Anyone surprised the Republican coronation will take place in NYC in 2004? According to Reuters:

"We believe New York will provide an outstanding backdrop to showcase our candidate and our party in 2004," said Marc Racicot, chairman of the Republican National Committee.

New York, which will provide Republicans plenty of hotel rooms and extensive fund-raising opportunities, also offered great political symbolism from the Sept. 11 attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center and made Bush a wartime commander in chief.

New York officials said they persuaded labor unions to sign "no strike" agreements and secured 22,000 rooms at 50 hotels for the convention, which will be privately financed and will pump about $150 million into the economically strapped city.

It will be the first time Republicans have held a convention in New York, which has been a reliably Democratic state in presidential elections although its two top public officials -- Bloomberg and Gov. George Pataki -- are Republican.

Given the Sept. 11 attacks and Bush's response, Republicans hope to challenge Democrats in New York in 2004 and make a play for the state's 31 electoral votes or at least put Democrats on the defensive there.