Republican convention heads to White House as Melania Trump takes spotlight

By John Whitesides

 

FILE PHOTO: First Lady Melania Trump speaks during an event with young artists who depicted imagery related to the suffrage movement and the 19th Amendment, at the White House in Washington, U.S., August 24, 2020. REUTERS/Al Drago

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Republican National Convention moves to the White House on Tuesday night, where first lady Melania Trump is to make the case for re-electing President Donald Trump as his race against Democrat Joe Biden takes a harsher tone.

 

Republicans painted a dire portrait of America if former Vice President Biden wins the Nov. 3 election at a convention sharply scaled back due to the coronavirus pandemic, with Trump campaign adviser Kimberly Guilfoyle warning on Monday that Democrats want to "destroy this country."

 

Democrats on Tuesday criticized the tone of the Republican convention, saying Trump was to blame for the severity of the coronavirus outbreak, which has killed more than 177,000 Americans - more than any other country in the world - and thrown millions out of work.

 

"Last night was grim and spiteful and fear-inducing," Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer told reporters in a call.

 

Potentially playing into the dark picture Republicans have painted, parts of Kenosha, Wisconsin, were smoldering after another night of unrest sparked by the shooting of a Black man by police. The man, who remains in intensive care, was shot in the back.

 

With only 70 days until the presidential election, Democrats and Republicans are getting more aggressive in their messaging.

 

Former Vice President Al Gore, a Democrat, said Trump was trying to "put his knee on the neck of democracy" by undermining mail-in ballots and sowing doubts, without evidence, about the election's legitimacy.

 

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who lost to Trump in 2016, said that if Biden is trailing in vote tallies on the night of the election, he should not concede defeat that night because mail ballots are expected to take longer to count.

 

As many as half of U.S. voters are expected to cast their votes by mail this year, more than twice as many as in 2016, but not all state and local officials have the capacity to count mail ballots as quickly as those cast in person.

 

Melania Trump's planned Rose Garden appearance and a remote speech by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo while on a diplomatic trip to Israel have drawn criticism from Democrats. They question whether the use of the White House - the Republican president will give his speech accepting his party's nomination on the South Lawn on Thursday - may lead to violations of the 1939 Hatch Act, which restricts federal employees from engaging in certain political activities.

 

Pompeo plans to speak from Jerusalem even though he warned diplomats in July that presidential appointees should not take part in partisan activity, according to an unclassified cable reviewed by Reuters and sent to all U.S. diplomatic and consular posts abroad.

 

Biden's deputy campaign manager, Kate Bedingfield, said Pompeo's decision to give a political speech during an overseas mission is a "blatant use of office for overtly political purposes" that undermines the critical work being done by the State Department.

 

On Monday, a State Department official told the pool reporter traveling with Pompeo on behalf of the U.S. media that Pompeo would speak to the convention in his personal capacity.

 

PRESIDENT'S DEFENDERS

The Trump campaign has shrugged off complaints about the use of federal properties like the White House as a partisan stage, and said it would ensure all staff and participants will be in compliance with the Hatch Act. The president and vice president are excluded under the law, although there could be implications for staff depending on their level of involvement.

 

Biden, 77, leads Trump, 74, in opinion polls, and Democrats tried to make the case at their convention last week that the former vice president would bring the steady and calm leadership needed to deal with the pandemic and its economic fallout.

 

Also slated to speak on Tuesday are Trump's son, Eric, and daughter, Tiffany, as well as public officials such as Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and U.S. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky.

 

A parade of Americans will speak in defense of Trump's policies, including anti-abortion activist Abby Johnson, Maine lobsterman Jason Joyce and Mary Ann Mendoza, whose son was killed by an illegal immigrant in a head-on car collision.

 

(Reporting by John Whitesides; Additional reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Jason Lange; Editing by Scott Malone, Soyoung Kim, Howard Goller, Paul Simao and Jonathan Oatis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-08-26

 

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It will be refreshing to  hear from the President's family...

 

Melanie is a class act...makes Trump's rudeness almost tolerable...????

Day two of the trumpian fear mongering lie fest........as far as the First Lady speaking I don’t care do you?it is what it is

Mrs. Trump is most definitely a first class lady. Great taste in wardrobes and a beautiful job reorganizing the White House rose garden! 

 

MAGA 

Edited August 25, 20205 yr by Boon Mee

24 minutes ago, Tug said:

Day two of the trumpian fear mongering lie fest........as far as the First Lady speaking I don’t care do you?it is what it is

Yes I care. Melania is a classy lady, she was sorely needed in the white house at this time. Looking at the viewing figures compared to the DNC opening it would seem many people care. It also puts polls into real perspective.

 

First night of GOP convention delivers nearly six times more views than start of Democrats' event on C-SPAN livestream

 

"C-SPAN's livestream of the first night of the Republican National Convention has attracted nearly 440,000 views, marking a substantial increase over the start of the Democratic National Convention, which drew 76,000 views."

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/513507-first-night-of-gop-convention-delivers-nearly-six-times-more-views-than-start

10 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Yes I care. Melania is a classy lady, she was sorely needed in the white house at this time. Looking at the viewing figures compared to the DNC opening it would seem many people care. It also puts polls into real perspective.

 

First night of GOP convention delivers nearly six times more views than start of Democrats' event on C-SPAN livestream

 

"C-SPAN's livestream of the first night of the Republican National Convention has attracted nearly 440,000 views, marking a substantial increase over the start of the Democratic National Convention, which drew 76,000 views."

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/513507-first-night-of-gop-convention-delivers-nearly-six-times-more-views-than-start

Not exactly true:

RNC Ratings Down Significantly Compared to Night One of DNC

 

https://www.thedailybeast.com/rnc-ratings-down-significantly-compared-to-night-one-of-dnc

Any clues as to which Mrs Obama speech she płans on using tonite?

Geez, I think she hates her life.  Their public interaction seems to me to support she also hates his guts.  Refused to hold hands again with him the other day pulling away from him.  I bet she disagrees with most of what he says/does, and is probably physically repulsed but is forced to support it all at this point.  Their interaction suggests if he loses they get a divorce.

Edited August 25, 20205 yr by bkk6060

I hope she reveals her plans to makeover the front lawn...more concrete and less trees and grass, environmentally friendly, no more watering

18 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Their interaction suggests if he loses they get a divorce

Nah...she renegotiated her prenup after the Stormy Daniels revelations, she is just hoping for more dirt so she can get an even better deal

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Melania Trump takes spotlight

...but she won't be singing "I wanna Hold Your Hand"

 

 

52 minutes ago, Boon Mee said:

Mrs. Trump is most definitely a first class lady. Great taste in wardrobes and a beautiful job reorganizing the White House rose garden! 

 

MAGA 

Reorganising? Destroying would be more appropriate IMHO. 

However design and wardrobes do not a First Lady make, some substance would be good, oh I forgot.

 

 

38 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Yes I care. Melania is a classy lady, she was sorely needed in the white house at this time. Looking at the viewing figures compared to the DNC opening it would seem many people care. It also puts polls into real perspective.

 

First night of GOP convention delivers nearly six times more views than start of Democrats' event on C-SPAN livestream

 

"C-SPAN's livestream of the first night of the Republican National Convention has attracted nearly 440,000 views, marking a substantial increase over the start of the Democratic National Convention, which drew 76,000 views."

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/513507-first-night-of-gop-convention-delivers-nearly-six-times-more-views-than-start

Be best Melania lol

41 minutes ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Yes I care. Melania is a classy lady, she was sorely needed in the white house at this time. Looking at the viewing figures compared to the DNC opening it would seem many people care. It also puts polls into real perspective.

 

First night of GOP convention delivers nearly six times more views than start of Democrats' event on C-SPAN livestream

 

"C-SPAN's livestream of the first night of the Republican National Convention has attracted nearly 440,000 views, marking a substantial increase over the start of the Democratic National Convention, which drew 76,000 views."

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/513507-first-night-of-gop-convention-delivers-nearly-six-times-more-views-than-start

I wonder how tuned in only to check out the coke eyes, and how many stayed the full length, bit like watching a train wreck IMHO. 

6 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

No, but totally Trump!

At least she will never have to work again, including servicing the needs of him, should he loose.

Should  he win then back to slavery for her.

 

Edited August 26, 20205 yr by RJRS1301

1 minute ago, RJRS1301 said:

At least she will never have to work again, including servicing the needs of him, should he loose.

 

Maybe she will move on find a decent man in time!

Off-topic post and reply removed. 

 

1 hour ago, Boon Mee said:

Mrs. Trump is most definitely a first class lady. Great taste in wardrobes and a beautiful job reorganizing the White House rose garden! 

 

MAGA 

Aah yes, essential skills in any woman......looking great and good at gardening.  You do realise this is the 21st century?

1 hour ago, pegman said:

Any clues as to which Mrs Obama speech she płans on using tonite?

"Ven zay go low vee say hi!"

 

I think all the appearances tonight are pre-taped, so no surprises.  Otherwise I would wonder if Melania will let loose.

 

 

Edited August 26, 20205 yr by bendejo

Twelve key speakers at the convention and six of them are Trumps. The US getting more and more corrupt everyday much like the Shinawatras of Thailand and the Kim’s of North Korea. 

Good old USA comedy if not so tragic . What a divided nation 

Off-topic post reported and removed.  

 

Uh ohh...The Hill: First night of GOP convention delivers nearly six times more views than start of Democrats' event.
https://thehill.com/homenews/media/513507-first-night-of-gop-convention-delivers-nearly-six-times-more-views-than-start

 

Edited August 26, 20205 yr by Pattaya Spotter

Maybe she'll tell us how great her campaign to curb cyber bullying has gone.....

 

12 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Uh ohh...The Hill: First night of GOP convention delivers nearly six times more views than start of Democrats' event.
https://thehill.com/homenews/media/513507-first-night-of-gop-convention-delivers-nearly-six-times-more-views-than-start

 

Didn't know that C-span was the leading television broadcaster in the US.

 

https://nypost.com/2020/08/25/rnc-and-dnc-2020-convention-tv-ratings-plunge-amid-pandemic/

 

Networks CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox News, MSNBC and CNN averaged 15.9 million viewers on Monday during the overlapping hour of GOP kickoff coverage beginning at 10 p.m., according to Nielsen figures published by the Los Angeles Times.

That figure was 17 percent higher for night one of the Democratic National Convention, which drew in 18.7 million people on those channels.

They really put the lies on turbo today. I dont think Pam Bondi said anything truthful at all in her speech.

3 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

It will be refreshing to  hear from the President's family...

 

Melanie is a class act...makes Trump's rudeness almost tolerable...????

Six out of twelve Keynote speakers are called Trump and the seventh is the girlfriend of a Trump, who incidentally gave a ‘speech’ that was anything but soothing.

 

 

18 minutes ago, Susco said:

Didn't know that C-span was the leading television broadcaster in the US.

 

https://nypost.com/2020/08/25/rnc-and-dnc-2020-convention-tv-ratings-plunge-amid-pandemic/

 

Networks CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox News, MSNBC and CNN averaged 15.9 million viewers on Monday during the overlapping hour of GOP kickoff coverage beginning at 10 p.m., according to Nielsen figures published by the Los Angeles Times.

That figure was 17 percent higher for night one of the Democratic National Convention, which drew in 18.7 million people on those channels.

Here's another source.   DNC had 2.8 million more viewers than the Republican Convention:

 

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/513602-gop-conventions-first-night-draws-fewer-viewers-than-democratic-kickoff

 

Off-topic, troll posts and replies removed.  

 

9 minutes ago, Credo said:

Here's another source.   DNC had 2.8 million more viewers than the Republican Convention:

 

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/513602-gop-conventions-first-night-draws-fewer-viewers-than-democratic-kickoff

 

Trump live and breathe ratings. This will drive him crazy. But we all expected his decline so not surprised.