There was an effort to change rules on the floor, I believe to unbind delegates. Former VA AG Ken Cuccinelli complained to MSNBC that the rules were gaveled through and the Colorado delegation has walked out over this. Feel free to use this as an open thread on observations on the convention tonight.
UPDATE (by David): It’s already old news, but the video of the floor fiasco on day one regarding the rules is worth watching.
Please share widely!
Christopher says
A staff car was hit in NY, but I don’t believe anyone was hurt.
Christopher says
A woman whose son was among those killed in the attack on our consulate addressed the convention. Her remarks did not match the record, but that’s expected from a GOP convention. Her last line is what infuriates me. She said, “Hillary belongs in prison; she belongs in stripes!” That kind of rhetoric has not place from the convention podium, and if we assume speeches are vetted that speaks volumes!
sabutai says
I think she was making off the cuff remarks, in response to shout-outs from the crowd. Having someone in such an emotionally delicate state in such a position is not a wise decision.
One thing I can’t understand is that the program has Rubio speaking; I didn’t think he was going.
AmberPaw says
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/national-govt-politics/chaos-at-rnc-as-colorado-delegates-walk-out/nrzxJ/
mike_cote says
It is only 3 AM and already MSNBC is showing fragments of Mrs Trump’s speech with the exact same words from Michelle Obama, and CNN is just beginning to show the similarities, but nothing from Fox “News” yet.
joeltpatterson says
my wife caught the Rickroll in Melania’s speech.
http://www.vox.com/2016/7/19/12221654/melania-trump-rickroll
joeltpatterson says
said Trump’s 3rd wife.
stomv says
Melania Trump’s GOP Convention Rickroll
sabutai says
It’s too similar for it to be coincidence in my judgment. However, it’s ridiculous to read some liberals (such as at DKos) declaring it a sign of the inherent unfitness of Trump to be president. I’m a lot more concerned with the apparent willingness of one party to imprison the leader of the opposition on now evidence. It feels like Bangladesh or Turkey.
johnk says
Well, we know they watched Michelle’s 2012 speech. Ha.
I wasn’t around to watch it, but this is pretty funny. I’m expecting Melania’s entire biography to be reviewed with a fine tooth comb today.
SomervilleTom says
Melania Trump IS Michelle Obama.
johnk says
just sayin’
Christopher says
…that Meredith McIver, who took the blame on this, is not a real person.
sabutai says
What is the deal with David Clarke’s uniform? He is the sheriff of Milwaukee County, and wears an outfit ore in keeping with a third-world dictator. Linking to an image below…see how it goes.
http://a.abcnews.com/images/Politics/160718_vod_rnc_clarke_speech_16x9_384.jpg
Christopher says
…about the legality of wearing his uniform at a political event.
mike_cote says
The Uniformed Code of Military Justice applies only to the six branches of the Military. So unless the state has a law or rule, it must be a 1st amendment issue.
Christopher says
…but I did assume that there were similar rules.
SomervilleTom says
According to sites like this, Mr. Clark would violate the state conflict-of-interest law by wearing his uniform at the RNC (emphasis mine):
If Mr. Clark were in Madison, WI instead of Milwaukee County, he would be in apparent violation of a city ordinance (emphasis mine):
We can hope that if similar ordinances exist for Milwaukee county, then interested observers will pursue the question of whether or not Mr. Clarke violated those ordinances.
JimC says
Thank you. The comment, as the intro to the photo, improved my day.
ChiliPepr says
“third-world dictator”? To me, saying a police officer in his uniform looks like an outfit “keeping with a third world dictator” is a bit disrespectful, no matter how much you disagree with him.
sabutai says
Did you look at the photo? There is no need for the epaulets, the multiplicity of medals, medallions, and small honors, the various pins and symbols. This does not look like the uniform of a police officer; it looks like a weak man’s ideal of what a strong man’s uniform looks like. Just as Trump is a poor man’s ideal of what a rich man acts like.
jconway says
He embellished his uniform and the medals he earned. He also rides around at local events in a cowboy hat and on a horse. He is one of the #1 recipients of NRA money in Wisconsin and he has fought the DA in suing gun stores that routinely sell to cop killing criminals. He is also a Democrat because, to quote him “There’s no way I win Milwaukee as a Republican”. A really strange individual and if this is the best Trump has he is really reaching.
ChiliPepr says
Is it over done, probably… but take a look at Chief Evans and Superintendent-in-Chief Gross.
Epaulets are common. If I saw this picture of the Chicago Police and said one of them was wearing a uniform like a “third world dictator” because of the extra awards he was wearing you would accuse me of the comment being a dog whistle.
I am not defending what he was saying or where he was, I am defending a police officer being called a “third world dictator.” (I know you said he “looked like”, but same difference.)
SomervilleTom says
I know we’re talking about degree here, but I really don’t see the comparison you’re trying to draw. According to jconway (just above), Mr. Clarke “embellished” his uniform and added medals. I see no evidence of that in either image you posted.
The uniform of the Massachusetts state police has often been criticized because of its perceived similarity to those worn by the Nazi SS.
In my view, the truth is a defense against criticisms such as yours. Mr. Clarke DOES, in fact, look like a third-world dictator. My view is that whatever disrespect that observation implies is deserved.
More importantly, as I noted upthread, it would be illegal for either Mr. Evans or Mr. Gross to wear their uniforms in an appearance at a political convention. The BEHAVIOR of Mr. Clarke in wearing his uniform at a partisan event is deserving of contempt, even more so than the uniform itself.
In my view, EVERY citizen should be wary of any police official who uses his or her office to so flagrantly promote extremist partisan political views.
merrimackguy says
as “third world dictator” implies a person of color, which Mr Clarke is obviously.
I don’t think you would have said it if he was white.
It’s also clear that you’re disrespecting people in the “third world” because that’s a term that is no longer valid and hasn’t been used for years. Do you call WV or KY “hillbilly country” too?
You should be keeping your criticisms closer to home. RI uniforms are way over the top. Still can’t get links to work.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/bullneck/264018572
merrimackguy says
It wouldn’t work in the preview.
sabutai says
I know you want SO HARD to find racism among progressives (which is why you all complain about the late Senator Byrd ad nauseum), but no. I went with third world dictator just because I was too lazy to figure out the proper spelling of Mummar Qadafi’s last name, though Marshal Tito is another fair comparison.
SomervilleTom says
Vintage photo, Massachusetts State Police
Christopher says
There were a few roll call discrepancies. The Secretary announced the number of delegates and how they were bound. Many states reported votes that agreed with her, but a few (Alaska, DC, and Utah as I recall) did not. Not all delegates were bound and I am now very confused on the rules. For example, MN was won by Rubio, but the only bound delegates announced for that state were 8 for Trump. How did Rubio not get any of the bound delegates? Alaska is at this writing contesting the recording of their vote and have asked for their delegation to be polled. I wouldn’t be surprised if DC and UT follow suit. All three insisted that the votes they cast were in accordance with the will of their respective voters. None of this will be enough to deny Trump a first ballot nomination once again depriving me the opportunity to see an actual convention in my lifetime:(
David says
is interesting. Apparently, some states (UT, AK, and DC among a few others) have local party rules providing that their votes can only go to candidates whose names are officially nominated for president. Since Trump was the only candidate nominated, delegate votes from all those states went to Trump, regardless of how the state actually voted.
Christopher says
…claimed that the Alaska state GOP convention deliberately suspended that rule. He also phrased it as delegates for candidates who have “dropped out” would go to remaining candidates, but then played lawyer and pointed out that nobody really “dropped out”, only “suspended” their campaigns.
Earlier this year I read a book about the beginnings of the primary system encouraged by Theodore Roosevelt in 1912. IIRC it mentioned a SCOTUS case that ultimately ruled that the Call to Convention is the supreme governing document regarding delegate allocation superceding state party rules and even state law. I don’t know if that is still the binding precedent.
johnk says
when this thing is done. I’m really interested to see the outcome.
centralmassdad says
petr says
… Did “Nazi” that coming…
JimC says
n/t
centralmassdad says
There is also a video of just her, and it looks more like a wave to the crowd, but the start of the wave is, um, very stiff and formal, which is the part of the wave that is captured in the above photo,
merrimackguy says
this “gotcha” with Obama turned out to be nothing on video- he momentarily turned his head in that direction.
http://listabuzz.com/30-celebrities-caught-red-handed-staring-at-you-know/
centralmassdad says
It is very deliberate, and only then moves into the wavy thing. My theory is that it is entirely deliberate, with just enough deniability to pass the laugh test.
I theorize that this is not so much done to salute der Fuhrer, or even der Donald, so much as it is an effort to set up the little teapot tempest that happened today, so that she can rail against the unfair media– which appears to be how she makes the mortgage payments.