Let’s get it started: List of #GOP2012 speakers for Tuesday

Looks like the RNC’s trying to get the convention back on track after a one day delay due to Tropical Storm Isaac, which is predicted to make landfall in Louisiana sometime later this evening. Fox News has a partial list of speakers for later today and tonight in Tampa (subject to change, of course), with some of the bigger names scheduled for later in the evening. Here’s the primetime schedule:

8:00 p.m.

Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker

9:00 p.m.

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval

Sher Valenzuela (small business owner, candidate for Delaware lieutenant governor)

Texas Senate Republican candidate Ted Cruz

Former Rep. Artur Davis

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley

10:00 p.m.

Mrs. Luce’ Vela Fortuño, first lady of Puerto Rico

Ann Romney

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie

It goes without saying that a lot of us are looking forward to hearing Governors Walker, Haley, and Christie speak, as well as Mrs. Romney. Will also be good to hear from former Rep. Artur Davis, considering the pounding he is taking today from the Congressional Black Caucus who – as you probably guessed already –are accusing him of selling out. While all eyes are on Tampa and the Gulf Coast in advance of both the impending storm hit as well the official acceptance of the GOP nomination for President by Mitt Romney later this week, the GOP hopes Chris Christie will revive the somewhat dampened spirits around the convention and America with a rousing speech that will get both delegates and other GOP voters united and behind Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan:

TAMPA, Fla. –  Republicans are counting on New Jersey’s tough-talking governor to, at least for a night, replace Tropical Storm Isaac on Americans’ radars with his own brand of gusty rhetoric.

With Chris Christie set to deliver the Republican National Convention keynote late Tuesday night, it’s up to him to revive the storm-delayed affair. He’ll have to be delicate — not exactly his strong suit — but the party is also relying on Christie to serve up a rousing speech that will demand national attention and rally voters around soon-to-be-nominee Mitt Romney.

The GOP governor reportedly has been crafting and rehearsing a “very direct” speech for Tuesday night in Tampa that will relate “hard truths” about the state of the country. The governor has been making the rounds in Tampa already, with casual talks to various delegations in advance of his keynote address.

Storm or no storm, there is little doubt that the no-nonsense Christie can be direct. A bigger question among Republicans is whether what works in New Jersey can be employed to the same effect in making the case for the party’s presidential candidate.

John Brabender, a longtime strategist for former GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum, expects Christie will come out swinging.

“He’s got two speeds — turbo and super turbo,” Brabender told FoxNews.com on Monday night. “He doesn’t have a modulated speed.”

Brabender also said Christie, Romney and the rest of the Republican Party know it’s the governor’s job to “get people fired up.”

“He’s our cheerleader,” Brabender continued. “And he won’t be shy about making the case that Barack Obama didn’t make the decisions he needed to. This will be a pay-per-view event.”

Can’t wait.

Not sure if the major nets will carry any of tonight’s speeches but of course you can catch them on C-SPAN – and there is a YouTube link for the RNC convention as well that carries events of the day live.

As they say, stay tuned … J

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