Wrapping Up: Was The 2016 Republican National Convention Successful?

From the beginning to the end, the 2016 Republican National Convention had everyone on the edge of their seats.  What would Trump say and would the convention help him in the polls?  Will I be safe walking around downtown Cleveland? Will Cleveland benefit from hosting this convention?  

I think many people expected the 2016 RNC and Donald Trump to go off-script and incite violence, but that proved, for the most part, to not be the case.  The convention was mostly successful for both Trump and the city itself.

Photo by Erik Drost (Creative Commons license)

After the 2016 RNC ended, political scientists and data journalists were trying to determine how much of a bump Trump would receive in the polls.  Hosting a political convention throws that party into the national spotlight for a week, thus attracting attention and hopefully more voters.  Time reported that "Trump leads Clinton 48% to 45% on the heels of the convention, according to the CNN/ORC poll, which was released Monday. The finding shows a 6-point convention bounce for Trump."  In the same article, Time writes that "the same poll found that the convention...has strengthened the view of the Republican party."  Read that article here.  Everyone following politics knew that Trump was going to receive a bump, but by just how much was unknown until after the convention ended.  What does surprise me is the positive impact the 2016 RNC had on the GOP as whole, considering that I thought there were definitely a few unforced errors and signs of disunity.  What will be interesting to see next will be how much of a bump Hillary Clinton receives at the end of the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia tomorrow night. 

Due to the often divisive comments Trump has made, I understand why many people were worried that the RNC would bring rioting to the streets of Cleveland.  However, the law enforcement in the city did a great job of letting protesters have their space and keeping the peace.  According to CNBC, "24 people were arrested in connection with the convention...with 18 arrests made during a flag-burning incident that led to the assaulting of two law enforcement officers and charges for failure to disperse or resisting arrest." Read that article here.  Personally, when I was walking around downtown on both East 9th and Prospect last Thursday afternoon, I expected tons of people on the street. However, what I found seemed no different than what I experience on my weekends walking around downtown Chicago.  Even leaving at 11:30 pm last Thursday from the Quicken Loans Arena, walking down East 4th towards Euclid, it felt more like a party, then a riot.

Building on the success of the parade and rally celebrating the Cleveland Cavaliers NBA championship win, Cleveland proved it was ready to host the 2016 RNC.  The city was able to highlight the newly renovated Public Square in the heart of downtown, new hotels had been built, and the area around the Quicken Loans Arena turned into a pedestrian friendly city.  During my time volunteering as a Cleveland Ambassador for the 2016 Cleveland Host Committee, I heard firsthand from both the Alaska and Wyoming delegates why they were growing to love their time in Cleveland.  In particular, one delegate I met actually grew up on the West side of Cleveland and was amazed at how much the city has grown and improved.  Cleveland is certainly not a city to be underestimated.  I am so impressed with how well the people of Cleveland represented their city and I am proud to call Cleveland my second home.

Photo by Tim (Creative Commons license)

To my readers, I hope that by reading this blog you learned something, were intrigued by my perspective on the 2016 RNC, and were inspired to pay closer attention to politics.  I cannot believe how fast the past three weeks have gone by and I have thoroughly enjoyed writing this blog.  I implore all of you to continue following the rest of the 2016 DNC in Philadelphia and the presidential campaign between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Your voice and vote matters!

Michelle Obama and Bernie Sanders Turn Day One Of The DNC Into A Success

After the DNC email scandal that resulted in the resignation of DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the Democratic Party needed for day one of the convention to be a success.  The one challenge that stood in their way at the start of the 2016 DNC was the amount of passionate and stout Bernie Sanders supporters, not yet ready to throw their support to Hillary Clinton. Although Sanders lost in the primaries to Clinton and has chosen to endorse her, many of his supporters are still in love with the revolution he started among American voters.  In an effort to help unite the party, both Michelle Obama and Bernie Sanders gave great speeches expressing their support for Clinton.

Nearing the end of her term as First Lady, Michelle Obama is not new to public speaking and last night, Mrs. Obama's speech was very touching.  In her speech, she talked about the experience of raising her daughters in the White House and that whomever becomes the next President will have a significant impact on our childrens' futures.  I could not agree more because while each party's platform and policy is essential to the government, I want to vote for a candidate I can respect and someone who will represent the American people in the best way possible.  Additionally, Mrs. Obama said, "our motto, when they go low, we go high."  Clearly, she is calling out Donald Trump and his polarizing , and in my opinion, often hateful and ignorant comments.

Photo by WisPolitics.com (Creative Commons license)

Even without explicitly mentioning Donald Trump during her speech, Mrs. Obama knew exactly how to target his campaign.  One of my favorite quotes from her speech in which she was describing who she looks for in a President: "Someone who understands that the issues a President faces are not black and white, and cannot be boiled down to 140 characters."  Trump seems to largely control his own Twitter account to go after the Clinton campaign, to quickly express his views, and to endlessly use the #MakeAmericaGreatAgain even though, in my opinion, he has no clear plan on how to accomplish this other than building a wall on the US-Mexico border.

Lastly, Michelle Obama helped quell the Bernie supporters by saying that in 2008 when Clinton lost in the primaries to Barack Obama, "Hillary did not pack up and go home...so she proudly stepped up to serve our country once again as Secretary of State."  Personally, watching Michelle Obama's speech last night gave me chills and she proved that she is truly an asset to the Clinton campaign.

The one word I would use to describe Sanders speech last night: emotional.  He even told his many supporters that "I think it's fair to say that no one is more disappointed than I am."  Before Sanders started his speech, the crowd gave him a standing ovation, one that left Sanders somewhat teary eyed and at a loss for words for a few moments.  Sanders knew that the DNC email scandal pushed many of his supporters further away from Clinton. so during his speech he had to show support for Clinton.  Sanders told delegates "any objective observer will conclude that-based on her ideas and leadership-Hillary Clinton must become the next President of the United States." I suppose if Sanders really wanted to, he could have mirrored Cruz's actions towards Trump at the RNC, but Sanders knew that without his endorsement and support, the Democratic Party would not easily unite.

Photo by Phil Roeder (Creative Commons license)

While I associate day one of the 2016 RNC with Melania's plagiarized speech, I will remember day one of the 2016 DNC as a night of inspiring speeches that brought the Democratic Party closer together. Now that, Mr. Trump, is how you pull off a successful first day of a convention.

To read more about Michelle Obama's speech, read this article from Politico.
To read more about Bernie Sanders's speech, read this article from CNN.

Shifting Gears From Cleveland To Philadelphia: Let The Drama Begin

It seems like just yesterday that I was leaving Thursday night from the Quicken Loans Arena, walking down East 4th, trying to catch an Uber on Euclid, and knowing that the dramatics of the 2016 RNC were over. The many RNC antics had my Twitter feed blowing up all week and, honestly, I am still trying to make sense of everything that happened. While reports are still being done on the overall success of the RNC last week, my Twitter feed is yet again busy with the start of the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Last week, the RNC opened up with chaos on the floor and plagiarism accusations, while the DNC has opened up with a huge email scandal. Are the Republicans and Democrats hosting a contest to see who can better mess up the beginning of their respective conventions? 

Both the RNC and DNC have an important role of showcasing party unity and their nominee to the American public. The name of the game here is media attention, and which party can be more newsworthy, thus hopefully attracting more voters. Two days before the RNC kicked off, Trump had the media running all over the place in an effort to confirm Mike Pence as his running mate. Clinton, trying to steal momentum from the RNC, brought the media's attention back to her by announcing Tim Kaine as her running mate three days ago. Since the primaries began, the media has had an influential role on voters' decisions and both Trump and Clinton clearly understand that.

The RNC did a fantastic job of showcasing several instances of party disunity, so the DNC should be focused on presenting a unified front. Unfortunately, as The Washington Post reports, that the "Democratic National Committee Chairwoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, resigned...due to the release of thousands of embarrassing emails among party officials that appeared to show coordinated efforts to help Clinton at the expense of her rivals in the Democratic primaries." Read that article here. Whether or not these emails actually helped Clinton beat Sanders is still unclear, but Schultz made the only decision she could. Being a chair, it is highly unprofessional to lobby for one candidate over the other and the emails clearly prove a bias. To just give a snapshot of the emails sent, The Washington Post also writes that "the emails revealed a DNC official apparently discussing how to use Sanders's religion against him to help Clinton ahead of the Kentucky and West Virginia primaries."

Photo by Gage Skidmore (Creative Commons license)

So if these were private emails, then how exactly were they released to the public? These emails were hacked and released on WikiLeaks, but as The Washington Post reports "the Clinton campaign-and several cybersecurity experts-said the leak was a political ploy carried out by the Russian government to aid in the election of Donald Trump." Rather than throw out accusations at how the hack was organized, the Clinton campaign needs to do their best to recover from another scandal.

Upon hearing the news of the scandal, Donald Trump immediately had a field day by attacking Clinton yet again. On Twitter, Trump tweeted "The Democrats are in a total meltdown but the biased media will say how great they are doing! E-mails say the rigged system is alive & well!" This email scandal helped push Trump's portrayal of Clinton as 'Crooked Hillary' and will only add to a sense of distrust among voters.

So readers, just when you thought the political antics were over, the 2016 DNC has kicked off yet another round of drama. I think it is safe to say that we will be in for a long week and an even longer campaign season.

Ted Cruz Committed Political Suicide on Day 3 of the 2016 RNC

One of the most important goals for both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions is to come out appearing as a united front. Even before the 2016 RNC started, there was a DumpTrump movement trying to change the rules in order to unbind the delegates. However, that movement was not successful and Donald Trump was officially voted in as the 2016 Republican presidential nominee. Even though Trump won the nomination, Ted Cruz sparked an outcry with his speech last Wednesday night because of his decision to not endorse Trump.

But how exactly does choosing to not endorse Trump warrant political suicide? Part of the problem came from Cruz's statement that, as The New York Times reports, "Republicans should 'vote your conscience' for candidates 'up and down the ticket.'" Read that article here. By making that statement, Cruz chose not to endorse Trump for his 2016 presidential campaign. Donald Trump, Chris Christie, and the majority of the GOP booed Cruz once they realized this because earlier this year, Cruz had pledged to support whomever the Republican nominee would turn out to be. CNN reports that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said that Cruz's refusal to endorse Trump "was something selfish. And he signed a pledge. And it's his job to keep his word.'" To stress the repercussions of Cruz's decision even more, CNN also writes that "Trump lawyer Michael Cohen said...that 'the only way to describe it is political suicide.'" Read that article here. While I understand Ted Cruz's decision to not hop on the Trump train, it was not a smart political move.

Photo by Gage Skidmore (Creative Commons license)

While Cruz will not be in the running for the 2016 presidential race, The New York Times (same article as above) reports that "Mr. Cruz is up for re-election in 2018 and is said to be looking at a second campaign for president in 2020, should Mr. Trump lose in November." However, Cruz's speech has made him an outsider in the GOP and is sparking an outcry from his donors, whom he needs to keep around to help benefit his career. In addition, The New York Times writes that "Robert Mercer and daughter Rebekah Mercer..., who invested at least $11 million in "Keep the Promise, I", one of a group of interlocked "super PACs" that supported Mr. Cruz in his presidential run..., excoriated Mr. Cruz on Saturday for his decision not to endorse Donald J. Trump." To make matters worse, "the next morning Cruz was booed by members of the Texas delegation at a breakfast."

Although rivals in the primaries Cruz, like Bernie did with Hillary, should have endorsed Donald Trump. Cruz stood his ground and took a risk, but I do not believe it was a smart decision. He needs to understand that he is a part of the GOP and if the majority of the delegates are for Trump, then so is he. Trump might not even win and if he does, he can only be President for a limited time. So readers, follow Cruz's future career because his choice to not endorse Trump has the potential to cost him an election.

Why I Doubt Trump Can 'Make America Safe Again'

So the 2016 Republican National Convention is over and Donald Trump will be running as the Republican presidential nominee. On day one of the RNC and in Trump;s speech last night, there was a theme of 'Making America Safe Again'. Personally, however, I doubt Trump can actually do that if he is elected President. It is certainly acceptable to have as a goal, but in our world today, it is not realistic. Rather, it is just a catchy campaign slogan to attract voters.

So let us start with his infamous promise of building a wall on America's border with Mexico and that he will make Mexico pay for it. But how will Trump accomplish this? Well, if you go to Trump's website (link here), you will see a page titled "Compelling Mexico to Pay for the Wall". On this page Trump basically provides four options: 1) Cancelling visas; 2) Increasing visa fees; 3) Enforcing trade tariffs; 4) Stopping the allowance of remittances sent to Mexico. All of this is to keep out the criminals, drug dealers, and rapists that Mexico is sending over, Trump claims. Newsflash, Mr. Trump, wall or not illegal immigrants will still find a way to get across the border. Have you considered the amount of illegal immigrants that are in the US and are not even from a country that borders America? Clearly you cannot build a wall in the middle of the ocean. Focus on immigration reform and working with foreign governments to improve their living conditions and cease the flow of illegal immigrants.

Caricature by DonkeyHotey (Creative Commons license)

If you read my introduction for this blog, then you know I am highly interested in international relations. So let me quickly mention Trump's comments on the Middle East. Since the beginning of Trump's campaign, he has attacked Hillary Clinton's record as Secretary of State and such was the case in his speech at the RNC Thursday night. Politico has written up his remarks from that speech. Read that article here.  Last night, Trump said "In 2009, pre-Hillary, ISIS was not even on the map. Libya was stable. Egypt was peaceful. Iraq was seeing a reduction in violence. Iran was being chocked by sanctions. Syria was somewhat under control." If Trump thinks that Clinton's actions alone caused an increase in violence and instability in the Middle East, that is a skewed viewpoint. In 2011, the Arab Spring shocked the Middle East. Essentially, sparking in Tunisia, thousands of people were fed up with their increasingly dictator-led governments and took to the streets demanding greater freedoms. Much of the instability can be traced back to the aftermath of this revolution, as each separate group tried to gain power, but Clinton alone certainly is not responsible.

Last night, Trump also proclaimed "Americanism, not globalism, will be our credo." America is considered by many International Relations scholars to be a global hegemon, but that does not make our country perfect, nor does it mean we should force our values on other countries. Who are we to act as the world government? As a country, we need to work on globalism and cooperation with the rest of the world. But by all means, Mr. Trump, please try to strong arm the Middle East into obedience. Frankly, I do not think "Americanism" is a message they will receive kindly.

Photo by Dick Swanson (Creative Commons license)

Lastly, on the domestic front, Trump stated last night that he "will restore law and order to our country." Framing himself as a "law and order" candidate is clever, considering Clinton's negative reputation highlights her as a criminal, especially with her involvement in the email scandal. But, Mr. Trump, can you really keep us safe domestically? Even before your nomination at the 2016 RNC, there have been plenty of electrically charged, borderline violent, protests centered around your polarizing opinions. And should I even mention gun control? Republicans largely oppose gun control, and while the right to bear arms is a Second Amendment right, it has developed into a huge problem, threatening thousands of lives right here at home. I firmly believe that anyone, regardless of their ethnicity or religion, and if given the opportunity, is capable of inflicting harm in our own communities.

There is simply no easy or practical way to 'Make America Safe Again' without infringing on the democratic process and without causing an international reaction. But if elected President come November, I truly do hope you prove me wrong, Mr. Trump.

Volunteering at the Quicken Loans Arena

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of volunteering at the arcade entrance to the Quicken Loans Arena. From the beginning of my shift to the end, it was quite the day.

Since I am staying on campus right now, I decided to take the RTA rapid down to Tower City. My shift started in the afternoon and I left with plenty of time. To my surprise, the Green Line ran perfectly, even with the 2016 RNC in town. After I got to Tower City, the first thing I had to do was find the volunteer check-in for the Committee on Arrangements. I found the check-in for the 2016 Host Committee and they directed me to what I thought was East 9th and Boulevard. Unfortunately, as I found out about twenty minutes later when I was suddenly on East 9th and Chester, I was supposed to go to East 9th and Bolivar, which was about four blocks in the other direction. Being from just outside Chicago, I can handle navigating through crowds, but I am not completely familiar with Cleveland yet. Needless to say, I definitely got my exercise in yesterday.

Anyway, once I got to the check-in outside of Progressive Field, I received my credential for the day and walked through the secure area to the Quicken Loans Arena to receive my assignment. The whole day I was stationed at the arcade entrance and checked the credentials of the media who entered and helped open doors. While I did not see the convention in action, it felt good to be one of the first friendly faces people saw entering the arena.

(My view standing outside the Q)

Just like the volunteers I met at the hotel I volunteered at on Monday and Wednesday, these volunteers were just as great. Most of them worked all week and that is certainly a feat. Working at one of the entrances to the arena required being constantly on your feet and staying focused because there were a ton of people moving every which way. Paying attention to the credentials was also highly important because certain credentials are only accepted in certain spots.

Right before I left that night, I was able to hear part of Donald Trump's acceptance speech. While I may not agree with most of his ideas and comments, it was almost surreal to be in the same arena as the 2016 Republican presidential nominee. In just a few short months, Donald Trump may be the next President of the United States and I will never forget volunteering at the Quicken Loans Arena on the last day of the 2016 RNC.  History was just made in Cleveland, and while I may not be mentioned in the books, I was grateful to be in and around Cleveland volunteering that week.

Ohio Governor John Kasich Skipping the 2016 RNC

Occurring once every four years, both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions are a huge event for the host city. Essentially, it is comparable to the Olympics, but for politicians. Many of the volunteers I have talked to are proud that Cleveland was chosen and are trying to showcase it in the best light possible.

Now, you would think that Republican Governor of Ohio, John Kasich, would be in attendance. Such is not the case, but he is still active in both Cincinnati and Cleveland. Kasich's absence has been felt at the RNC and is adding to the perception of disunity among Republicans as a party.

This past Sunday, the day before the 2016 RNC kicked off, The Daily Caller, reports that "Ohio Republican Governor John Kasich...will speak at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Annual Convention in Cincinnati." Read that article here. In addition, Kasich was joined by "presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton", and although invited, Donald Trump declined to speak. The convention in Cincinnati on Sunday set the tone for the rest of the week between Trump's and Kasich's teams. At a time when the GOP should be focusing on unifying the party, discord is clearly present.

Photo by Gage Skidmore (Creative Commons license)

After visiting Cincinnati, Kasich made a stop in Cleveland, but not at the Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland.com reports that Kasich "thanked more than 1,800 supporters gathered at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame." Read that article here. While Kasich may not be the next GOP presidential nominee, he has certainly made it clear that his influence is ever present in Ohio.

In addressing Kasich's absence from the 2016 RNC, Paul Manafort is quoted on Politico saying that Kasich is "making a big mistake...and people who are part of the future of the Republican party are, frankly, going to be here participating in the program. Read that article here.

So, readers, will the GOP finally be able to come together by the end of the convention tomorrow or will there be a greater presence of discontent? Watch and listen closely to what influential Republicans do and say on their opinion of Trump and/or the state of the GOP.

RNC Convention So Far: Claims of Plagiarism and Official Vote

Yesterday, the 2016 Republican National Convention kicked off at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The first night was full of speeches centering on the theme of 'Make America Safe Again". Specifically, the speeches brought up controversial issues such as illegal immigration, naming radical Islamic terrorists, stressing #BlueLivesMatter, and attacking Clinton's actions around Benghazi.

However, the speech that has captured the attention of social media was one given by Melania Trump, Donald Trump's wife. Remember when you learned about plagiarism in school and that it is wrong to steal someone else's words and ideas and use them as your own? It seems that Melania Trump may need a lesson in plagiarism as social media has shown evidence that Melania plagiarized Michelle Obama's speech in 2008. 

Photo by Marc Nozell (Creative Commons license)

So what exactly did Melania say that drew criticism of plagiarism? Read this article by USA Today to see the section causing debate.  But basically here are the phrases: "You work hard for what you want in life"; "That your word is your bond and you do what you say you're going to do"; "The only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work for them".

I watched Melania Trump's speech last night and upon seeing my Twitter feed this morning, I watched Michelle Obama's 2008 speech as well. As a student, I can see that if both speeches were handed in for an assignment, Melania Trump would have committed plagiarism. It is true that a few of the words were changed, but just because two or three words are altered does not mean the speech is free from plagiarism.

Photo by Glen Baker (Creative Commons license)

What did Trump's team have to say? CNN reports that "Donald Trump's presidential campaign doesn't plan to fire anybody or take disciplinary action over the controversy surrounding Melania Trump's plagiarism of Michelle Obama." Read that article here. In addition, CNN reports that Paul Manafort, Trump's Convention Manager, claims that "the words Melania used were not 'cribbed' but are common words." So what should have been a great speech capping off the first night at the 2016 RNC turned out to be a debate on plagiarism. Good job, GOP.

Now briefly onto early evening of night two.  Just recently, each state delegation voted by roll call for their nominee as the GOP 2016 presidential candidate. As reported by ABC (read that article here), the number of votes Trump needed was 1,237, a number he was expected to pass. And as it turns out, C-SPAN tweeted the final votes and shows that Trump received 1,725 votes, thus becoming the GOP nominee. Notably however, Henry J. Gomez, chief political reporter for cleveland.com tweeted that all 66 delegates of Ohio voted for Kasich and D.C. tried to give 10 votes to Rubio and 9 to Kasich, but were overruled and all 19 went to Trump. On Thursday, Donald Trump will officially accept the presidential nomination during his speech.

Wow! So much action in  just two nights, but the 2016 RNC is not yet over. So readers, tune in nightly to see the headlining speeches and closely follow your Twitter feed to see various reactions to the convention.

Being a Cleveland Ambassador

This afternoon and Wednesday, I will be volunteering as a Cleveland Ambassador with the 2016 Host Committee for the Republican National Convention. But what exactly does that entail?

Basically, my main responsibility is to greet the delegates and be a friendly face representing Cleveland. If any of the delegates have a question about where to go in and around Cleveland, I can offer some suggestions. Today, I was asked what some of my favorite places were and I pointed out Little Italy and West Side Market. Both are great and interesting areas of Cleveland to explore. Hopefully, the various delegates in and around Cleveland this week get to experience a little bit of what Cleveland has to offer.

So who exactly are the delegates? They are elected Republican officials representing every state and must vote for a candidate to become their nominee for the presidential election. At the hotel I am volunteering at, both the Wyoming and Alaska delegates are present. The cowboy hats instantly gave away the Wyoming delegates, while the Alaska delegates were rocking matching jackets. They were all really nice to talk to and, as many had never been to Cleveland before, I was more than happy to point out a few places in Cleveland for them to check out.

Lastly, I would like to give a special shout out to the other volunteers who worked with me that afternoon. They were all so helpful and were more than eager to spread their love and knowledge of Cleveland. On a side note, one of the volunteers I worked with was a 1997 John Carroll University graduate.

So, readers, while the Republicans have their fun at the Quicken Loans arena, I encourage you to explore all Cleveland has to offer and see why the people here love it so much.

Speculation Over Who Trump Will Pick as His VP; To Be Formally Announced Friday

Mike Pence. Chris Christie. Newt Gingrich.

For the past two days, these three names have been floating around as the finalists Trump is considering for his Vice-President. This week, Trump has had meetings with all three, so there is plenty of speculation over who Trump will pick.

Just today, The New York Times released an article suggesting that Trump's campaign will pick Mike Pence to be Trump's running mate. Read that article here. But the question on everyone's mind: Who is Mike Pence? Currently, he is the Governor of Indiana and, as reported in the above article, "is viewed in Washington as a conventional politician with standard-issue conservative beliefs, including on some where his policy instincts plainly conflict with Mr Trump's." With that being said, maybe Pence is exactly what Trump needs for his campaign.  Several Republicans have chosen not to endorse Trump because, in their minds, he does not represent traditional conservative values. So having Pence as Trump's running mate might sway more support over to Trump's campaign. Not to mention, on Tuesday night Trump addressed a rally in Indiana with Pence.

Photo by Gage Skidmore (Creative Commons license)

However, that same week, Trump and his family also met with both New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. While both Christie and Gingrich ran their own 2016 presidential campaigns this season, both have chosen to endorse Trump. In my opinion, these are not bad options for Trump, as both are better known among voters and can bring in plenty of support for Trump's campaign. But on the other hand, Pence is relatively new in the minds of voters and no one loves that fact more than the media. With Pence attracting plenty of media attention, Trump's campaign will certainly use that attention to their advantage.

Do not get your hopes up, yet. As son, Eric Trump knows, his father's decision will be a key factor in winning the nomination. Eric Trump tells Politico (read that article here) that Donald Trump is looking for "somebody that will actually stand by him and do a great job for the American people".

Ultimately though, the final decision lies with Trump. Will Trump take the same actions John McCain did when he chose Sarah Palin, a relatively unheard of governor of Alaska, who was not even being vetted for the position at the time? Who knows what exactly Trump has up his sleeve?

Photo by Gage Skidmore (Creative Commons license)

What is clear at this point, though, is that Trump has plans to formally announce his running mate at 11am Friday with a big ceremony in New York. To all my readers, I suggest that you tune in if you have a chance.

2016 RNC Coming to Cleveland Next Week, but Will It Prove to be a Good Choice?

Location, location, location. Why Cleveland?

After several pitches and meetings, in 2014, the GOP announced that Cleveland would host the 2016 RNC. So why Cleveland and not another big city? Was there a strategy behind this pick and will it impact the results of the presidential election?

Major cities consistently play host to both the Republican and Democratic Conventions as the major goal of a convention is to introduce the presidential and vice-presidential nominees to the public. Three important things each party has to consider are the location, the platform, and the timing, with arguably location being the most important. In early convention era, the host city was expected to contribute financially to the national party committee. In addition, the parties often tried to pick a strategic location in an attempt to show their strength as a party. Not to mention, the host city has to be able to have quality facilities and be able to handle the crowds of visitors drawn to the city during convention week. Host cities no longer contribute financially to the party, but rather the city hopes to benefit financially from the increased tourism.

Before looking at the 2016 RNC in Cleveland, I want to briefly delve into the 2008 RNC in the Twin Cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul. The Twin Cities were more than happy to accept the increase in business and tourism, but the GOP chose it as a strategic play. In 2006, shortly after the Twin Cities were announced as the host, Tom Scheck, reporter for Minnesota Public Radio, reported that "Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa were battleground states in the 2004 presidential election and are expected to play a big role in 2008." Read that article here.  Scheck also writes that Ron Carey, Minnesota's Republican Party Chair, says "having the convention in Minnesota will energize core Republican supporters."

Did having the 2008 RNC in the Twin Cities pay off for the GOP? Ultimately no. Looking at a map of the 2008 presidential election results, courtesy of The New York Times (link to the website here), Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin were all won by current president Barack Obama. Seeing these results, the GOP's strategy in picking the Twin Cities did not work out in their favor.

Photo by Ron Cogswell (Creative Commons license)

Flash forward to the 2016 RNC to be held in Cleveland next week. There is obviously a clear strategy in this pick, considering the fact that Ohio is a notorious swing state. To further emphasize that point, the Washington Post reports that "no Republican president since Calvin Coolidge has won the White House without carrying Ohio." Read that article here. In addition to being a critical swing state, presumptive Republican nominee, Donald Trump, hopes to put on a show. Media loves a show and the more attention the 2016 RNC receives, then hopefully for Trump, the better he does in polls. Not to mention the Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA Finals last month, a huge success for Cleveland and one that catapulted the city onto the national stage right before the 2016 RNC.

So why not Cleveland? It truly is a great city and for any of my readers, if you have a chance to come out to Cleveland during the RNC next week, I encourage you to do just that. Next week, all eyes will be on Cleveland and it will truly be an exciting place to be.

Possible Long Term Impacts the RNC Will Have for Republicans; A Look at the 1976 RNC

If you are new to US politics and have no idea what a convention entails, the easiest thing to compare it to is the Olympics. Every four years, after the primary season and before the election in November, both the Republicans and Democrats hold separate conventions in different cities. Instead of athletes, however, there will be all the delegates of that particular party present. 

The short-term outcome of each convention is that each party will have nominated a candidate, one whom they want running to be the next president. However, what I find more interesting are the long-term outcomes the conventions will have for each party.

For this blog, I have chosen to focus on the RNC because that is the topic of the class I am currently taking and I will be volunteering in and around Cleveland during the RNC. With that being said, Trump will arguably be the most important person to watch during the RNC, but also keep an eye on key speakers, including Ted Cruz and Paul Ryan. It is also noticeable who will, at this point in time, not be speaking, especially Ohio Governor John Kasich. Pay attention to how the RNC might set up future presidential hopefuls and if it will unite or divide the GOP.

Since the 2016 RNC does not occur until next week, it is important to look at past conventions and try to predict the outcome. In class today, we read an oral history of the 1976 RNC in Kansas City, Missouri, courtesy of Politico. Read that article here.

Photo by David Hume Kennerly (Creative Commons license)

First things first, who exactly were the nominee options in 1976? That would be the incumbent Gerald Ford and conservative challenger Ronald Reagan. At the beginning of the primary season, Ford had won the most delegates, but after Reagan gained the backing of North Carolina senator Jesse Helms, Reagan won primary after primary. Due to Reagan's momentum, neither candidate got the 1,130 delegates required to win the nomination, thus causing the 1976 RNC to be a contested convention.

While there may not be a direct challenger to Trump, there are certainly several prominent Republicans who do not support him. So does that mean the Republicans will end up divided after the 2016 RNC? That will largely depend on the speakers at the RNC next week.

Again looking at the 1976 RNC, Ford ended up winning the nomination, with the final vote being 1,187 for Ford and 1,070 for Reagan. With the vote being close, you might assume the Republican delegates would leave divided. On the last night of the convention, Ford wanted Reagan to give a speech, one that proved to be the defining moment of the convention, leaving almost every delegate with a sense of unity. In addition, Reagan's speech set him up to run in 1980. Who knew one speech could have a huge impact? 

So using the 1976 RNC as a reference point for predicting long-term outcomes, the first thing to pay attention to is to who exactly will be speaking next week and who will not. The Atlantic writes who, as of at this point, who will and will not speak. Read the article here.

Photo by Erik Drost (Creative Commons license)

The first politician to come to mind, especially if he wants to run in 2020, is Ted Cruz. Although he has not endorsed Trump, he has agreed to speak next week at the convention. It is quite possible that Cruz's speech will set him up for the 2020 presidential election in a similar way Reagan's speech set him up for the 1980 presidential speech. Another speaker to watch closely will be Paul Ryan's 10 minute speech, who although endorsing Trump has disagreed with him on several key issues. In the same article by The Atlantic, it is reported that Ryan "wants to talk about how [the] party should unite".

Besides listening to Cruz and Ryan, it is worth noting who will not be speaking, especially Ohio Governor John Kasich. I may not be from Cleveland, but I go to school just outside the city and next week all eyes will be on Cleveland. For Kasich not to attend, is certainly strange, considering Ohio is his home state and all the work that has been put into preparing Cleveland for the 2016 RNC.

So readers, get prepared for all the 2016 RNC has in store and if you find the time, study up on past conventions. Lastly, pay attention to who speaks and what they speak about, as what happens in the 2016 RNC impacts us all. 

Social Media Tackles the GOP Platform Debate

The Republican National Convention officially occurs from July 18-21, 2016, in Cleveland, but currently the GOP platform is being debated. On the issue of LGBTQ rights, an article by Kerry Eleveld on the Daily Kos, reports that the GOP will stick to tradition, in terms of the definition of marriage. Read the article here

In the language presented during committee, it is evident that the Republicans are opposed to the Supreme Court's ruling on gay marriage and want to focus on restoring the tradition of marriage, the holy union of a man and woman.

Photo by Ted Eytan (Creative Commons license)

Personally, I do not agree with the Republican party on this issue. In my opinion, it is the 21st century and someone's personal choices are just that, not something I should or the government should have a say in regulating. Even though I have a differing opinion, I can at least see where the the Republicans are coming from on this issue. While there are plenty of supporters of marriage equality, there are plenty opponents against it. Not to mention, protecting the sanctity of marriage, as between just a man and a woman, has been a traditional viewpoint held by the GOP. If the GOP were to suddenly abandon this idea, how would that make the GOP look and what implications could it have for the party?

Looking again to the above article by Eleveld, the support he provides comes from The New York Times and Twitter. What I find interesting in his article is Eleveld's use of citing Twitter as well as presenting the author's opinion. Social media is taking over traditional news sources, even if the traditional value of objectivity is being lost. Maybe Americans do not want objectivity, but rather more opinionated pieces, something they can either strongly agree or strongly disagree with and as a quick way to feel more connected to the issues. Unbiased facts should be the most important factor when writing on key party issues, but where is the fun in that? Traditional values are great, but what the media is looking for is a show.

To further illustrate, Eleveld used the same tactics on writing a piece for the Daily Kos about Trump's latest speech. Read the article here

Eleveld again uses social media by quoting the following tweet about Michael Cohen: 'Trump: "I am the law and order candidate"...somewhere George Wallace is smiling'. The fact that tweets are being used to sum up the candidates' points and considering that both Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton tweet several times a day shows that social media will play a huge role in the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. It is truly remarkable how one tweet, 140 characters or less, reaches thousands of voters and could directly impact the result of the election.

Photo by Esther Vargas (Creative Commons license)

Lastly, in the same article, the author's objectivity is very clear as he writes, "add in a dash of racism, a touch of xenophobia and a little amped  up nationalism and "law and order" is definitely the picture that comes to mind." Rather than just present the facts on the speech Donald Trump made, Eleveld gives readers his opinion and ultimately what fuels the many heated comments under his article and, along with other writers, what fuels the polarizing nature of the 2016 presidential race.

Social media truly is the best way to understand this election and what each candidate is saying, right? I'll let you decide. Stay vigilant readers, the next tweet, snapchat, or blog post could sway public opinion in one direction tomorrow and in the opposite direction next week.

Just a Short Introduction

So let's just jump right in. First, I am from Lyons, a small suburb of Chicago, and I am currently a sophomore at John Carroll University, in University Heights, Ohio, just outside of Cleveland. My major is political science and my minor is French. How did I choose that track? I am not entirely sure, but I think it was made for me.

Ever since I can remember, I have always been interested in politics, especially my local officials. Living in a small town, it is easy to get involved in politics that have a direct impact on me, such as voting for mayor, school board, etc. In one word the politicians in my town, especially the mayor: crooked. But when every election comes around, the majority of voters seem to forget this, but rather focus on the sudden good acts performed by the elected official, such as repairing roads and starting new projects. Basically, long story short, for some reason, I dislike how many of my local officials play the game and skew the field, but I love to follow politics and speak out on my beliefs. What is most important to remember is that in any election, people have to vote. Voting is our duty as citizens and my biggest pet peeve is individuals who complain about their mayor, governor, president, etc., but chose not to vote. Choosing not to vote is fine, but then those people should not complain about the result.

Even more interesting to me, however, is foreign politics and relations. Being in an ever expanding and globalized world. it is certainly important to understand the politics of other countries and how that impacts American foreign policy. My plan after graduating John Carroll University is to go on to law school, but as to which type of law, I am still figuring that out.

Now on to the class I am taking right now, a linked political science and communications class centered around the 2016 Republican National Convention. In addition to learning valuable information on how the convention works, next week I will be volunteering as a Cleveland Ambassador at a hotel in Beachwood for two days and the other half of the week, I will be volunteering with the 2016 Republican National Volunteer Team. I am most excited for being in Cleveland during this exciting and historic week and seeing how the RNC unfolds and what Trump has in store for all of us.