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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’ |
| The convention played a video highlighting the women who work in the Trump administration, an apparent attempt to win over women voters. | |
| A recent Fox News poll showed Joe Biden is 12 points ahead of Trump among women voters, which could seriously complicate the president’s path to victory in November. | |
| Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, focused her convention speech on Hunter Biden, the son of Democratic nominee Joe Biden. | |
| Republicans have accused the younger Biden of corruption in his foreign business dealings, allegations that the Bidens have repeatedly denied. | |
| Republicans tried to make Biden’s business activity a key focus of Trump’s impeachment trial earlier this year. | |
| But Democrats said the president’s allies were only trying to distract from Trump’s efforts to pressure Ukraine into interfering with the presidential election. | |
| Despite the US reporting 38,045 new coronavirus cases and 450 deaths yesterday, and the total death toll now approaching 180,000, Trump’s top economic adviser Larry Kudlow has just referred to the pandemic in the past tense. | |
| It hasn’t gone down well among some viewers: | |
| Cissie Graham Lynch, the grandaughter evangelist Billy Graham, made this striking comment about the freedom of religion, and religious prosecution: “In America, we have not yet experienced physical persecution, even though the left has tried to silence us.” | |
| Of course, people of color in America have experienced plenty of prosecution – for practicing their first amendment rights, including their freedom to practice religion from the very beginning. Native Americans were persecuted for practicing their religion and conducting tribal ceremonies. | |
| – Maanvi Singh | |
| Nicholas Sandmann, the Covington Catholic student who became a symbol of conservatives’ claims of liberal media bias, is now addressing the Republican convention. | |
| Continuing the theme from last night, Sandmann denounced “cancel culture.” Recounting his experience last year after an encounter with a Native American activist, Sandmann said, “I learned that what was happening to me had a name. It was called being cancelled.” | |
| Sandmann’s speech was the latest indication that the Republican convention would be defined by inflaming culture wars. | |
| Cissie Graham Lynch, the granddaughter of the prominent evangelical leader Billy Graham, praised Trump as a defender of religious freedom. | |
| Lynch criticized Democrats for trying to “allow boys to compete in girls’ sports and use girls’ locker rooms”, apparently belittling and misrepresenting transgender rights. | |
| Larry Kudlow mentioned the Trump payroll tax deferral, that many lawmakers on both sides of the aisle oppose. | |
| Trump has attempted to defer the payroll tax liabilities during the pandemic, though the government has yet to issue guidance on how that would work. Trump has also said that if he wins the election, he’ll permanently eliminate the tax, which funds the social security program. | |
| On Monday, the chief actuary of the Social Security Administration said the federal government’s ability to found the program would end by mid-2023 if Trump’s wish to eliminate the payroll tax came true. The president lacks the authority to unilaterally make that move, and Congress – which is run by Democrats, and includes many Republicans who’d oppose the policy – is unlikely to help him along. | |
| – Maanvi Singh | |
| White House senior adviser Larry Kudlow praised Trump for acting “swiftly and effectively” to save the US economy amid the coronavirus pandemic. | |
| Eerily referring to the pandemic as if it were over, Kudlow warned that Joe Biden’s economic policies would “pick the pockets of taxpayers and drain money from their wallets and purses”. | |
| The message struck many as odd, considering the US unemployment rate is currently at 10.2%, and tens of millions of Americans remain unemployed because of the financial effects of the pandemic. | |
| 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. | 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. | 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. | 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 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”. | 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. | 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.” | “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. | Paul praised Trump’s record of accomplishments, even though the president has broken about half of the promises he has made, according to Politifact. |
| 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”. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | It’s worth noting here though, the Trump administration also filed an amicus brief opposing tribal in the McGirt v Oklahoma case. |
| – Maanvi Singh | – Maanvi Singh |
| Trump has made his first appearance of the night, alongside Jon Ponder, the founder of the nonprofit Hope For Prisoners. | 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 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. | 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. | 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. | 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.” | “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 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. |