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Melania Trump to headline second night of Republican convention – live Melania Trump to headline second night of Republican convention – live
(32 minutes later)
An aide to the first lady said her speech would be ‘positive and uplifting’An aide to the first lady said her speech would be ‘positive and uplifting’
In his convention speech, Republican Senator Rand Paul sharply criticized Joe Biden for voting for the Iraq war, while praising Trump for opposing the war.
But as a CNN reporter noted, Trump initially supported the war but later became one of its critics more than a year after it began. Biden has also since said his vote for the war was a mistake.
Trump has opened tonight’s convention by issuing a pardon to Jon Ponder, who served a five-year sentence for robbing a bank before setting up an organization to help former inmates.
It may be the first time a pardon has been broadcast on TV during a convention, and many Trump critics have taken issue with it, seeing it as an abuse of presidential powers.
It also coincides with the release of a new ad from Republicans Against Trump, which features a former administration official claiming that Trump offered pardons to homeland security officials to “implement illegal immigration policies”.
Senator Rand Paul, who ran against Trump in the 2016 Republican primary, offered a wholehearted endorsement of the president’s reelection bid.
“I’m proud of the job Donald Trump has done as President,” Paul said. “I don’t always agree with him. But our occasional policy differences are far outweighed by our significant agreements.”
Paul praised Trump’s record of accomplishments, even though the president has broken about half of the promises he has made, according to Politifact.
Fact check: Neil Gorsuch and tribal rights
Myron Lizer, the vice president of the Navajo Nation, opened the RNC tonight, and lauded Trump for strengthening the supreme court “by nominating strong conservative judges like Neil Gorsuch, who supports Native American rights”.
He has a point.
Part of what Lizer was referring to was a 5-4 supreme court ruling last month in the case of McGirt v Oklahoma. It was a rare legal victory for Native American rights in the supreme court, upholding an 1866 treaty between the Muscogee Nation and the US government, ruling that much of eastern Oklahoma was Indian land. The result also means that the state is blocked from prosecuting First Nations individuals with Muscogee Nation boundaries.
Congress could still interfere and diminish the ruling by redefining boundaries. But Gorsuch, who wrote the ruling, undoubtedly has a record of upholding Indigenous rights. He has sided with the court’s liberal justices in four cases involving First Nations, affirmed treaties as binding, and appointed the first tribal citizen to serve as a clerk in the supreme court.
It’s worth noting here though, the Trump administration also filed an amicus brief opposing tribal in the McGirt v Oklahoma case.
– Maanvi Singh
Trump has made his first appearance of the night, alongside Jon Ponder, the founder of the nonprofit Hope For Prisoners.
Ponder addressed the convention with Rich Beasley, the FBI agent who once arrested him, who Ponder called a “dear friend.”
Ponder and Beasley thanked Trump for his support of Hope for Prisoners, a re-entry program for those who have recently been released from prison.
After the two men spoke, Trump signed a pardon for Ponder.
Myron Lizner, the vice president of the Navajo Nation, addressed the Republican convention from Shiprock Pinnacle, New Mexico.
“You see our People have never been invited into the American dream,” Lizner said. “For years we’ve fought congressional battles with past congressmen and senators that were part of a broken system that ignored us. That is, until President Trump took office.”
The president of the Navajo Nation, Jonathan Nez, addressed the Democratic National Convention last week.
The second night of the convention began with an opening prayer from Pastor Norma Urrabazo, who prayed for Jacob Blake and his family.The second night of the convention began with an opening prayer from Pastor Norma Urrabazo, who prayed for Jacob Blake and his family.
Blake, an African American father of six, was repeatedly shot in the back by police officers on Sunday, sparking protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin.Blake, an African American father of six, was repeatedly shot in the back by police officers on Sunday, sparking protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
The second night of the Republican convention has now started. Follow along with the blog for updates and analysis as the night unfolds.The second night of the Republican convention has now started. Follow along with the blog for updates and analysis as the night unfolds.
A speaker has reportedly been removed from tonight’s RNC lineup, after it came to light that she reshared an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory on Twitter earlier today.A speaker has reportedly been removed from tonight’s RNC lineup, after it came to light that she reshared an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory on Twitter earlier today.
CNN reports:CNN reports:
Mendoza apologized for the original tweet this evening, saying, “I retweeted a very long thread earlier without reading every post within the thread. My apologies for not paying attention to the intent of the whole message. That does not reflect my feelings or personal thoughts whatsoever.”Mendoza apologized for the original tweet this evening, saying, “I retweeted a very long thread earlier without reading every post within the thread. My apologies for not paying attention to the intent of the whole message. That does not reflect my feelings or personal thoughts whatsoever.”
Besides first lady Melania Trump, two of the president’s children -- Eric Trump and Tiffany Trump -- will also address the convention tonight.Besides first lady Melania Trump, two of the president’s children -- Eric Trump and Tiffany Trump -- will also address the convention tonight.
Their speeches come one day after the president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, addressed the convention, defending his father’s record on the economy, even though the unemployment rate is currently 10.2%.Their speeches come one day after the president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, addressed the convention, defending his father’s record on the economy, even though the unemployment rate is currently 10.2%.
Senior White House adviser Ivanka Trump also intends to introduce her father before his nomination acceptance speech on Thursday.Senior White House adviser Ivanka Trump also intends to introduce her father before his nomination acceptance speech on Thursday.
The repeated appearances of the president’s family underscores how the convention is becoming “the Trump show” -- especially considering Republicans adopted no platform this year.The repeated appearances of the president’s family underscores how the convention is becoming “the Trump show” -- especially considering Republicans adopted no platform this year.
Hello, live blog readers, and welcome to the second night of the Republican National Convention.Hello, live blog readers, and welcome to the second night of the Republican National Convention.
The convention kicked off last night with speakers like Donald Trump Jr and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley urging Americans to reelect the president, arguing Donald Trump was the only person preventing America from falling into the hands of socialists.The convention kicked off last night with speakers like Donald Trump Jr and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley urging Americans to reelect the president, arguing Donald Trump was the only person preventing America from falling into the hands of socialists.
That baseless argument seemed sharply at odds with Republicans’ promises that the convention would focus on sharing an optimistic vision for the future of the country.That baseless argument seemed sharply at odds with Republicans’ promises that the convention would focus on sharing an optimistic vision for the future of the country.
First lady Melania Trump hopes to change the tone of the convention tonight, when she delivers her speech from the White House Rose Garden.First lady Melania Trump hopes to change the tone of the convention tonight, when she delivers her speech from the White House Rose Garden.
An aide to the first lady said that her speech would be “positive and uplifting” and that (unlike her 2016 convention speech) it would be entirely her own words.An aide to the first lady said that her speech would be “positive and uplifting” and that (unlike her 2016 convention speech) it would be entirely her own words.
“I can tell you that every word in the speech is from her,” aide Stephanie Grisham told MSNBC today. “It’s very authentic and it’s going to come from the heart.”“I can tell you that every word in the speech is from her,” aide Stephanie Grisham told MSNBC today. “It’s very authentic and it’s going to come from the heart.”
The second night of the convention will kick off in about half an hour, so stay tuned.The second night of the convention will kick off in about half an hour, so stay tuned.