Wednesday look-ahead

Entering Day 2 of the abbreviated Republican National Convention, the storyline goes something like this: Gallant Republicans postpone their moment in the early election-campaign sun as storm clouds brew over Tampa, Fla.; complete the inevitable by officially nominating former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney as president and Wisconsin representative Paul Ryan as his sidekick; and give the largest (or at least the most ballyhooed) speaking platform to Romney's wife Ann, who by most accounts brought down the Tampa Bay Times Forum with a stirring yet simple expose into the heart and soul of her husband.

What's left for Wednesday? Scheduled events start at 7 p.m. ET with video remarks from Texas congressman Ron Paul, whose supporters raised a (loud) fuss over convention procedure and rules yesterday in a last-ditch, fruitless effort to secure their man the nomination. Sen. John McCain will speak, followed by Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee.

Everyone, of course, is waiting with bated breath for Ryan's late primetime speech, which, according to early reports, might be more personality than policy. The Obama campaign, for its part, preempted Ryan with an attack video Wednesday morning, calling the vice-presidential nominee "out-of-step" with modern-day U.S. national politics.

 

At the top of our must-read pile today is the New York Times' Ryan profile, charting his unassuming climb through the Republican ranks to Tea Party provocateur and finally vice-presidential nominee.

Last night, CNN's David Gergen called Ann Romney's speech the best political speech since Obama's 2004 Democratic National Convention address. Slate's John Dickerson offers tempered agreement, but wonders if it did enough to introduce the country to Mitt. John Cassidy of the New Yorker proclaims Republicans fell in love with Ann Romney on Tuesday. Ben Adler of the Nation, in a blog post about the RNC's women-heavy schedule Tuesday, said Ann's speech was no more than "treacly pabulum" (look up those words and decide for yourself if that description is complimentary).

The Washington Post's The Fact Checker blog breaks down who got it right and who gaffed in Tuesday's speeches.

As the Republican platform veers rightward, the New York Times compares current issues to the party's stance in 1980.

As usual, you can follow on-the-ground reporting, commentary and news analysis throughout the day from Star reporters in Tampa and Toronto: Mitch Potter; Tim Harper; Daniel Dale; Josh Tapper; Stephanie Findlay