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

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

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.

[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.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

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?

I'm pretty sure they're having trouble getting enough speakers to fill the slots.

[Doimper]

So it's Saturday - are we still waiting on the list of speakers?

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

So it's Saturday - are we still waiting on the list of speakers?

We have a quite a few... Bobby Knight, Ben Carson, Don King, Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump, Tiffany Trump, Donald Trump Junior... I wonder if Barron (either one) will make an appearance? Perhaps John Miller can give his own pre-speech telling everyone how awesome a nominee Trump is?

Perhaps the RNC can yield the stage to a burning trash can for a while? Oh,  wait, they're already doing that.

[Ebsy]

Am I the only one thinking that there is a very real chance that this convention is going to be a total flop?

[Averroës Nix]

Am I the only one thinking that there is a very real chance that this convention is going to be a total flop?

Expecting it to come off like Trump's dull and overly-scripted SNL appearance at this point.

[The Other Castro]

Am I the only one thinking that there is a very real chance that this convention is going to be a total flop?

Probably not, considering the event will be skipped by 4 of the 5 former Republican presidential nominees, the VP choice may be voted down, and there's no sign of a speaker list being released with only about a week to go.

[Interlocutor is just not there yet]

I'm more worried that the bar is set so low, anything close to average will be considered a vast improvement and poll numbers will reflect that

[jman123]

Is the convention having trouble getting speakers?

[DINGO Joe]

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?

While it's been a long time since I've been at a convention, you were always able to get a copy of the various speeches to be given by the  speakers like 15 to 30 minutes before they spoke.  They were embargoed and couldn't be leaked by the media or theoretically anyone beforehand, but they also would have served as an obvious document if someone went off the reservation.  Now, with social media, maybe these things have been tightened up and are released virtually as the speaker comes to the podium, still, if someone wasn't following the approved script, I think it would be widely reported the difference between the released speech and what the person said that wasn't in the official speech release, and I doubt s/he would get to speak again.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Well, Christie probably doesn't speak unless he's VP. The base doesn't like him and he's unpopular in NJ. Carson/Cruz will share the job of "coming together after the primary".

[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.

[DINGO Joe]

Maybe they can turn it into a game show.  The orator's give their speeches without lighting and a "celebrity" panel has to guess who they are.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Anyone think we'll have an official list of speakers by the end of this Tuesday?

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Anyone think we'll have an official list of speakers by the end of this Tuesday?

No.

[Mr. Morden]

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

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[Dr. Arch]

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

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They will never learn, will they?

[DINGO Joe]

Texas Gov Greg Abbott may miss the convention after suffering severe burns from a hot water accident in Jackson Hole, Wy.  He's having his legs wrapped daily and has to wear orthopedic shoes instead of boots.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/texas-governor-burned-accident-miss-gop-convention-40480202

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

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

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They will never learn, will they?

What, you actually expected the GOP platform committee to give up on the issue? Even a "Well, we lost" plank would offend YUGE swaths of the party.

[Mr. Morden]

Paul Ryan will speak at the convention:

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

[Gass3268]

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?

[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.

[Gass3268]

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.

I know this isn't the correct spot, but do we know who's doing the same at the DNC? Pelosi, DWS, someone else?