Since when is The Donald not essential?
Romney campaign strategist Russ Schriefer on Sunday told reporters that squeezing four days of convention into three days due to concerns over Hurricane Isaac meant that some events deemed "not essential" would be cut.
And Donald Trump, the big-money birther conspiracy theorist, was originally scheduled to spring some sort of surprise during Monday's opening ceremonies.
Now Trump is off the schedule.
But RNC officials know better than to paint Trump as not essential or predict that he will miss a date with a television camera.
"Just because he's not here that doesn't mean he isn't showing up," Schriefer said Monday.
We live in hope.