1. 'Happy together'
Republicans kicked off their convention with the song Happy Together, and Donald Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort tweeted that he was “looking forward to unifying and invigorating our party this week.”
2. Manafort calls Bushes ‘part of the past’
But asked about the former presidents George H W Bush and George W Bush , who declined to attend, Manafort said: “Certainly the Bush family, while we would have liked to have had them, they’re part of the past. We’re dealing with the future.”
3. Manafort calls Kasich ‘embarrassing’
Asked about Ohio governor John Kasich, who is in Cleveland but not on the official schedule, Manafort said he was “hurting his state and embarrassing his state”.
4. Cleveland braces for protesters
David, of @Bikers4Trump, is carrying a loaded pistol and says he's "here to help police" against "thugs" #RNCinCLE pic.twitter.com/LMZBiAQ9DB
— Oliver Laughland (@oliverlaughland) July 18, 2016
5. Melania Trump to speak
Melania Trump, the Slovenian-born former model, described in the official RNC app as an “aqua-eyed beauty”, is scheduled to speak tonight. The theme is national security.
6. Fox chief said to be out
Roger Ailes, the founder and fountainhead of Fox News, is on the verge of being pushed out by Rupert Murdoch and his sons over an investigation of sexual harassment by Ailes, New York magazine reported.
7. Clinton pops up in ... Ohio
Coincidence? Hillary Clinton spoke in Cincinnati at an NAACP conference as the GOP gathered 250 miles to the north. She promised to maintain focus on violence committed by police.
Who will be Clinton’s running mate?
8. Tamir Rice’s mother calls out Trump
Samaria Rice, whose 12-year-old son was shot dead by a white Cleveland police officer as he played with a plastic pellet gun, had this to say about Donald Trump: “I wish he wasn’t coming here.”
NAACP considers role alongside BLM
9. Trump vote share in history’s cellar
Total primary/caucus popular vote for GOP nominees:
— Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) July 18, 2016
Trump 44.9%
Romney 52.1%
McCain 46.6%
W 62%
Dole 58.8%
Bush '92 72.8%
Bush '88 67.9%
10. Women for Trump: an extremely exclusive affair
"I like a man you can judge by his actions," Ann Stone at Women Vote Trump event (attended by 17 people) #RNCinCLE pic.twitter.com/Ddpnuf4VP3
— Oliver Laughland (@oliverlaughland) July 18, 2016
... and another thing:
#MakeAmericaGreatAgain pic.twitter.com/8ACLCDxPBJ
— Scott Bixby (@scottbix) July 18, 2016
