Boaz Bismuth

Tropical storm Isaac is expected to clear the stage for the Republican National Convention on Tuesday, a day after it opened and was then immediately suspended due to the storm. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney will emerge as the official GOP nominee for president by Thursday.

Republicans hope the American people will finally fall in love with their candidate following the convention this week. In a new Washington Post/ABC News poll, 47 percent of registered voters said they would vote for Romney or were inclined to do so, compared to 46% who said their vote would likely go to incumbent President Barack Obama (while Romney has a slight advantage, he is still within the margin of error). The Republican delegates at the Tampa convention hall hope Romney commands an even bigger lead after he delivers his acceptance speech on Thursday.

Tuesday night is expected to be Ann Romney’s big moment. Polls show Romney has a problem with female voters and has a hard time putting his emotions on display or exuding warmth. Ann can help with that. Her unforgettable speech after her husband won the Florida primary several months ago did a pretty good job on that front.

But gender issues are unlikely to decide this election. The economy and unemployment (currently at 8.3%) are almost certainly going to top voters’ concerns. This is where Romney enjoys a clear advantage over his rival. While voters say Obama is more „likeable” (by a margin of 58 to 23 percent), 44% of registered voters say Romney has „better ideas” on how to improve the economy, compared with only 38% who said Obama does. (Both figures are based on a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll from last week.)

The climate, including the political climate, was not so great on the first day of the convention, and not just because of the developing hurricane that is heading toward the American south, exactly seven years after Hurricane Katrina’s devastating impact. The Associated Press reported Monday that the campaigns and independent groups that support the two parties’ candidates have already spent a total of $590 million (!) on television advertising and that attack ads dominate the airwaves on both sides.

It is no surprise then, that at this week’s GOP convention and next week’s Democratic convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, the overall political winds will reflect a dire forecast. America is losing hope. This plays into Romney’s hands because Obama, who four years ago promised to change the U.S. and the world, has presided over this decline.

Delegates are expected to nominate Romney on Tuesday through a roll call vote; once that is done, a significant number of them will head home because of the storm. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who lost to Romney in the primaries, has already arrived in Tampa and last week instructed his pledged delegates to support Romney.

Another also-ran, Congressman Ron Paul of Texas, refused to follow suit and hopes to use his clout to advance his agenda. One-time presidential hopeful Herman Cain has been spotted in Tampa as well. Both Obama and Romney’s campaign have failed to open up a lead since July. Seven toss-up states will decide this election: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and Virginia, with their combined 85 electoral votes (270 are needed to become president).

Florida has 29 electoral votes, making it perhaps the most important state.

Meanwhile, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who will introduce Romney at the podium on Thursday, attacked Obama for deflecting criticism on his performance as president by trying to paint Romney as a bad person.

„He can’t run on his record. Look, the fundamental question that every president has to answer is, am I better off, are people better off today than they were four years ago?” Rubio told CBS on Sunday. „And he can’t look at the American people with a straight face and say you are better off today than you were four years ago. So, he doesn’t want it to be about that. So, that’s why he is talking this way.”