A missed GOPportunity: Republicans should have held normal convention in South Dakota

As the live-via-video Republican National Convention continues this week, coming on the heels of the similar event held last week by the Socialists of America, perhaps it's appropriate to remind conservative and right-leaning voters of what could have transpired.

Call it "a missed GOPportunity," if you want.

The stories about the altered state of the convention are well-known. The GOP convention was originally scheduled to be held as a traditional event in Charlotte, N.C. However, the Republicans changed their plans after North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, wouldn't allow them to hold the event as planned. Something about being scared of a Chinese virus with a mortality rate of 0.04 percent, they said.

So the Republicans decided to relocate the event to Jacksonville, Fla., but a virus outbreak in the Sunshine State alarmed party officials enough to scuttle those plans.

The result is the convention taking place in locations scattered all across the globe -- Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addressed it from Israel -- either by remote live video appearances, or through taped videos. First Lady Melania Trump spoke from the White House last night, as the president is scheduled to do Thursday.

The effect is certainly not the same as a live and in-person convention. Applause lines are nowhere to be found. Speakers who raise their voices, as they would in a speech before a live audience in a packed arena, are criticized and ridiculed. And television coverage, both by the major broadcast networks and the cable news and commentary outlets, has been significantly scaled back. For example, NBC had a talking head discussing mail-in voting shortly after their 10 p.m. coverage commenced Tuesday night while Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron was speaking.

It didn't have to be this way. Republicans blew a great opportunity to hold a normal convention while at the same time recognizing one of the leaders in how this country has responded to the Wuhan Chinese virus.

South Dakota, with GOP Gov. Kristi Noem at the helm, has been a shining star in how to handle the "kung flu." There have been no directed business closures. No mask mandates. No panic or overreaction. She has trusted her state's residents to make their own decisions on how to respond to the disease. Compared to most other states, especially Kentucky, South Dakota is thriving. Isolated outbreaks such as in commercial or industrial settings were dealt with either corporately or locally. There were no statewide edicts or orders.

While annual and one-time big events have been canceled, postponed, or restricted nationwide, South Dakota has pushed on. Two of the biggest national happenings  of the year -- an Independence Day fireworks show at which President Trump spoke, and the annual Sturgis motorcycle rally -- went off without a hitch. If those events could take place, why couldn't a Republican convention have been held in South Dakota?

Moving the RNC to the Mount Rushmore State could have accomplished several goals. South Dakota isn't exactly on the beaten path; it's really too far north to be considered "flyover country." Mount Rushmore, the Black Hills, and the Badlands are its best-known features and tourist attractions. Holding the convention there could have shined a spotlight on an often-overlooked state, provided a huge economic boost, and acknowledged and rewarded Gov. Noem for her exemplary conduct during the virus outbreak. Plus, it would have allowed the Republicans to show that they aren't hiding in fear the way the Democrats did in changing their convention. Contrasts between the two parties in how to handle challenges and crises would have been on full display -- the GOP rushes in unafraid to take on the task without hesitation, while Democrats cower in fear and send in videos.

But courage hasn't exactly been in ample supply even among Republicans the last several months. Look at the differences between Noem and Ohio's Mike DeWine. The latter has governed as a liberal Democrat this year, and it's really no surprise that legislators in his own party are pushing for his impeachment.

Republican party officials could have shown confidence and courage, while recognizing and rewarding an outstanding governor, by moving their meetup to South Dakota. The state may not have a city the size of a Charlotte or a Jacksonville, but surely an appropriate venue could have been found in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, or the capital city of Pierre. Parts of the convention could still have been done remotely or virtually, but there was still an opportunity for a decent-sized in-person gathering so enthusiasm could have been generated for this fall's vital election. Trump feeds off live audiences, and they in turn draw motivation and energy from his remarks.

This year's event is a poor substitute for what could have been. As noted above, a missed GOPportunity. Hopefully it won't come back to bite the Republicans as November draws closer.