TAMPA, FLA. — When the Republican National Convention finally kicks off tonight, viewers will see not one, but two huge clocks featuring the federal debt.

The first, located closest to the stage features the total deficit:

The second, located a little further to the right, features the amount of debt the U.S. will rack off during the Republican National Convention. (If it looks a little high to viewers just tuning in today, that's because it started when the convention was first called to session on Monday):

Ostensibly, the clocks are meant to call attention to the huge federal deficit, a key issue for many conservative Republicans. But when asked by reporters why the Republican National Committee decided to put up two debt clocks, Mitt Romney's senior campaign strategist Russ Schriefer noted that Romney often used a debt clock during his campaign events during the Republican primaries.

"It's a way to bring parts of the campaign into the hall," Schriefer said.

But Business Insider got another answer from an RNC staffer who we ran into on the convention floor.

The staffer explained that the debt clocks are a really good way for Republican leaders to make sure they stay on message, especially when giving interviews to one of the various networks who have set up camp in the convention hall.

"If the conversation isn't going their way, they can just turn around and say 'Look at the debt clock,'" the staffer said.

Here's a picture of both debt clocks: