, Mitt Romney's campaign and his allies who control the Republican National Committee have ensured that the Texas congressman will neither speak nor be formally nominated at next week's convention. It's a significant victory for Romney, who could have been faced with a raucous rebellion from the Paul crowd if he hadn't extended an early, and diplomatic, olive branch to what's become a key constituency.

The libertarian septuagenarian controls the state delegations from Nevada, Iowa and Minnesota. But a candidate needs five states to be officially recognized on the floor. Paul supporters have made claims to Louisiana, Massachusetts, Oregon, Oklahoma and Maine. But Romney's coterie of lawyers skillfully used the rules and interpersonal negotiations to peel each away.

This really is a significant victory for Romney! And you can't blame him for wanted to shut all of that Ron Paul Revolution stuff down. A political convention is no place for a politician with a strong personality, unyielding personal convictions and a rabid base of loyal outspoken supporters. It's a place for Mitt Romney! Let's not get things all confused.

Not for nothing, but I hear that Romney's coterie of lawyers are currently off the coast of the Dominican Republic engaging in some hardball negotiations with Tropical Storm Isaac, so I wouldn't be surprised if everything next week going right according to boring.

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