Republicans seek to rebrand Trump
‘Lock her up’ … GOP denounces Clinton
CLEVELAND, July 20, (AP): Nomination finally in hand, the Donald Trump campaign charged ahead Wednesday with a convention-week mission to redefine its brash celebrity leader as a serious-minded family man. It’s a project proving harder than uniting skeptical Republicans behind their distaste for another brand they know well: The Clintons.
Real estate mogul and reality television star Trump secured the GOP mantle Tuesday night in a roll call vote that officially brought the outsider into the heart of American politics. The tallying of the votes was followed by a display of Trump’s two-track persuasion effort: Testimonials vouching for his character — delivered by his family — and searing indictments of Clinton’s character — delivered by the rest of the party.
Trump adviser Paul Manafort acknowledged both elements Wednesday, noting the campaign is “trying to show other parts of his personality,”
“We feel the America people don’t know all of Donald Trump,” he said on ABC’s “Good Morning America”.
Manafort also acknowledged the fierce opposition to Hillary Clinton that arose from the convention floor Tuesday, as delegates chanted “Lock her up!” and cheered speakers who labeled her a liar. Some Republican leaders say Clinton should be prosecuted for mishandling classified material during her time as secretary of state, he said. “That’s how we feel,” he said. The rebranding effort continues on Day 3 of the convention. Eric Trump, the candidate’s 32-year-old son and a close adviser, is to deliver a speech aimed at answering what motivates his father to leave a life of luxury resorts and golf for the gritty work of politics: “Why is my father doing it? Why does he care this much? Why now?” he said.
Running
Wednesday’s program also brought two conservative stalwarts to the stage: Trump’s running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, a favorite of evangelicals; and the nominee’s most tenacious challenger in the primaries, Texas Sen Ted Cruz, the man Trump used to call “Lyin’ Ted.”
Pence is heartily on board the Trump bandwagon; Cruz isn’t yet, nor are many of his supporters in Cleveland. The senator’s scheduled prime-time address will be keenly watched as a measure of whether a desire to beat Clinton can heal even the deepest wounds.
There are signs the answer is: not quite. Cruz isn’t expected to offer a fullthroated endorsement of Trump, but will at least “suggest” that he is backing Trump’s candidacy for president, Manafort said.
Trump’s polarizing, unpredictable bid for the nomination has alienated Republicans both on the right and in the center, and the divide has spilled over into the convention, though without overwhelming it. Tuesday’s roll call unfolded largely according to plan after a day dominated by unwelcome attention over passages from an eight-year-old Michelle Obama speech that made their way into Melania Trump’s address to the convention, almost word for word, the night before.
Tuesday night, speaker after speaker stepped forward to denounce Clinton, none to greater effect with the crowd than New Jersey Gov Chris Christie.
The governor, a dropout in the GOP presidential race who ended up on the short list for Trump’s running mate, energized the hall as he ticked through numerous accusations of wrongdoing against Clinton and implored delegates to shout “guilty.”
Two of Trump’s children testified to his character. “For my father, impossible is just the starting point,” said Donald Trump Jr, eldest of the nominee’s five children. Tiffany Trump, 22, said her dad is a “natural-born encourager” and she recalled the notes he wrote on her report cards.
Meanwhile, Republicans may have mixed feelings about nominating Donald Trump for president, but one thing they can all rally around is a deep dislike for Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Convention speakers have “prosecuted” Clinton at a mock trial, accused her of being a serial liar and even linked her to the Devil himself. Throughout the campaign, Trump has reveled in referring to his opponent as “Crooked Hillary.”
The attacks are an echo of the 1990s when conservatives denounced president Bill Clinton as the chief executive dealt with scandal and impeachment.
The most blistering assault at the GOP convention came Tuesday night when New Jersey Gov Chris Christie took on the role of prosecutor and put Clinton on trial “for her performance and her character.” The audience responded with chants of “Lock her up! Lock her up!”
But others have piled on. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told the crowd scandal follows Clinton and former president Bill Clinton “like flies.”
“She lied about her emails. She lied about her server. She lied about Benghazi. She even lied about sniper fire. Why, even she lied about why her parents named her Hillary,” McConnell said.
And Wednesday, Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort said the airport meeting between former president Bill Clinton and Attorney General Loretta Lynch last month probably helped Clinton’s wife escape criminal charges over her use of a private email server as secretary of state. He told ABC that Lynch “probably” gave Bill Clinton special information that helped his wife.
Manafort even tried to blame Clinton for the controversy over Melania Trump lifting passages of her convention remarks from a speech that Michelle Obama delivered in 2008.