Republican National Convention **live commentary thread**

[NOVA Green]

It's becoming more likely that Trump gets a negative bounce from his convention at this rate

One really starts to wonder if this might be the case....

I recall reading somewhere earlier today that~50% of Cruz supporters are currently strongly considering not voting for Trump in November.

Will the Wednesday Night Cruz speech be a defining moment in terms of Republican unity versus greater division?

[NOVA Green]

It's becoming more likely that Trump gets a negative bounce from his convention at this rate

One really starts to wonder if this might be the case....

I recall reading somewhere earlier today that~50% of Cruz supporters are currently strongly considering not voting for Trump in November.

Will the Wednesday Night Cruz speech be a defining moment in terms of Republican unity versus greater division?

Or it might be more like, when Cruz swiped delegates in Colorado. According to exit polls (if I am not mistaken) majority of voters agreed with Trump that it was "unfair".

Agreed, that it definitely had an impact not only among Colorado Republicans, but more importantly within the narrative of the '16 Republican primary.

That being said, Cruz did garner 8 Million Republican votes in the primaries, so obviously if Trump only garners 65% of the Cruz voters in the GE, that will have an impact in the margins, and potentially make the difference in a few swing states.

Question remains, will the Cruz speech Wednesday help create party unity, or further enhance division, and impact any potential convention bounce?

[NOVA Green]

I just stared watching the convention. What did I miss?

Everything...

Attempted coup following RNC rules quashed down quashed down by "brownshirts" and "Fascists" (according to former NH Sen Gordon Humphrey). Colorado delegation walks out in protest promising "Plan B", Mike Lee (UT) taking a more studied approach, Cuccinelli (Former AG of VA) yelling "shame" and throwing convention badge on floor....

Rumors and threats of additional actions from the anti-Trump forces....




I'm so glad that I have a job where I can work remotely and follow the convention, while taking care of business at the same time.

[NOVA Green]

Took a quick trip down South to Syracuse hoping I wouldn't miss much and. . .

You honestly didn't miss much.

#NeverTrump tried to get a roll call on the Rules Committee report and failed miserably. Lost the voice vote. Their attempt to force it via the majority of 8+ delegations fell flat when the vote was whipped and delegates from four of the nine delegations in favor of the coup withdrew their support so that it was no longer a majority....

Technically some truths there, but not convinced on losing the voice vote....

RNC establishment delayed for 20 minutes in order to work holdouts (Whipped) to strong-arm enough individuals to make it work.

Reality is that, although the coup likely would have failed regardless, there will likely be longer-term consequences for the duration of the convention, because of a perception that the "Republican Establishment" squashed dissenting voices rather than simply go through a roll call, where they could have likely claimed victory regardless, without the bad blood with a perception of acting in an undemocratic matter so that minority voices were completely overridden in violation of RNC rules and policies...

[NOVA Green]

THIS IS SUCH BS

GO AWAY PATRICIA SMITH

Oh piss off. She still lost her son.

No what pisses me off, is not that she is emotional regarding the death of her son in Libya.

What *does* piss me off is that the RNC in an attempt to "slime" Hillary Clinton regarding Libya/Benghazi that there appears to be a completely blind eye when it comes to the death of Americans in Iraq.

I lost a good friend in Iraq, assigned to the Oregon National Guard, who died in combat outside of Taji/Camp Cooke at the hands of a roadside bomb and decisions made by the Bush Administration, not only to go into Iraq, but additionally to use "stop-loss" and not provide uparmored Humvees...

It sickens me that the RNC decided to use this mother's grief to make political points against Hillary Clinton, while not even addressing the real grief that families and friends of those who have fallen in Iraq in order to try to score cheap political points.

If anyone is interested, here is a tribute to my friend from Corvallis/Albany who served his country and died in Iraq, despite his personal reservations about the merits of the mission.

http://thefallen.militarytimes.com/army-spc-eric-s-mckinley/263041

[NOVA Green]

THIS IS SUCH BS

GO AWAY PATRICIA SMITH

Oh piss off. She still lost her son.

No what pisses me off, is not that she is emotional regarding the death of her son in Libya.

What *does* piss me off is that the RNC in an attempt to "slime" Hillary Clinton regarding Libya/Benghazi that there appears to be a completely blind eye when it comes to the death of Americans in Iraq.

I lost a good friend in Iraq, assigned to the Oregon National Guard, who died in combat outside of Taji/Camp Cooke at the hands of a roadside bomb and decisions made by the Bush Administration, not only to go into Iraq, but additionally to use "stop-loss" and not provide uparmored Humvees...

It sickens me that the RNC decided to use this mother's grief to make political points against Hillary Clinton, while not even addressing the real grief that families and friends of those who have fallen in Iraq in order to try to score cheap political points.

If anyone is interested, here is a tribute to my friend from Corvallis/Albany who served his country and died in Iraq, despite his personal reservations about the merits of the mission.

http://thefallen.militarytimes.com/army-spc-eric-s-mckinley/263041

So none of the "chicken-hawks" out there even felt a need to respond to my post, let alone Atlas "Liberal Democrats"....

Sad day for America and the forum when we have multiple pages of discussion regarding a grieving mother who lost a child in Libya, but no interest or even comments regarding the loss of my friend in Iraq.

[NOVA Green]

Giuliani is great tonight! He would've been a great president and much better than the current socialist mayor of NYC.

No... just no.

Hate to say it but W. would likely have been a better president than Giuliani, despite the insanity of the W. administration controlled by the "Vulcans" that essentially wanted to remake the Middle-East based upon Kissinger style Real-Politik, and as a direct consequence the creation of ISIS.

[NOVA Green]

THIS IS SUCH BS

GO AWAY PATRICIA SMITH

Oh piss off. She still lost her son.

No what pisses me off, is not that she is emotional regarding the death of her son in Libya.

What *does* piss me off is that the RNC in an attempt to "slime" Hillary Clinton regarding Libya/Benghazi that there appears to be a completely blind eye when it comes to the death of Americans in Iraq.

I lost a good friend in Iraq, assigned to the Oregon National Guard, who died in combat outside of Taji/Camp Cooke at the hands of a roadside bomb and decisions made by the Bush Administration, not only to go into Iraq, but additionally to use "stop-loss" and not provide uparmored Humvees...

It sickens me that the RNC decided to use this mother's grief to make political points against Hillary Clinton, while not even addressing the real grief that families and friends of those who have fallen in Iraq in order to try to score cheap political points.

If anyone is interested, here is a tribute to my friend from Corvallis/Albany who served his country and died in Iraq, despite his personal reservations about the merits of the mission.

http://thefallen.militarytimes.com/army-spc-eric-s-mckinley/263041

So none of the "chicken-hawks" out there even felt a need to respond to my post, let alone Atlas "Liberal Democrats"....

Sad day for America and the forum when we have multiple pages of discussion regarding a grieving mother who lost a child in Libya, but no interest or even comments regarding the loss of my friend in Iraq.

I tried to answer, but I keep getting knocked-out of the site, or the site keeps locking-up (very busy time).
I wanted to say "sorry for your loss."
But don't feel that people are intentionally ignoring your post, it's just that there are so many posts, that one post after another, gets buried very quickly.

Thank You, Proud Moderate..... very much appreciate your kind comments and response.

My one and only issue is the hypocrisy when it comes to the way in which certain political parties frame military service and patriotism, whereby certain stories are forgotten in two of the largest wars in recent American history ( Iraq & Afghanistan), but yet one political party brings out a grieving mother, while neglecting so many other grieving military families over these past 15 years.

There used to be a time of decency and respect where those that died in the service of our country (Mission right or wrong) were all viewed as heroes and not used as political pawns.

Although I am not from a military family, have four Vietnam era friends, my son-in-law as USMC based out of Camp Pendleton was two weeks away from being deployed to Afghanistan in 2010, but the vaccine injection sent him to the ER into a coma, and he is now on permanent disability as a result.

Reality is that those of military friends and families do need to stick together, and it makes me sick to my stomach when I hear politicians (Of both political parties) claim that they speak and represent how enlisted men and women actually think.

Hopefully, the DNC will actually tell a better story that provides greater honor and respect for those that have served and died in the wars overseas over the past 16 years....

[NOVA Green]

THIS IS SUCH BS

GO AWAY PATRICIA SMITH

Oh piss off. She still lost her son.

No what pisses me off, is not that she is emotional regarding the death of her son in Libya.

What *does* piss me off is that the RNC in an attempt to "slime" Hillary Clinton regarding Libya/Benghazi that there appears to be a completely blind eye when it comes to the death of Americans in Iraq.

I lost a good friend in Iraq, assigned to the Oregon National Guard, who died in combat outside of Taji/Camp Cooke at the hands of a roadside bomb and decisions made by the Bush Administration, not only to go into Iraq, but additionally to use "stop-loss" and not provide uparmored Humvees...

It sickens me that the RNC decided to use this mother's grief to make political points against Hillary Clinton, while not even addressing the real grief that families and friends of those who have fallen in Iraq in order to try to score cheap political points.

If anyone is interested, here is a tribute to my friend from Corvallis/Albany who served his country and died in Iraq, despite his personal reservations about the merits of the mission.

http://thefallen.militarytimes.com/army-spc-eric-s-mckinley/263041

So none of the "chicken-hawks" out there even felt a need to respond to my post, let alone Atlas "Liberal Democrats"....

Sad day for America and the forum when we have multiple pages of discussion regarding a grieving mother who lost a child in Libya, but no interest or even comments regarding the loss of my friend in Iraq.

I tried to answer, but I keep getting knocked-out of the site, or the site keeps locking-up (very busy time).
I wanted to say "sorry for your loss."
But don't feel that people are intentionally ignoring your post, it's just that there are so many posts, that one post after another, gets buried very quickly.

Thank You, Proud Moderate..... very much appreciate your kind comments and response.

My one and only issue is the hypocrisy when it comes to the way in which certain political parties frame military service and patriotism, whereby certain stories are forgotten in two of the largest wars in recent American history ( Iraq & Afghanistan), but yet one political party brings out a grieving mother, while neglecting so many other grieving military families over these past 15 years.

There used to be a time of decency and respect where those that died in the service of our country (Mission right or wrong) were all viewed as heroes and not used as political pawns.

Although I am not from a military family, have four Vietnam era friends, my son-in-law as USMC based out of Camp Pendleton was two weeks away from being deployed to Afghanistan in 2010, but the vaccine injection sent him to the ER into a coma, and he is now on permanent disability as a result.

Reality is that those of military friends and families do need to stick together, and it makes me sick to my stomach when I hear politicians (Of both political parties) claim that they speak and represent how enlisted men and women actually think.

Hopefully, the DNC will actually tell a better story that provides greater honor and respect for those that have served and died in the wars overseas over the past 16 years....

It's because the Democratic Party always attacks the military families and the military in general. ...there's a reason why people view the GOP as "strong on defense".

Am extremely confused... none of my Senators nor any state Reps have ever attacked "military families nor the military in general".

In fact, veterans and families of veterans have gotten the shaft since coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan (Not sure if you are old enough to remember Walter Reed).

I have to assume you are either trolling or to young to remember, but one of the major issue that the Republican Party has had for the past ten years in public polling is that the Democratic Party has consistently polled significantly higher on foreign policy issues than the Republican Party ever since public opinion went deep south on the Iraq war around '06 and '07.

Please post something once you are out of high-school or junior college and we can talk about war and peace in American politics....

[NOVA Green]

Cool....

Thought you were the other dude that was trolling, and was getting frustrated.

My apologies, but I think there are legitimate discussions regarding how both political parties use war and peace and military vets as symbols, but this is something that I think we can discuss sanely in an alternate venue/


My bad....

[NOVA Green]

So not sure if any of y'all have been to Texas, let alone lived in Texas, but Ted Cruz definitely represented  the state and gave a giant "FU" at the RNC,

Not a huge fan of Teddie, but spent four years living in the Great State of Texas, and although I have many issues with the Senator, he basically flipped the bird to the presumptive nominee, and represented the voters of his state.

Here is a song that represents how the vast majority of the citizens think (Dem, Rep, Lib, etc) think about the political system and popular attitudes towards the Federal political system.....

"Screw You we're from Texas" song by a legendary singer-songwriter with a total R&B Riff...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-cFtSPIF4Q

[NOVA Green]

So not sure if any of y'all have been to Texas, let alone lived in Texas, but Ted Cruz definitely represented  the state and gave a giant "FU" at the RNC,

Not a huge fan of Teddie, but spent four years living in the Great State of Texas, and although I have many issues with the Senator, he basically flipped the bird to the presumptive nominee, and represented the voters of his state.

Here is a song that represents how the vast majority of the citizens think (Dem, Rep, Lib, etc) think about the political system and popular attitudes towards the Federal political system.....

"Screw You we're from Texas" song by a legendary singer-songwriter with a total R&B Riff...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-cFtSPIF4Q

I wonder whether Texas tells Trump "screw you, we're from Texas" in November after the delegation from NEW YORK of all states booed him. Texan enmity of Yankee attitude runs deeper than any political party divide, at least that's what I encountered there...

Actually a very real possibility...

East Tex will vote reliably Republican, much like Anglos in Miss, LA, and 'Bama.

Evangelicals in suburbs of Houston, DFW, and Austin/S.A. will generally vote reliably Republican, as always, but voter turnout and margins might be significantly lower than normal.

That being said, what are the margins going to look like in Harris and Fort Bend County, as well as overwhelmingly Republican places liked Montgomery County (Woodlands), not to mention places like Plano Texas and Round Rock Texas....

The problem with the Texas Republican Party has always been a gap between the "country club" Republican types versus the "God Belt" reps from East-Tex, Waco, and the "Cotton Belt". George W. was able to appeal to both segments of the party, but I do have a suspicion that West Tex, and Latino voters in Harris County and suburbs of Houston, are going to create a much closer Republican victory margin in Texas than what we are used to seeing.

IF Texas Cruz voters can't swallow the poison Trump pill, then there could be major issues in Cruz country Texas.... Not a huge fan of the dude, but he did win the Rep Sen Primary by stumping every county in the state, and working local Rep officials to overturn an existing incumbent Senator.

Cruz has always been underestimated as not only a statewide, but also a national political figure, and yes reality is that Texas will likely be much closer in the GE than expected (With a decent Lib voting %) and yes if Texans feel dissed and overrun by the Trump train, they will say a resounding "Screw You we're from Texas".

[NOVA Green]

So Trump found his token black guy?

Well they've had black people speaking at various points during the convention.

Thought I read somewhere earlier on the thread that 13% of the RNC speakers are African-American, which would be about the overall national proportion of the population (Albeit only 1% of the delegates are Black)...