HEEERE’S DONNY!
Trump kicks of GOP convention
Ever the showman, Donald Trump makes a dramatic entrance at the Republican National Convention last night.
CLEVELAND — Melania Trump on Monday night praised her husband as caring, patriotic and ready to lead the nation for all Americans during the raucous opening day of the Republican National Convention.
“I know that he will make a great and lasting difference. Donald has a great and deep and unbending determination and a never-give-up attitude. If you want someone to fight for you and your country, I can assure you he’s the guy,” said Melania.
“My husband offers a new direction, welcoming change, prosperity, and greater cooperation among peoples and nations. Donald intends to represent all the people, not just some of the people. That includes Christians and Jews and Muslims. It includes Hispanics and African-Americans and Asians and the poor and the middle class.”
She said her priority as first lady would be to help women and children who need it — and spoke of the Manhattan mogul’s kinder, gentler side.
“This kindness is not always noted, but it is there for all to see. That is one reason I fell in love with him to begin with,” she said.
Trump himself took the stage just before 10:30 p.m., silhouetted against a white backdrop as Queen’s “We are the Champions” blared. He then introduced his wife.
Her remarks were well-received by the audience and lauded by Trump himself. It was later pointed out, though, that some of Melania’s comments echoed those of Michelle Obama’s at the 2008 Democratic National Convention almost verbatim.
Before Melania’s address, speaker after speaker offered up political red meat, accusing Hillary Clinton and President Obama of failing to protect Americans from radical Islamists.
Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani elec- trified the crowd with a full-throated endorsement of Trump, delivered in a shouting voice.
“In the last seven months, there have been five major Islamic terrorist attacks on us and our allies. We must not be afraid to define our enemy. It is Islamic extremist terrorism,” he roared.
He boasted of his record as a crimefighter in the Big Apple and said Trump would make families feel safe once again.
“The vast majority of Americans today do not feel safe. They fear for their children.”
Delegates also heard from Patricia Smith, the mother of Benghazi victim Sean Smith, who called Clinton “a liar” who “should be in stripes,” in deeply emotional remarks.
“I blame Hillary Clinton personally for the death of my son,” she said of Sean, an information-management officer and one of four Americans killed in the attack on the US mission in 2012.
“In an e-mail to her daughter shortly after the attack, Hillary Clinton blamed it on terrorism. When I saw Hillary Clinton at Sean’s coffin ceremony, just days later, she looked me squarely in the eye and told me a video was responsible,” Smith said, fighting back tears.
With major GOP figures like Ohio Gov. John Kasich, George W. Bush and Mitt Romney skipping the event, Trump’s campaign rounded up an eclectic mix of speakers.
The lineup included “Happy Days” actor Scott Baio, Willie Robertson of “Duck Dynasty” and Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clark Jr., an African-American who got thunderous applause when he began his remarks by declaring, “Blue lives matter.”
Retired US Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, whose book, “Lone Survivor,” was made into a hit movie, also heaped praise on Trump to wild applause.