Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 07:12 pm
The Republican National Convention kicked off in Cleveland today, and it didn’t take long for the proceedings to spiral into clown show territory.
As we reported earlier, chaos quickly erupted on the convention floor after anti-Trump delegates tried to change the rules in a way that would allow them to nominate a candidate other than Trump.
The Trump campaign and RNC leaders quickly shut down the attempted coup and refused to allow a roll call vote, which angered the Never Trump forces even more.
To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily.
Video:
The Colorado delegation even walked off the convention floor:
The Colorado delegation now pic.twitter.com/I3dYjsFV81
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) July 18, 2016
Gary Emineth, Trump donor and victory committee member, resigned over the decision by Trump and RNC leaders to deny a roll call vote.
“You don’t this in America,” Emineth said after the controversy erupted.
Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli flatly said, “They cheated. I mean, that’s what you just saw. You saw them violate their own rules.”
All of this drama unfolded after top Trump official Paul Manafort kicked off the morning by insulting Ohio governor and fellow Republican John Kasich in an interview on MSNBC.
Video:
Paul Manafort: John Kasich is making a big mistake, he’s embarrassing his state https://t.co/lt5dFEH2q0
— Morning Joe (@Morning_Joe) July 18, 2016
“[Kasich] is hurting his state,” Manafort said of Kasich’s absence from the convention. “He is embarrassing his state frankly.”
Not only does the Ohio governor enjoy much better favorability numbers than Trump, particularly in the Buckeye State, but Trump also lost to him in the state by double digits earlier this year.
It’s probably safe to say that this isn’t the way the Trump campaign wanted its convention to start.
Perhaps Chachi’s prime-time address will save the day. But if his public speaking skills are anything like his acting, prepare to be underwhelmed.
Grab your popcorn, folks. This circus is just getting started.
Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.
