At GOP push for unity, plenty of difference

Alex Casetta, from Denver, Colo., holds up a Ron Paul sign following the abbreviated first session of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Monday, Aug. 27, 2012.

/ AP

(CBS News) TAMPA, Fla. -- The Republican National Convention is supposed to be an opportunity for the Republican Party to showcase its unity. But despite the GOP's best efforts, the many divisions within the party were on full display even before the convention was (oh-so-briefly) gaveled into session on Tuesday.

Supporters of Ron Paul on Sunday angrily complained that the leader of their movement was being denied a voice at the convention, after Paul refused to "fully endorse" Romney. On Monday, a group gathered to celebrate Asian-American & Pacific Islander electoral clout in conjunction with a convention where there will be few Asian-American or Pacific Islander faces. And on Tuesday, a gay Republican group is gathering to celebrate despite the fact that the GOP's standard bearer supports a Constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

Meanwhile, the party is putting forth a string of prominent Latino Republicans even as it adopts a platform that critics say alienates Latino voters. Tea Party lawmakers are pushing a hard-line fiscal agenda at odds with the dwindling coalition of moderates in the GOP. And while many Republicans have distanced themselves from Missouri Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin's comments concerning "legitimate rape," social conservatives -- including Mike Huckabee, who speaks here Wednesday -- have defended Akin.

Republicans have strived to project an inclusive image at the convention. In addition to giving prominent speaking roles to Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and other prominent Latino leaders, it has offered prime time speaking slots to Utah's Mia Love, who would be the first African-American female Republican in Congress, and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, born to Sikh immigrants from India.

But the divisions within the party go deep. On immigration, for example, the GOP is divided between a desire to reach out to Latino voters and the strong opposition to illegal immigration from within its traditional voter base. The platform adopted by the party prior to the convention called for the completion of a fence on the Mexican border and opposition to "any forms of amnesty."

"It's reflective of that internal dissention within the party," said Arturo Vargas, Executive Director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. "You have voices, led by people like Jeb Bush, who has been the leading voice on moderation on some of these immigration issues. And on the other side there's some of the stuff that's reflected in the platform."

Republicans say that they don't need to be unified on every issue so long as they are unified on one: Replacing President Obama with a Republican who will move the nation toward smaller government, work to cut taxes and reduce the deficit.

"I share a vision for government with Gov. Romney, and it's a fundamentally different vision than President Obama," said Jimmy LaSalvia, executive director of GOProud, a gay Republican group. "It comes down to who most matches your philosophy of government."

LaSalvia says Romney's support for an amendment banning same-sex marriage is not a disqualifier.

"I disagree with him on that issue," he said, "but overwhelmingly this election is about bigger issues than any single issue."

Akin's comments - which included a since-retracted claim that women have the ability to shut down their reproductive system during a rape so as not to get pregnant - played into Democratic efforts to portray Republicans as hostile to women, particularly on health issues. They also exposed a split in the party. Top Republicans called on Akin to leave the Missouri Senate race, and moderate Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe lamented the "stunningly insensitive" comments as the latest controversy to "alienate a large segment of the female population" from the GOP. But social conservatives defended Akin, with Huckabee comparing his critics to "union goons" who want to run him out of the party over a mistake.

"I will join Todd as often as I can, in his fight for our Party's pro-life policies, traditional marriage and our efforts to rein in the massive expansion of government under President Obama," Huckabee wrote supporters last week. In the wake of Akin's comments, Romney acknowledged that he supports abortion rights for victims of rape and incest. That put him at odds with his party platform and with his running mate, Paul Ryan, who opposes abortion rights in all cases.

In a letter objecting to a GOP platform that took a strong stand against abortion rights, moderate Republican Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts wrote that "if we are to grow and succeed in all parts of this great nation, we must be a 'big-tent' party."

"There are people of goodwill on both sides of the abortion issue, and we need to send a message to voters that there is room in the Republican Party for differing perspectives," he added.

For the Tea Party, meanwhile, this week's festivities will include a few highlights: Among the speakers are Tea Party-backed Texas Senate candidate Ted Cruz and Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul. And the GOP platform includes many Tea Party-backed positions, and party leaders have wholeheartedly embraced the Tea Party's anti-tax principles.

But the convention is very much an establishment affair, and some in the sprawling Tea Party movement complain that their leaders have been shut out by a party concerned about alienating independent voters. If Romney wins the presidency, he will likely struggle to work with a Republican Congress in which traditionalist lawmakers like House Speaker John Boehner are increasingly at odds with Tea Partiers largely hostile to compromise. 

"There needs to be a solid appreciation for the role that the Tea Party has played in really changing the debate in this country," said Bob Adams, Washington liason for Teaparty.net, who is calling for the Tea Party to "be given a larger voice at the convention."

On the convention floor Monday, Ron Paul supporter Chris Howe, a national delegate from Texas, said he does not know if he could support Romney in November. Asked about party unity, he responded, "unity over what?"

"When it comes down to policies that have been put forward by Romney and Ryan so far, there's nothing to unify around," he said.

[TimeToEvolve]

Obama really has done a fabulous job as President. Especially after the last Republiclown disaster. And that is having to deal with the worst Congress ever. So why would we let the Republicon crazies back in who led us to this disaster?

[1pheasant1]

There is no Conservative on the GOP ticket, despite them being labeled as such. Conservatives don't create government expansion with programs like Romney Care, and they don't vote for "too big to fail" Wall Street bailouts (TARP) like Paul Ryan did. Where in the world did these clowns come to believe that Capitalism includes Corporate Welfare. Meaningless labels designed for fools.

[TimeToEvolve]

They have convinced their Republicon brain addled followers that capitalism means democracy. Thus the fake fraudulent "free market" Thus the fact that corporations are people my friend.

[bczeon27]

I really don't get GOP's message. They were able to get people to believe Obama is the worst president ever.

Looking at the fact.
Bush brought America INTO recession with loosing 800k job a month in 2008. Obama brought America OUT of recession with 4.5 million today. How would he be worst?

Obamacare extended Medicare from bankruptcy for another 8 years by cutting cost (not benefit). How would GOP said it's bad?

In 2008, the deficit is 1.5 trillions per year from Bush. 1.5 trillions a year X 4 years = 6 trillions in deficit automatically without any expansion in government spending. (Not counting 3% inflation either). How would they put an image of Obama as "Spend"? When he only not cutting the deficit fast enough due to recession?

[cubscout09]

Has anyone else noticed that Paul Ryan is so confident of his election as VP that he is still running for Congressperson of District One, Wisconsin?

Trivia: Paul Ryan is the Grandson of Adolph Hutter.

(You can't make this stuff up)

[cubscout09]

In advance of the GOP Convention, several artists have requested that their music, not be played at the convention. The list of artists and songs includes:

Peaches and Herb: Shake Your Groove
KC and the Sunshine Band: Shake Your Booty
The Black Crowes: Shake Your Money Maker
The Cars: Shake It Up
Raffi: Shake Your Sillies Out (This one actually sounds like a good idea)

In related news, you can not find a red Each-A-Sketch in any store in Tampa, the shelves are empty. Bad news, new stock will likely be delayed by weather.

[RulesofEngagement]

A Republican so called businessman with daddy issues is what got us into this mess in the first place. Romney is another GW Bush, but with less personality.

[EmpireGeorge______--]

by ZionistCensorship August 28, 2012 8:03 AM EDT

Yaassssa Masssaa, Robme.
_______________

What is that ? are you attempting to joke about slaves ? it failed

[facelessdrone2005]

"Republicans say that they don't need to be unified on every issue so long as they are unified on one: Replacing President Obama with a Republican who will move the nation toward smaller government, work to cut taxes and reduce the deficit."

Yep, I've heard the same line from Republicans since I started voting in 1976. I bought their line for years and years; at one point I was even a member of the College Republicans. And then somewhere along the line it just sunk in to me: in all that time they never cut a single program, shrank the government, or reduced the deficit one iota. Not one bit. All I've ever seen them do was cut taxes and run up the deficit. All just lies. They never even try to cut the government once they're actually in office. Then they have the audacity in 2012 to pretend that they're "fiscally conservative"? Oh, give me a break. They're just lying again and the lies are getting even deeper and richer. It's not like Democrats are any different except for two crucial things: (1) Democrats haven't LIED to me for the last 36 years, and (2) Democrats aren't such a snobbish, arrogant bunch of know-it-alls.

[Ben3722l]

Gop like to say that Obama is a radical. I agree with them for a different reason.He is such a radical:
1. He pushed for equal pay for equal work for women.How radical is that?
2. He ended descrimination against children due to pre-existing condition by the health insurance companies.
3. He saved American auto industry, thus saving millions of jobs.
4. He ended the war in Iraq. What is up with that?
5. Now insurance companies cannot ask women to pay more for health insurance on the bases of sex.
6. He supports womens right to have control over their body, not the government controlling a ladies body as the Gop want.
7. He got Osama Bin Laden where republicans failed for almost a decade.

Now, you see how radical Obama is?

[notparicular]

Post this again. Let everyone know.

[hippiehart]

I will laugh my ass off, when President Obama is re-elected...

GO OBAMA!!!

[TJphoto]

Would somebody in the GOP please explain the "Trickle Down" thing AGAIN. I just don't get it.