# The Republican national Convention **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 18, 2016, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729 "2016-06-18T21:53:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 31
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/601 "2016-07-20T02:38:38Z")
Well, the NYT is trying to get to the bottom of [speechgate](http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/how-melania-trump%E2%80%99s-speech-veered-off-course-and-sparked-an-uproar/ar-BBuxmOH?li=BBnb7Kz). Apparently, Ms. Trump did not like the speech written for her so decided to rewrite it herself, with the help of > [@](#): > > Meredith McIver, a New York City based former ballet dancer and English major who has worked on some of Mr. Trump’s books, including “Think Like a Billionaire.” Because nothing qualifies you to be a political speechwriter like an English degree and a good plie. ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/602 "2016-07-20T02:41:45Z")
Bizarre Ben Carson says Hillary is inspired by Lucifer instead of God. ---
**Author:** ![Club\_33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Club\_33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Club_33)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/603 "2016-07-20T02:42:16Z")
Carson just insinuated that Lucifer is one of Hillary’s role models. Each time I hear this man speak, I think to myself " really, how hard could brain surgery be?" ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/604 "2016-07-20T02:44:07Z")
A protester is trying to hold up a banner that reads Say No to Racism. Convention goers are trying to block the banner with the American flag. Pretty much sums things up. ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/605 "2016-07-20T02:45:18Z")
Who the fuck is this soap opera star? Who cares what she thinks? I can’t be bothered to watch this. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/606 "2016-07-20T02:48:20Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Trump’s son is pretty Kennedy-esque. Might be a dynasty aborning. See, I was thinking a whole different dynasty … > **[Fredo Corleone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fredo_Corleone#/media/File:FredoCorleone.jpg)** > > Frederico "Fredo" Corleone is a fictional character in Mario Puzo's 1969 novel The Godfather. Fredo is portrayed by American actor John Cazale in the Francis Ford Coppola 1972 film adaptation and in the 1974 sequel, The Godfather Part II. > Fredo is the second son of the Mafia don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro). Fredo is the younger brother of Sonny (James Caan) and the elder brother to Michael (Al Pacino) and sister, Connie (Talia Shire). Corleone family consigliere Tom Hagen ... All he needs is a pencil moustache. > **[The son also rises: Trump Jr. sends signals at Pa. delegates’ breakfast](https://www.inquirer.com/philly/blogs/capitolinq/Donald-Trump-Jr-surprises-PA-delegation.html)** > > WESTLAKE, Ohio — Pennsylvania Republicans had a surprise visitor here Tuesday morning: Donald Trump Jr. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/607 "2016-07-20T02:48:55Z")
[During the roll call, the Nevada state chairman called Las Vegas the capital of the state.](http://www.politifact.com/nevada/article/2016/jul/19/nevada-republican-goofs-rnc-wrongly-claims-las-veg/) ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/608 "2016-07-20T02:50:10Z")
> [@Club\_33](#): > > Carson just insinuated that Lucifer is one of Hillary’s role models. Which mightily confused Trump, given that he’s never seen her around before. > [@](#): > > Each time I hear this man speak, I think to myself " really, how hard could brain surgery be?" No, brain surgery is hard. It just doesn’t mean you’re good at anything else in life. That’s why you should always be suspicious when someone who has experience in one field thinks their knowledge and skill will translate into any other field. Like, say, from salesmanship to government. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/609 "2016-07-20T02:52:21Z")
[Hillary is responsible for Boko Haram kidnapping all those schoolgirls in Nigeria.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/chris-christie-hillary-clinton-boko-haram_us_578ea51be4b04ca54ebf5d97?section=politics) ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/610 "2016-07-20T02:56:09Z")
> [@AnalogSignal](#): > > Bizarre Ben Carson says Hillary is inspired by Lucifer instead of God. “…and furthermore, my opponent is an actual minion of Satan.” Hell, why stop there? They should just go ahead and accuse Hillary of being a shape-shifting reptile, then hand out those magic sunglasses, like in _They Live_. I’ve got to say, this is turning out to be every bit of the Looneytunes spectacle I was hoping for. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/611 "2016-07-20T02:56:25Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > Well, the NYT is trying to get to the bottom of [speechgate](http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/how-melania-trump%E2%80%99s-speech-veered-off-course-and-sparked-an-uproar/ar-BBuxmOH?li=BBnb7Kz). She got some practice by [tweeting](http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/297400/melania-trump-marva-collins-plagiarism/)"Always trust yourself, think for yourself, act for yourself, speak for yourself. Be yourself!". Marva Collins (at least she admires one black woman) said it better, though: "“Trust yourself. Think for yourself. Act for yourself. Speak for yourself. Be yourself. **Imitation is suicide**.” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/612 "2016-07-20T03:02:36Z")
> [@AnalogSignal](#): > > Donald Jr says dad will create opportunities for Americans of all backgrounds. Does that include people with Mexican and Muslim backgrounds too? Didn’t promise that those opportunities would be here. Maybe somewhere else. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/613 "2016-07-20T03:06:41Z")
“Imitation is the sincerest form of plagiarism.” -Oscar Wilde ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/614 "2016-07-20T03:09:45Z")
The convention had a “tweet ticker” circling the arena. One of the tweets displayed on the ticker was from @vdare, the Twitter account for vdare (dot) com, which is classified as an “anti-immigrant hate site” by the SPLC. I took a peek at the site. It’s pretty much what you’d expect. Media Matters has a brief post about it [here](https://mediamatters.org/blog/2016/07/19/white-nationalist-website-s-tweet-featured-inside-rnc-convention-hall/211729). Honest mistake. Anyone could have made it. Now, if someone re-tweets some white supremacists a [del]second[/del] [del]third[/del] [del]fourth[/del] 63rd time, then we might have a reason to be alarmed. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/615 "2016-07-20T03:11:43Z")
Hard to fault VDare for being a bit star-struck. ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/616 "2016-07-20T03:16:27Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > Well, the NYT is trying to get to the bottom of [speechgate](http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/how-melania-trump%E2%80%99s-speech-veered-off-course-and-sparked-an-uproar/ar-BBuxmOH?li=BBnb7Kz). Yes, it is a great read: > [@](#): > > Ms. Trump spent most of Tuesday out of sight, while her husband vented his frustration and anger throughout the day. > . > . > . > In interviews, alarmed Republican speechwriters outlined the layers of formal scrutiny, apparently disregarded by the Trump campaign, traditionally applied to almost every draft of a major convention address. They described word-by-word fact-checking by a dedicated team of experts and computer software designed to catch plagiarism. Several online programs, like DupliChecker, are available at no cost. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/617 "2016-07-20T03:26:06Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > Well, the NYT is trying to get to the bottom of [speechgate](http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/how-melania-trump%E2%80%99s-speech-veered-off-course-and-sparked-an-uproar/ar-BBuxmOH?li=BBnb7Kz). Apparently, Ms. Trump did not like the speech written for her so decided to rewrite it herself, with the help of > > Because nothing qualifies you to be a political speechwriter like an English degree and a good plie. The best part is the varied, highly contrived explanations coming out of the campaign, the Trumpbots on news shows with varied, highly contrived explanations and GOP officials with varied, highly contrived explanations. None of which _match_. I’d swear there’s easily 15-20 different stories and excuses/rationalizations out there. At least come up with one ridiculous excuse and have everyone stick to it. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/618 "2016-07-20T03:26:18Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > [During the roll call, the Nevada state chairman called Las Vegas the capital of the state.](http://www.politifact.com/nevada/article/2016/jul/19/nevada-republican-goofs-rnc-wrongly-claims-las-veg/) haha Michael McDonald is the NV state chair of the GOP? Let’s go to the quarry and throw stuff down there! That’s awesome! I thought he had been thoroughly disgraced but I guess not (yet)! I realize most of you have never heard of Mr. McDonald; allow me to help you get to know him: [Ex-councilman’s past might prepare him to be GOP chairman](http://www.reviewjournal.com/john-l-smith/ex-councilmans-past-might-prepare-him-be-gop-chairman) [Michael McDonald’s loan role looking more clear](http://www.reviewjournal.com/columns-blogs/john-l-smith/michael-mcdonalds-loan-role-looking-more-clear) [Nevada GOP chair resigning from deputy state treasurer post](http://lasvegassun.com/news/2015/oct/07/nevada-gop-chair-resigning-from-deputy-state-treas/) He’s also connected to the biggest HOA fraud scandal in the US ever through Steve Wark, the former state GOP chair. He was also a part of the whole Rizzoli/Giraldi mess a few years back. So what I’m saying is that geography isn’t the only thing he’s not very good at. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/619 "2016-07-20T03:33:40Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > haha Michael McDonald is the NV state chair of the GOP? Let’s go to the quarry and throw stuff down there! That’s awesome! I thought he had been thoroughly disgraced but I guess not (yet)! > > I realize most of you have never heard of Mr. McDonald; allow me to help you get to know him: > > [Ex-councilman’s past might prepare him to be GOP chairman](http://www.reviewjournal.com/john-l-smith/ex-councilmans-past-might-prepare-him-be-gop-chairman) > [Michael McDonald’s loan role looking more clear](http://www.reviewjournal.com/columns-blogs/john-l-smith/michael-mcdonalds-loan-role-looking-more-clear) > [Nevada GOP chair resigning from deputy state treasurer post](http://lasvegassun.com/news/2015/oct/07/nevada-gop-chair-resigning-from-deputy-state-treas/) > > He’s also connected to the biggest HOA fraud scandal in the US ever through Steve Wark, the former state GOP chair. > > He was also a part of the whole Rizzoli/Giraldi mess a few years back. > > So what I’m saying is that geography isn’t the only thing he’s not very good at. I’m assuming this is not the white-haired, smooth-voiced singer from the Doobie Brothers? ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729/620 "2016-07-20T03:38:46Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Hard to fault VDare for being a bit star-struck. It was a sheriff’s star!! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729.md?page=30) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-republican-national-convention/757729.md?page=32)