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| Trump aides insist Republicans are unified despite absences at convention | Trump aides insist Republicans are unified despite absences at convention |
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| Shunned by much of his party, Donald Trump turned to his family on Monday to launch a divided Republican convention with a direct but quixotic appeal to voters looking to overthrow the political establishment. | Shunned by much of his party, Donald Trump turned to his family on Monday to launch a divided Republican convention with a direct but quixotic appeal to voters looking to overthrow the political establishment. |
| The celebrity billionaire chose his wife Melania, a former model described as an “aqua-eyed beauty” in program notes, to give the opening night address to delegates in Cleveland – planning to introduce her on stage himself before returning to New York until his own address as the official nominee on Thursday. | The celebrity billionaire chose his wife Melania, a former model described as an “aqua-eyed beauty” in program notes, to give the opening night address to delegates in Cleveland – planning to introduce her on stage himself before returning to New York until his own address as the official nominee on Thursday. |
| Campaign aides insisted the party remained unified and optimistic of winning November’s general election despite a paucity of big-name politicians, or the A-list celebrities that Trump once promised would flock to his coronation. | |
| Actor Scott Baio, famous 30 years ago for playing Chachi in the 1950s-themed sitcom Happy Days, was the most prominent celebrity to appear on a Monday schedule otherwise filled with a daytime soap star and a reality TV character from Duck Dynasty. | Actor Scott Baio, famous 30 years ago for playing Chachi in the 1950s-themed sitcom Happy Days, was the most prominent celebrity to appear on a Monday schedule otherwise filled with a daytime soap star and a reality TV character from Duck Dynasty. |
| Former Texas governor Rick Perry, who called Trump a “cancer on conservatism” during their bitter primary election contest, was the most senior Republican, alongside former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. But other leading former 2016 candidates, including Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush, were absent. | Former Texas governor Rick Perry, who called Trump a “cancer on conservatism” during their bitter primary election contest, was the most senior Republican, alongside former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. But other leading former 2016 candidates, including Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush, were absent. |
| House speaker Paul Ryan, who is required to attend as chair of the convention, addressed delegates from his home state of Wisconsin in a fringe meeting on Monday without mentioning Trump once. | House speaker Paul Ryan, who is required to attend as chair of the convention, addressed delegates from his home state of Wisconsin in a fringe meeting on Monday without mentioning Trump once. |
| Perry dismissed questions over his past opposition to Trump as “splitting hairs”, while Trump’s campaign manager Paul Manafort claimed that Friday’s decision to pick conservative Indiana governor Mike Pence as a running mate was helping to win around the base of the party. | Perry dismissed questions over his past opposition to Trump as “splitting hairs”, while Trump’s campaign manager Paul Manafort claimed that Friday’s decision to pick conservative Indiana governor Mike Pence as a running mate was helping to win around the base of the party. |
| “We think the party is getting unified and we think the appointment of governor Pence is accelerating what is already an accelerated process,” Manafort told reporters on Monday. | “We think the party is getting unified and we think the appointment of governor Pence is accelerating what is already an accelerated process,” Manafort told reporters on Monday. |
| But the claims of unity were somewhat undermined by a dismissive attack on other senior Republicans who have chosen to avoid the convention at all costs. | But the claims of unity were somewhat undermined by a dismissive attack on other senior Republicans who have chosen to avoid the convention at all costs. |
| Manafort described Ohio governor John Kasich’s decision to stay away from the biggest gathering of Republicans his home state has ever seen as “embarrassing”. The only two living Republican presidents, George W Bush and his father, were dismissed as figures of the “past” for refusing to attend. | Manafort described Ohio governor John Kasich’s decision to stay away from the biggest gathering of Republicans his home state has ever seen as “embarrassing”. The only two living Republican presidents, George W Bush and his father, were dismissed as figures of the “past” for refusing to attend. |
| “The Bush family – while we would love to have had them – are part of the past. We are dealing with the future. They do not reflect the broad strokes of the Republican party,” said Manafort. | “The Bush family – while we would love to have had them – are part of the past. We are dealing with the future. They do not reflect the broad strokes of the Republican party,” said Manafort. |
| Yet the chaotic and fractured nature of the convention in Cleveland belied a ruthless suppression of internal dissent by the Trump campaign in recent days. | Yet the chaotic and fractured nature of the convention in Cleveland belied a ruthless suppression of internal dissent by the Trump campaign in recent days. |
| The campaign was expected to easily see off any last-ditch attempt to block the nomination during procedural sessions on Monday afternoon. | The campaign was expected to easily see off any last-ditch attempt to block the nomination during procedural sessions on Monday afternoon. |
| The opening session also sees the party embrace a nakedly populist policy agenda, featuring plans to break up big Wall Street banks, repeal multilateral trade agreements and build an anti-immigrant wall on the southern border that could yet play well among a fearful and surprisingly anti-establishment 2016 electorate. | The opening session also sees the party embrace a nakedly populist policy agenda, featuring plans to break up big Wall Street banks, repeal multilateral trade agreements and build an anti-immigrant wall on the southern border that could yet play well among a fearful and surprisingly anti-establishment 2016 electorate. |
| The theme of Monday’s opening session – “Making America Safe Again” – was also an attempt to blend concern over international terrorism, domestic police shootings and criticism of the foreign policy record of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Among the scheduled speakers were relatives of victims and survivors from the 2012 attack on US diplomats in Benghazi, Libya, an event Republicans have frequently used as a vehicle for fierce criticism of Clinton. | The theme of Monday’s opening session – “Making America Safe Again” – was also an attempt to blend concern over international terrorism, domestic police shootings and criticism of the foreign policy record of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Among the scheduled speakers were relatives of victims and survivors from the 2012 attack on US diplomats in Benghazi, Libya, an event Republicans have frequently used as a vehicle for fierce criticism of Clinton. |
| Recent polling has shown the presumptive Democratic candidate’s lead over Trump narrowing again in recent days after the FBI called into question both her competence and trustworthiness during an investigation into a private email server used while she was secretary of state. | Recent polling has shown the presumptive Democratic candidate’s lead over Trump narrowing again in recent days after the FBI called into question both her competence and trustworthiness during an investigation into a private email server used while she was secretary of state. |
| Though almost all national polls continue to show a slim lead for Clinton, Republican strategists have drawn succor from a series of surveys in battleground states that suggest Trump could outperform in previously Democratic-leaning states in the rustbelt and industrial midwest such as as Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. | Though almost all national polls continue to show a slim lead for Clinton, Republican strategists have drawn succor from a series of surveys in battleground states that suggest Trump could outperform in previously Democratic-leaning states in the rustbelt and industrial midwest such as as Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. |
| Related: Trump and Clinton face chaotic world as party conventions begin | Related: Trump and Clinton face chaotic world as party conventions begin |
| The convention was also heavily overshadowed by fears of spiraling civil unrest in the US, following a spate of police killings of black men and seemingly retaliatory attacks in Dallas and Baton Rouge. | The convention was also heavily overshadowed by fears of spiraling civil unrest in the US, following a spate of police killings of black men and seemingly retaliatory attacks in Dallas and Baton Rouge. |
| Gavelling the convention to order at 1pm on Monday, RNC chair Reince Priebus immediately called for a moment’s silence to honour the “heroes” he said had been killed in recent days. | Gavelling the convention to order at 1pm on Monday, RNC chair Reince Priebus immediately called for a moment’s silence to honour the “heroes” he said had been killed in recent days. |
| “I would like to take a moment to recognise the fallen police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge,” said Priebus, who also called on the massed array of delegates to “recognise all the families who have lost loved ones in these troubling times”. | “I would like to take a moment to recognise the fallen police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge,” said Priebus, who also called on the massed array of delegates to “recognise all the families who have lost loved ones in these troubling times”. |
| The floor of the Quicken Loans Arena, which has played host to basketball’s NBA champions Cleveland Cavaliers this season, has been carefully arranged to make sure that states that voted heavily for Trump during his sweep of Republican primaries were positioned closest to the stage, while those that had backed Ted Cruz were on the outer edges. | The floor of the Quicken Loans Arena, which has played host to basketball’s NBA champions Cleveland Cavaliers this season, has been carefully arranged to make sure that states that voted heavily for Trump during his sweep of Republican primaries were positioned closest to the stage, while those that had backed Ted Cruz were on the outer edges. |
| Manafort said the campaign was particularly pleased with the state-of-art stage erected by the Republican National Committee for the event, including a 1,700-sq ft TV display with 640 separate panels. “Mr Trump loves the stage. Mrs Trump loves it even more,” said the campaign manager during a preview briefing. | Manafort said the campaign was particularly pleased with the state-of-art stage erected by the Republican National Committee for the event, including a 1,700-sq ft TV display with 640 separate panels. “Mr Trump loves the stage. Mrs Trump loves it even more,” said the campaign manager during a preview briefing. |
| Family members are scheduled to speak on every day of the four-day convention, beginning with Melania, who was due to appear in a “primetime slot” around 10pm local time on Monday night. | Family members are scheduled to speak on every day of the four-day convention, beginning with Melania, who was due to appear in a “primetime slot” around 10pm local time on Monday night. |
| “You’re going to have friends who have known him speaking,” explained Manfort. “You’re going to have people who have worked with him both inside the company and outside of the company. And so you’re going to see how he’s built his successful empire. | “You’re going to have friends who have known him speaking,” explained Manfort. “You’re going to have people who have worked with him both inside the company and outside of the company. And so you’re going to see how he’s built his successful empire. |
| “This is a Trump convention,” added his campaign manager when asked if there was any room for dissent ahead of his expected confirmation as the party’s presidential nominee on Tuesday. “Yes, it is the Republican national convention, but the party is united.” | “This is a Trump convention,” added his campaign manager when asked if there was any room for dissent ahead of his expected confirmation as the party’s presidential nominee on Tuesday. “Yes, it is the Republican national convention, but the party is united.” |
| The city of Cleveland appeared less so and has released an exhaustive list of banned items at demonstrations within the 1.7-mile regulated “event zone”, including tennis balls, certain types of umbrellas, water guns and glass bottles. But, under Ohio’s open-carry laws, loaded firearms, including long guns, will be allowed at the rallies. | The city of Cleveland appeared less so and has released an exhaustive list of banned items at demonstrations within the 1.7-mile regulated “event zone”, including tennis balls, certain types of umbrellas, water guns and glass bottles. But, under Ohio’s open-carry laws, loaded firearms, including long guns, will be allowed at the rallies. |