GOP Rep. McHenry taunts Obama for moving convention speech to smaller venue

Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) teased President Obama for moving his Democratic National Convention speech from the Bank of America Stadium to the Time Warner Cable Arena, a smaller venue.

"Well, the news today that the president has bagged his speech in Bank of America Stadium is kind of a surprise to me," McHenry said at a Republican National Committee press conference on Wednesday. "North Carolina is not known for cold September rains, but apparently the president is not prepared to speak during a light September rain here in North Carolina."

Democrats said the move was because of "severe weather forecasts" and had nothing to do with a smaller attendance than had originally been expected. McHenry, though, said the move was obviously due to smaller attendance.

"That's unfortunate, I think it has more to do with attendance rather the precipitation," McHenry continued. 

The move for Obama's speech followed repeated assurances by campaign officials that the speech would take place in the stadium in "rain or shine."

At the same presser McHenry also called out Rep. Larry Kissell (D-N.C.) for deciding not to attend the Democratic convention.

"Furthermore, as a member of Congress here in North Carolina I see a number of my Democrat colleagues in the United States House who live just but a simple drive to this convention not willing to come," McHenry said. "In particular, my colleague Larry Kissell, whose district begins but ten miles from where we sit today, has resolved himself to avoid the convention. Well, I'd encourage Larry to come on down.

"The rest of us here in North Carolina, especially Republicans, have been willing to encourage the voters here in North Carolina to look at what's happening in downtown Charlotte, the rhetoric and the policies of this administration and to vote accordingly this November and to vote for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan."

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