Pence bumped from RNC speaking spot

Indiana Republican Mike Pence was bumped from his speaking spot at the RNC today. Despite Pence’s statement, it appears he was bumped to make way for Rudy Giuliani and Michael Steele, who were originally scheduled to speak on Tuesday:

“While I am disappointed that I will not be given an opportunity to address the Republican National Convention, I was honored to have been asked to speak and I wholeheartedly supported the decision to cancel convention activities as Hurricane Gustav advanced to the Gulf Coast.

Wednesday was originally scheduled with the theme “prosperity” – so it looks like we’ll miss out on the irony of a Hoosier Republican speaking about prosperity the day after devastating news about job losses in Indiana. (You can read Pence’s predictable “drill here” speech at the J-G’s website.)

The new theme is “reform”, and I guess the GOP doesn’t think that Pence matches that label. At least, not as well as Rudy Giuliani, failed Maryland gubernatorial Senate candidate Michael Steele, and earmark-loving, scandal-ridden, and Bridge-to-Nowhere supporter Sarah Palin.

[Note:] Corrected Michael Steele’s political situation. The initial version of this post referred to Michael Steele as a failed gubernatorial candidate. I meant to write that he was a failed Senate candidate and former Lt. Gov. – BrianK