Highlights from the RNC: Day Two

Yep - I'm back, with a few brief  but carefully curated highlights (and commentary) from Day Two of the Republican Convention, starting with Kentucky's junior senator, Rand Paul.

Donald Trump and I met many years ago, before he was running for anything. When I first met him, I recall being struck by how down to earth he was. He seemed like just a normal guy. Okay, a normal guy with his own plane and helicopter, but who’s counting?  A few years later, we were opponents, both running for President. We all know how that turned out. ("The truth telling is bluster, the truth-telling is non-sequitur, self-aggrandizement, but is there really anything substantive coming out of saying that people are fat, people are stupid?"  "The question for conservatives is whether Donald Trump is a real conservative or not. I think he's a fake conservative." "While some people are excited by fat jokes and stupid jokes, there are a lot of people in the general election— independents as well as women voters — are not that entertained by this.What we'll end up with is a reality-TV star as a nominee if we're not careful." "If no one stands up to a bully, a bully will just keep doing what they're doing."  I do believe, Senator Paul, with your help, that's exactly what happened.)

Pam Bondi, Registered Foreign Lobbyist

As a career prosecutor and former Attorney General of Florida, I fought corruption, and I know what it looks like, whether it’s done by people wearing pinstripe suits or orange jumpsuits.  (But not orange hair? Remember when Bondi refused to investigate Trump University for fraud, when other state AGs were doing exactly that, after she received that $25,000 campaign contribution from Trump? Oh, wait - the contribution didn't come from Trump, it came from his charitable foundation - you know, making it illegal, leading to a fine? Yeah, that foundation, which he basically shut down after agreeing not to take any more contributions. And let's not forget the value of having a registered foreign lobbyist - a swamp-dwelling career, if there ever was one - speaking on behalf of the American president.)

Tiffany Trump.

As a recent graduate, I can relate to so many of you who might be looking for a job.(is she looking for a job, or is being a Trump enough of a career?)  People must recognize that our thoughts, our opinions, and even the choice of who we are voting for may, and are being manipulated and visibly coerced by the media and tech giants. If you tune into the media, you get one biased opinion or another, and what you share, if it does not fit into the narrative that they seek to promote, then it is either ignored or deemed a lie, regardless of the truth. This manipulation of what information we receive impedes our freedoms, rather than allowing Americans the right to form our own beliefs, this misinformation system keeps people mentally enslaved to the ideas they deem correct. (And yet, somehow, the freedom-impeded, manipulated-information recipient knew about #blackouttuesday and#justiceforgeorgefloyd, hashtags that were not likely to be used by any other Trump family members.) Oh - a few more things: my father my father my father my dad my father my father. 

Eric Trump. 

My father my father my father my father my father my father my father my father my father my father my father my father Dad I love you.

Mike Pompeo.

I’m speaking to you from beautiful Jerusalem, looking out over the old city. I have a big job. (“Senate-confirmed Presidential appointees may not even attend a political party convention or convention-related event.” “In my case, as a Senate confirmed Department official, I will be sitting on the sidelines of the political process this year, and will not be attending any political events, to include the national conventions.” “Presidential and political appointees ... are subject to significant restrictions on their political activity; they may not engage in any partisan political activity in concert with a partisan campaign, political party, or partisan political group, even on personal time and outside of the federal workplace.“ The secretary of State’s appearance at the Republican convention also comes as he faces an ongoing inspector general’s investigation into whether he and his wife, Susan, have improperly used State Department resources for personal purposes. Pompeo’s successful move to engineer the firing of State Department Inspector General Steve Linick amid this still-ongoing probe has led to more scrutiny about his role as secretary from Democratic lawmakers.)

Melania Trump. 

Like all of you, I have reflected on the racial unrest in our country. It is a harsh reality that we are not proud of parts of our history. I encourage people to focus on our future while still learning from our past. We must remember that today, we are all one community comprised of many races, religions and ethnicities. Our diverse and storied history is what makes our country strong, and yet we still have so much to learn from one another. (Now, if she can convince her husband about our diversity being a strength...)

Night three highlights coming your way tomorrow.