pre-GOP convention discussion LATEST: Partial speaker list & seating chart

[Mr. Morden]

Post any miscellaneous news about the Republican convention in this thread.

[Mr. Morden]

Trump says that he'll release a full list of convention speakers on Wednesday:

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/donald-trump-convention-speakers-225055

[Mr. Morden]

So I guess Bob Barr is a delegate to the RNC this year?:

http://www.myajc.com/news/news/state-regional-govt-politics/meet-georgias-delegation-to-the-republican-nationa/nrq6t/

So his defection to the Libertarian Party was a short term opportunistic thing? 

[Mr. Morden]

Looks like even early-ish Trump endorser Paul LePage will be skipping out on the convention:

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/paul-lepage-rnc-convention-225120

[Mr. Morden]

Though Ernst has pulled out of the VP race, according to this, she will be given a “prominent speaking role” at the convention:

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2016/07/06/joni-ernst-gets-primetime-speaking-slot-republican-national-convention/86757716/

Meanwhile, regarding Ted Cruz:

http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/sen-ted-cruz-negotiating-speaking-role-republican-convention-n604731

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Of course, even if Cruz doesn’t agree to endorse Trump, if his supporters get enough signatures among delegates to put his name into nomination, he could be granted a speaking slot anyway, but it’s unclear if Cruz himself would be willing to go ahead with that in defiance of Trump:

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/ted-cruz-donald-trump-convention-225188

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[Mr. Morden]

Trump says Bobby Knight will speak at the convention:

http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/2016/07/07/trump-says-bobby-knight-speak-convention/86793804/

[Mr. Morden]

Cruz is speaking.

With no discussion of any endorsement.

It's a bit odd for Trump to invite him without asking for an endorsement.  So I would *guess* that there's some kind of secret agreement that Cruz will endorse him in the speech.

But maybe not....after all, Trump doesn't play by the normal rulebook.

[Mr. Morden]

Normally, the presumptive nominee's campaign keeps tight control over what the speakers are allowed to talk about, to make sure everyone's on message.  But the Trump campaign is sufficiently disorganized that I'm not sure they're going to bother.  Will be interesting to see who goes way off script.

[Mr. Morden]

Normally, the presumptive nominee's campaign keeps tight control over what the speakers are allowed to talk about, to make sure everyone's on message.  But the Trump campaign is sufficiently disorganized that I'm not sure they're going to bother.  Will be interesting to see who goes way off script.

Romney didn't do the best job either. Empty Chair was a flop, and Christie didn't even say the word "Romney" until 17 minutes into his speech.

IIRC, no one vetted Clint Eastwood's speech because he's a famous actor or something.  In the case of Christie, I think he actually deviated from the talking points he said he was going to make.

That's always possible.  Someone can always tell you that they'll talk about X, but then once they're on live TV there's nothing to stop them from saying whatever they want.  However, in the case of Trump, I'm more wondering if there's going to be any vetting of the speeches at all.  I mean, if he's giving out a speech to Cruz without even getting an endorsement, then what the heck is going on?

[Mr. Morden]

Another interesting thing to watch will be how the delegates react to speakers talking about the more controversial aspects of Trump-ism.  Will every supposed "applause" line about foreign policy, immigration, etc. elicit unanimous applause from the audience, or will there be dissenting boos on certain things?  I'm imagining that the media is going to spend a lot of time trying to dissect crowd reaction on Muslim bans and torturing terrorist families and things like that.

There could also be some speakers who've nominally endorsed Trump but are unenthusiastic about him, who'll register their unease with him in a passive aggressive manner, by praising orthodox GOP policy positions in areas where Trump diverges from the orthodoxy.

[Mr. Morden]

Nikki Haley and Tim Scott will attend the convention, but they apparently haven't (yet) been asked to speak there:

http://www.postandcourier.com/20160621/160629857/gov-nikki-haley-sen-tim-scott-to-attend-gop-national-convention

One would think that they'll get an invitation to speak, since there seem to be plenty of speaking slots left.  Both of them have "endorsed" Trump in fairly unenthusiastic "I support the nominee" terms.

[Mr. Morden]

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/07/11/politics/republican-platform-trade-gay-marriage-abortion/

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[Mr. Morden]

Paul Ryan will speak at the convention:

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/287188-ryan-to-speak-at-gop-convention

[Mr. Morden]

Paul Ryan will speak at the convention:

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/287188-ryan-to-speak-at-gop-convention

Makes sense considering he's going to be running the convention, correct?

Yep.

[Mr. Morden]

While there's been a lot of press surrounding the large number of high profile Republicans skipping the convention, it should be noted that the majority of sitting Republican Senators will be in attendance, at least for part of it.  This includes several folks who haven't endorsed Trump.  (Heck, Cruz is speaking, and he hasn't endorsed Trump.)  Here's a list of which Senators will be there:

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/here-are-all-the-gop-senators-skipping-their-convention

Unclear how many of them will be speaking though.

[Mr. Morden]

Various Trump campaign people and Republican officials trying to convince Kasich to show up at the convention:

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/07/11/politics/john-kasich-republicans-2016/index.html

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[Mr. Morden]

Giuliani will get a speaking slot:

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/rudy-giuliani-republican-convention-225459

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[Mr. Morden]

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/trump-speech-convention-mark-burns-225454

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[Mr. Morden]

Apparently, RNC delegates are looking to close all primaries and caucuses to Independents and Democrats.

How do you enforce this in states with no partisan registration?

I think they're actually just looking to give bonus delegates to primaries/caucuses that are closed, to encourage more states to go that route.  I guess the states with no registration would simply be out of luck.

[Mr. Morden]

At least eight Republicans in the House are going overseas next week, possibly to give themselves an excuse to skip the convention:

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-07-13/some-republicans-to-skip-trump-convention-by-heading-overseas

[Mr. Morden]

http://nyti.ms/29ZvLYq

Times leaks Speakers list for RNC.

Summary:

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[Mr. Morden]

Mukasey previously said that he wouldn't support Trump, and in fact co-signed this open letter denouncing him:

http://warontherocks.com/2016/03/open-letter-on-donald-trump-from-gop-national-security-leaders/

So unclear what his speaking slot means re: his current disposition towards Trump.  Is he going to endorse him?  Of course, Cruz hasn't endorsed Trump either, yet is on the speaking roster as well.

[Mr. Morden]

Is Mrs. Collins Susan Collins?

Nope.  As it says in the article, it's Eileen Collins, "the first woman to command a space shuttle mission".

[Mr. Morden]

I don't see Paul Ryan on that list.....

It's not a complete list.  And anyway, it was already announced that Ryan will be speaking.

[Mr. Morden]

This Politico story lists a slew of additional speakers for the convention:

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/gop-convention-speaker-list-2016-225522