The Republican National Convention was supposed to get underway in Tampa, Florida Monday with speeches from Mike Huckabee, Senator Rand Paul and others. Instead, the official business on Day One of the convention was condensed into less than a minute. Political reporter Bobby Cuza is in Tampa with more.

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TAMPA, Fla. -- "It is my privilege to proclaim the 2012 National Republican Convention in session and called to order," said Reince Preiebus.

The Republican convention opened in Tampa Monday, at least technically. Thirty seconds later, Chairman Reince Priebus gaveled out, recessing the convention until Tuesday, the day's events postponed due to weather. Still, a few hundred delegates filled the convention floor anyway. This video beginning the slow build to Mitt Romney's acceptance speech Thursday.

"I’m Mitt Romney, I believe in America and I’m running for president of the United States,” Romney said.

In the end, Isaac mostly steered clear of the Florida coast. Monday brought rain, but also some clear patches. With the storm headed for the Gulf Coast, convention delegates said they their thoughts were with those in the path of danger, but that the show must go on.

"The messaging goes on, the speakers go on and the nomination will go on. That’s the business of the convention," one person said.

"It's exciting. It’s exciting to kick this convention off and I think America’s ready for a change," said another.

Keeping on message, the arena here features not only a running national debt clock, but also one that began running Monday, tracking debt the country accumulates during the convention itself.

Barring any further changes, the convention will get underway in earnest on Tuesday, when Mitt Romney will be formally nominated during a roll call vote of delegates on the convention floor to be followed Tuesday night, with headlining speeches by Ann Romney and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Christie's aides deflected a report that he was offered the vice presidential nomination before Paul Ryan. The governor said the convention is an opportunity to reset the campaign.

Christie said, "It's going to come down to the major speeches in this convention and are those speeches and the things that we talk about, are they going to appeal to the mainstream of the country?"

The answers will have to wait until later this week.