Republican National Convention **live commentary thread**

[Likely Voter]

Yeah, but when you he mentioned the gay games, you knew he wasn't a Repubican.

[Likely Voter]

The 10pm-11pm hour lineup (which is carried on all the broadcast networks so is their biggest audience) is...

Melania Trump, Businesswoman and Wife of Donald Trump
Retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn
Senator Joni Ernst (Iowa)
Jason Beardsley, Concerned Veterans for America
Representative Ryan Zinke (Montana)

[Likely Voter]

hour by hour schedule is here...
http://www.c-span.org/RepublicanNationalConvention

[Likely Voter]

this says 5:30
www.c-span.org/convention/?party=rnc&day=1468911600

[Likely Voter]

guy on CNN is saying it looks like Cruz delegates will not get his name placed into nomination for the Roll Call so some states are potentially going to stage a walk out but the Trump/RNC whips are trying to stop that. 

[Likely Voter]

What the f[inks] happened with DC?

I'm guessing the delegates were released to Trump.

DC delegate is on MSNBC now saying that the chair pulled a 'power play' to give all the DC votes to Trump 'because they don't want any dissent' ...calling it an 'embarrassment'

[Likely Voter]

Interestingly, Mukasey didn't say anything in his speech to indicate that he was backing off of his refusal to endorse Trump.  He just spent the entire speech attacking Clinton, and didn't mention Trump's name.  I wonder if Cruz will do the same.

Would not be surprised if they dropped the must endorse requirement as their list was not filling up and they were running out of time.

[Likely Voter]

a GOP convention, and especially this one, is to unify the support for the nominee. The idea is to basically get at least everyone who voted Romney and/or McCain on board.   There have been two weak ares for them, real Christian conservatives (the Ted Cruz wing) and educated  semi-moderates (the Kasich/Romney wing). The idea being they have a lot of time to go beyond that to reach swing voters, especially with the debates.

However, are they really using the right tactics to unify Republicans and R-leaning voters? They seem to have decided that they can use Hillary hate to unify, but is focusing on the Fox News/Right Wing radio themes of Behghazi, Hillary for Jail, etc. really helping with their weak areas? It seems to me that it is mostly just throwing emotional red meat at the core demo of angry white working class voters that Trump already has in his back pocket.

[Likely Voter]

I have also watched the network news version of events and the giuliani and Christie speeches were featured on most that I saw (not live, but they showed significant portions).  And they also grabbed some other stuff during the day. And of course in our current social media culture all the other stuff leaks out via facebook feeds to the non-politicals. 

The risk is that Giuliani and Christie will have a Pat Buchanan/culture war speech effect and turn off the non-Limbaugh types.

Also with regards to both Melania and Don Jr's speeches, I think both suffered from a lack of personal details in humanizing Trump. He has very high unfavorables and needs character witnesses to help him. Same is actually true of Christie who focused too much on Clinton and not why he is backing his long time friend. 

I actually thought Tiffany Trump's speech was the best at revealing the softer side of Trump. One of his biggest weaknesses is with women. I don't think this convention is helping him with women, including women who voted for Romney. Chants of 'lock her up' definitely isn't helping.

[Likely Voter]

CSPAN has the order of speakers starting at 7:30 but no specific times

    Nathan Johnson, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
    Governor Rick Scott (Florida)
    Laura Ingraham, Political Commentator
    "The Trump We Know" Video
    Phil Ruffin, Businessman
    Attorney General Pam Bondi (Florida)
    Eileen Collins, Astronaut
    Michelle Van Etten, Small Business Owner
    State Senator Ralph Alvarado (Kentucky)
    Darrell Scott, Pastor
    Harold Hamm, Continental Resources
    Governor Scott Walker (Wisconsin)
    Lynne Patton, The Eric Trump Foundation
    Senator Marco Rubio (Florida) Video
    Senator Ted Cruz (Texas)
    "My Father Donald Trump" Video
    Eric Trump, EVP of the Trump Organization
    Former Speaker Newt Gingrich (Georgia) and Callista Gingrich
    Vice Presidential Nominee Governor Mike Pence
    Archbishop Demetrios, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

[Likely Voter]

I had assumed that Manafort and Cruz would have come to an understanding and Cruz would at least give a tepid endorsement. The fact that they gave him a prime spot without having that endorsement shows they were desperate for speakers and disorganized.

[Likely Voter]

"not the best we can do it is the best they can do" is a good line.

[Likely Voter]

looks like Cruz forced himself into the 10-11PM hour and therefore forced the networks to have to run over.  Such an epic troll.

[Likely Voter]

Pence is giving a good speech. He is hitting all the GOP erogenous zones, slamming Clinton and and making the case for Trump. It is exactly what he should be doing.   

It is just kind of amazing that he is one of the few to make the positive case for Trump. Rick Scott did as well but no one was watching. I missed Newt due to the Cruzapaloza fallout but assume he did too?

[Likely Voter]

Today's programming...

(Start time    7:10PM EDT)

    Reverend Steve Bailey, Pastor
    Fran Tarkenton, Former NFL Quarterback
    Brock Mealer, Motivational Speaker
    Representative Marsha Blackburn (Tennessee)
    Governor Mary Fallin (Oklahoma)
    Lisa Shin, National Diversity Coalition for Trump
    RNC Chair Reince Priebus
    Jerry Falwell Jr., Liberty Univeristy
    Peter Thiel, Entrepreneur
    Tom Barrack, CEO Colony Capital
    Ivanka Trump, Daughter of Donald Trump and EVP of The Trump Organization
    Presidential Nominee Donald Trump
    Bishop Emeritus Roger W. Gries, Diocese of Cleveland