Caption Challenge: Cardboard Mitt Romney

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It's a special image this week, taken by the Indecision team on the ground in Tampa! As always, leave your captions in the comments.

Tags: Caption Challenge, Mitt Romney, Republican National Convention, Tampa

RNC Security Measures Not at All Ironic

Big government. They're the two most hated words in the GOP, followed closely by "not wealthy" and "Ron Paul." So how do they explain this?

[The RNC] is considered a "National Special Security Event." The federal government gave the City of Tampa a grant of $50 million for security measures.

$50 million!? Do you have any idea how many NPR segments about the plight of gay, disabled Native Americans that could be wasted on? Well, I'm sure the money was spent wisely…

The striking result of the big spending is the sight of thousands of officers. Many ride new Safariland patrol bikes. They bristle with gear that appears to be right out of the box.

Fine, so the security guys get a little luxury on the taxpayers' dime. But those protesters must be seriously close to disrupting the convention if so much personnel is needed…

But there weren't many of them [anarchist protesters], maybe a dozen at most. These would be the ones the cops would watch closely.

I need to be alone for a while.

Photo by Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg – Contributor/Getty Images

Tags: Republican National Convention, Tampa

Guess Thursday's Mystery Republican Convention Speaker

Violating all the tenets of campaigning in Florida — no events after 5pm and definitely no surprises — the Republicans have scheduled a speaker "To Be Announced" during the 10pm hour, following speakers from Mitt Romney's church and 2002 Olympic athletes, and immediately preceding Marco Rubio and Romney himself. Who can this mystery Republican be?

1. A baby cloned from the vial of Ronald Reagan's blood almost auctioned earlier this year.

Read More »

Tags: Republican National Convention, Republicans, Tampa

Our Endorsements: Akin's Heart Just Don't Understand

* Do you know enough about Todd Akin's heart mouth?

* A survey of political bloopers.

* This: http://www.yiddishcursesforrepublicanjews.com.

* This artist is not a fan of President Obama.

* Democrats have ideas for gun control

* Things the RNC would be better off leaving unsaid.

* Politicians posing with animals slideshow.

* A People's History of Mitt Romney, as told through 30 objects.

* Karl Rove does a mean James Carville. Wait, I put mean in the wrong place.

Tags: Barack Obama, BuzzFeed, Daily Links, Democrats, Funny or Die, Guns, James Carville, Jewish, Karl Rove, Mitt Romney, Republican National Convention, Republicans, Tampa, Todd Akin, Women's Rights

Joe Biden as Dangerous as Hurricane, Says Obama Campaign

Well, not in so many words…

An Obama campaign official says Biden is putting off Monday's trip [to Tampa] in order to ensure that all local law enforcement and emergency management resources can stay focused on Tropical Storm Isaac, which could impact Florida during the [Republican National Convention].

Wait a minute. You mean Tampa hadn't already deputized a special corps of relief workers and paramilitary troops in preparation for any Biden-related fallout?

Of course I'm kidding — all you really need to prevent Biden from causing trouble is to keep him away from hot microphones and bright lights. Still, better safe than sorry. If you have to choose between evacuating a flooded building and monitoring the vice president to make sure he doesn't accidentally invent a new racial slur, you've already lost.

Photo by T.J. Kirkpatrick – Stringer/Getty Images News/Getty Images

Tags: Joe Biden, Republican National Convention, Tampa