Cleveland, Ohio and the GOP prepare for the upcoming 2016 Republican National Convention.
CLEVELAND — On the Republican National Convention’s second night, two of his children Donald Trump Jr. and Tiffany Trump brought the crowd to its feet, revealing personal details and anecdotes.
“Impossible is just a starting point,” Trump Jr. said of his father’s determination. “You want to know what kind of president he’ll be? Let me tell you how he ran his businesses, and I know because I was there with him by his side on job sites, in conference rooms from the time I could walk.”
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, meanwhile, prosecuted the Republican case against presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
Christie whipped the crowd into a frenzy as they chanted “lock her up, lock her up.”
“Is she guilty or not guilty?” Christie asked after every charge he laid before the crowd.
The delegates responded with a resounding: “Guilty!”
Republicans also checked off their primary task in Cleveland: With Trump aides quelling Ted Cruz supporters’ minor efforts at a rebellion, the party nominated Trump for president and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence for vice president — setting both up to deliver prime-time speeches on the convention’s final two nights.
Here’s what to watch the next two nights:
Wednesday
Themed “Make America First Again,” the day’s speakers will make the case that United States’ leadership role in the world has slipped under Obama and could be restored by Trump. The night kicks off at 7 p.m. ET.
The night’s most prominent speech will come from Indiana Gov. Mike Pence — who, as the GOP vice presidential candidate, will be the prime-time headliner.
Another close Trump ally and vice presidential contender, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, is up Wednesday evening, as is Eric Trump, another of Trump’s sons.
Many Republicans will be closely watching three relatively young contenders in the 2016 primary: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. All three would be possible candidates in 2020 if Trump loses this year. Rubio won’t be there in person but is submitting a video message.
Thursday
The final night of the convention, starting at 7:30 p.m. ET, is Trump’s night.
He’ll deliver a speech that’ll be closely watched both inside the arena and on television everywhere. The big question: Will he play to the enthusiastically partisan crowd in person, or will he stick to a script and try to expand his appeal to a broader audience?
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus will appear at what could be the end of his six-year tenure as party chair.
Several Trump allies will speak, too. Tom Barrack, a long-time Trump friend, real estate investor and head of the investment firm Colony Capital, as well as PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, are slated to appear.
Thiel is gay — a reality that makes for an awkward clash with a party that rejected efforts to moderate its platform’s approach to LGBT issues.
Leading into Trump will be perhaps his most effective surrogate: His daughter, Ivanka Trump
