U-T San Diego Invites GOP to Move Convention Here if Hurricane Hits

A U-T San Diego editorial on Friday noted the possibility of Tropical Storm Isaac becoming a hurricane—and threatening next week’s Republican National Convention in Tampa, FL.

So what to do?

Vacate to San Diego, suggested the editorial.

While conceding that a last-minute shift is unlikely and a monumental logistical task, the U-T said: “San Diego should have the can-do spirit to overcome those problems. With leadership from City Hall, convention center officials and the tourism industry, it could be done.”

But the San Diego Free Press—an liberal opinion site—responded by saying:

We un-nominate San Diego as the city for the GOP—we’re still paying for the last time the Republicans held a convention here. It’s fairly accepted now that the City of San Diego spent $50 Million to host the 1996 GOP convention here. That money went mainly into infrastructure and personnel costs.  And guess what?  Then-Mayor Susan Golding raided our treasuries for this partisan confab, and led to the underfunding of the pensions.

San Diego was set to host the 1972 GOP national convention as well, but a scandal involving ITT and a bribe attempt revealed by investigative reporter Jack Anderson led Richard Nixon and the Republicans to move the event to Miami.

Of course, U-T San Diego's publisher and owner is Doug Manchester, whose personal website notes his extensive hotel ownings—which would serve to benefit from thousands of GOP delegates and journalists:

In addition to the San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina and the Manchester Grand Hyatt, his investment and development projects include The Grand Del Mar Resort & Spa, Manchester Executive Center, Manchester Financial Building, and the Whitetail Lodge and Golf Club, and soon a convention center hotel in Austin, Texas. Papa Doug was the catalyst for the now famous Biotech cluster at Torrey Pines. Currently, Papa Doug is Chairman and Publisher of the San Diego Union Tribune.

What do you think? Should, or can, San Diego come to the rescue?