From August 27-30, about 2,286 delegates and 2,125 "alternate" delegates from across the United States will gather in Tampa, Florida, to formally nominate the Republican Party's candidate for the 2012 presidential election. They will be joined by some 15,000 journalists and media operatives from around the globe, each attempting to scrutinise every nuance of this political spectacular, from before the curtain raises until after the red, white and blue balloons fall from the rafters at the Tampa Bay Times Forum. The event, with all its glitz and glamour, focuses on drumming up enthusiasm for the party's electoral ticket, with dozens of aggrandising speeches trumpeting the finer points of Republican policy, and demonising those of President Obama's Democratic Party. It is the world’s biggest pep rally, leaving voters and party activists fired up in the hope of winning debates, from the water cooler to national TV, and winning votes when the US heads to the polls on November 6.