Mitt Romney was supposed to be formally selected as the official 2012 Republican Party presidential candidate today, but sideways rain courtesy of Hurricane Isaac has made a mess the original Republican National Convention schedule.

Now RNC Chairman Reince Priebus will gavel in the RNC for about five minutes today so the party can unveil a National Debt Clock (currently at $15.9 trillion) inside the convention hall. Then nothing till Tuesday. Below are the schedule highlights for the remainder of the convention … until they get changed:

Tuesday
8 PM: Sen. Kelly Ayotte. N.H., Govs. John Kasich, Ohio, Mary Fallin, Okla., Bob McDonnell, Va., and Scott Walker, Wis.
9 PM: Former-Rep. Artur Davis, D-Ala., U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz, Texas, and Govs. Brian Sandoval, Nev., and Nikki Haley, S.C.,
10 PM: Mrs. Ann Romney and Gov. Chris Christie, N.J.

Wednesday
8 PM: Gov. Bobby Jindal, La., and Sens. John Thune, S.D., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio.
9 PM: Mike Huckabee and Govs. Luis Fortuno, P.R., and Tim Pawlenty
10 PM: Condoleezza Rice, Gov. Susana Martinez, N.M., and Paul Ryan.

Thursday
8 PM: Gov. Jeb Bush, Fla.
9 PM: 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey “miracle on ice” captain Michael Eruzione
10 PM: Sen. Marco Rubio, Fla. and Mitt Romney

Campaign 2012
Romney: Mitt Romney sat for interviews with Politico and USA Today yesterday. From USA Today: “I do think that the president’s campaign of personal vilification and demonization probably draws some people away from me … I think in the final analysis, people will recognize those attacks for what they are, and they’ll make a decision based on who can do a better job creating jobs and providing more take-home pay for the middle class of America.” From Politico: “I don’t think everybody likes me. I don’t believe that, by any means. But I do believe that people of this country are looking for someone who can get the country growing again with more jobs and more take-home pay, and I think they realize this president had four years to do that. … He got every piece of legislation he wanted passed, and it didn’t work. I think they want someone who has a different record, and I do.”

Polls: Gallup notes that since 1952, the pre-convention poll leader has won 12 of 15 elections. Gallup currently has the race tied at 46 percent. A new Washington Post poll shows Romney beating Obama 47 percent to 46 percent.

Tampa: At a pre-convention rally Sunday, Rep. Ron Paul, R-Tex., did not endorse Mitt Romney for president.

Missouri Senate: A new St. Louis Post-Dispatch poll poll shows that not only is Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., now trailing Sen. Clarie McCaskill, D-Mo., by 9 points (50-41), but half of Akin’s supporters want Akin out of the race. Last month, Akin was beating McCaskill by five.

In Other News
The Wall Street Journal, Suits Mount in Rate Scandal: Banks being probed for interest-rate manipulation face potentially tens of billions of dollars in claims from dozens of lawsuits in the U.S. from cities, insurers, investors and lenders who say they were hurt by the allegedly fudged rates.

The Los Angeles Times, Gov. Jerry Brown lines up unusual allies on his tax hike initiative: Energy corporations, insurance companies and telecommunications companies, hospitals, indian casinos, movie studios and utilities, all with business in the California legislature, have given millions to Gov. Jerry Brown to support his $8 billion dollar tax hike.

Fox News, Camden to scrap police department amid budget woes: Crime-ridden Camden, New Jersey – often referred to as the most dangerous city in the United States—is getting rid of its police department. The city plans to disband its 460-member police department and replace it with a non-union “Metro Division” of the Camden County Police.

Righty Playbook
The Wall Street Journal says the Obama years have been “brutal” on the middle class.

At The Corner, Yuval Levin explains why Obama’s latest Medicare ad is a lie.

Hot Air notes that the “Republican” women in Obama’s new “Republican Women for Obama” ad are not Republicans.

Human Events John Gizzi reports on Team Romney’s push back against Obama’s latest Medicare ad.

Lefty Playbook
The Huffington Post is attacked Romney for claiming tax benefits based on a sill ‘active’ role at Bain Capital.

Think Progressclaims the Romney/Ryan plan will cost seniors $60,000.

The Washington Post‘s EJ Dionne interviews Elizabeth Warren.