USA TODAY International Edition
Triumph for Trump, criticism for Clinton
After delegates to the Republican National Convention officially selected Donald Trump and Mike Pence as their candidates Tuesday, they set their sights on Hillary Clinton amid excoriating speeches and cries of “Lock her up!”
Trump is scheduled to accept the nomination in a speech Thursday. He appeared on video high above the convention floor to thank the convention. “This is a movement, but we have to go all the way,” he said. “We are going to win the presidency and bring real change and leadership back to Washington.”
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence was heralded by the state’s lieutenant governor, Eric Holcolm, as “a great man of integrity, a proven conservative.”
It didn’t take long for the ebullient mood to turn negative as a parade of speakers castigated Democrat Hillary Clinton over her e- mail controversy, the deaths of four Americans in Benghazi, Libya, and even her treatment of women.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie listed what he called Clinton’s crimes around the world, from Cuba to China, each time asking the crowd, “Guilty or not guilty?”
“Guilty!” came the response each time.
Sharon Day, co- chair of the Republican National Committee, targeted former president Bill Clinton’s private life — a theme likely to be repeated over the next couple of days. “As first lady, you viciously attacked women who were sexually abused at the hands of your husband,” Day said.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, who came late to the Trump bandwagon, sought to bring the party together with a more positive, policy- oriented message.
Without much mention of Trump, he called for the election of “a conservative governing majority.”
“What do you say that we unify this party?” he said. “Let’s get on the offensive, and let’s stay there.”
Signs of continuing discord were evident off the convention floor. In the midst of the roll call, Ohio Gov. John Kasich — who placed third in the nomination contest — wasn’t even in the hall. He was speaking to members of the U. S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
“In a political campaign, what you say should be what you mean,” Kasich said, adding that Trump’s convention “is not where I think I need to be.”
As soon as Trump tweeted about the roll call, Clinton’s campaign responded by urging supporters to text, register and “make sure he never becomes president.”
Through the night, Ryan, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and vanquished presidential candidates Christie and Ben Carson were among those who urged a united effort to defeat Clinton, the leader in most national polls.