RNC Convention Key Takeaways, Day 1

Land of Promise was the theme for the first night of the 2020 Republican Convention. Visually, night one of four was dynamic and flowed from one speaker to another with smooth transitions and attractive backdrops like the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium and the White House. Time-wise, it did not drag rather moved at a fast pace.

Stylistically there was high energy and real “Feels” as each person shared their stories live. They limited the number of video montages, but the ones chosen were informative, optimistic, inspirational, and offered powerful messages. Despite the virus restrictions, the RNC managed to deliver high production value for the first night and message discipline.

Day Session:

• A few hundred gathered in Charlotte, NC (COVID restrictions) in the official live nomination of the President and an enthusiastic roll call of the states. Participants frequently broke out in “four more years” chants, and state delegates made mini speeches about why their state chose to nominate Trump again. The delegate from Oregon even held up a sign stating recall Gov. Kate Brown and spoke about the anarchy in Portland. Both VP Pence and President Trump made surprise appearances and gave thank you speeches for the delegate’s hard work and sacrifice. Watch the Roll Call Video /speeches here.

Evening Session:

• The introductory video narrated by Jon Voight expressed optimism and juxtaposed President Trump as a Washington Outsider still. Powerful words and imagery. Watch the video here.
• Opening Prayer – Delivered by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, standing on an NYC pier with the magnificent Statue of Liberty as a backdrop was very moving. He recited a prayer for a multitude of specific things, including unity, unborn babies, and refugees. Watch the prayer here.
• Then there was a profound moment where WWII veteran, Steven Melnikoff, recites the pledge of allegiance.
• 26 yr old Charlie Kirk, self-identified as Turning Point USA’s founder who runs the largest pro-American student organization in America, is the first speaker of the night. He spoke with passion accusing both parties of selling out young American’s futures until President Trump. He focused on cancel culture and free speech censorship and called President Trump the “bodyguard of western civilization.” Watch his speech here.
• Rebecca Friedrichs, a California teacher, and veteran, spoke about Teachers Union’s obstruction against charter schools and doing what she says is best for the student. She accused unions of subverting the republic while spending millions to defeat charter schools and school choice to trap low-income children in terrible schools. She says then-California Attorney General Kamala Harris defended the unions against her. She highlighted Trump supports children and parental choice. and Biden does not.”They’ve intentionally rewritten American history to perpetuate division, pervert the memories of our American founders, and disparage our Judeo-Christian virtues.” Watch her speech here.
• Tanya Weinreis, a Montana businesswoman who owns Mudd Expresso, spoke about how the PPP loan was a lifesaver keeping open her shop and allowed her to keep every single one of her employees paid. She made a point of expressing her faith in Jesus and faith in America. Watch her speech here.
• Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) spoke about how “appeasement is never a winning strategy.” He called Trump, like all builders, a visionary and said America is the greatest country that has ever existed and don’t let any celebrity or athlete to tell you otherwise. Gaetz declared there is no refugee for freedom if we fail.”President Trump sometimes raises his voice—and a ruckus,” Gaetz said. “He knows that’s what it takes to raise an army of patriots who love America and will protect her.” Watch his speech here.
• Kim Klacik, a Maryland House candidate speech, was one of the most pointed and direct of the night.

• Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair, zinged, “I am a real housewife while calling Eva Longoria an actress who played a housewife on television. She says Trump didn’t choose her because she is a woman, unlike Biden, but because she was the best person for her job.” She reviewed Trump’s accomplishments. Watch her speech here.
• Amy Ford, a registered nurse from West Virginia, informed viewers about Trump’s COVID response and how telehealth services are available to some of the most vulnerable Americans because of policy changes Trump made. Watch her speech here.
• Dr. G.E. Ghali, LSU Medical Center, gave testimony of his recovery from the Coronavirus and informed that Trump cleared away the red tape that was needed to accelerate the testing and development of therapeutics and diagnostics. Watch his speech here.
• Cutaway went live to White House, where Trump thanks and listens to the stories of front-line workers. Video here.
• Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) reviews Trump’s accomplishments and calls out Democrats for refusing to denounce the violent mobs. Jordan contrasted the Pro – American Party vs. Democrats.
  Jordan shares a story about how Trump spoke to his family after his nephew died of a car accident to make their terrible day a little less terrible. Watch the video here.
• Herschel Walker, former NFL player and personal friend of Trump for 37 years, took on the character assassination of Trump (Racist). This was another speaker like Klacik, who did not mince words and had an impact.

• Natalie Harp, a bone cancer survivor, spoke about the Right to try and how Trump saved her life. Again potent testimony.

• Georgia State Rep. Vernon Jones (D) discussed why he supports Trump and the horrific way his party and others have treated him for doing so. He called it a Mental Black Plantation and group think with strict loyalty. He reviewed the right policies for black Americans are Trump Policies and gave details, including historic funding to Black Colleges. Watch his speech here.
• Andrew Pollack, the father of Parkland shooting victim Meadow Pollack, stands up and speaks his truth, and it was gut-wrenching. He was unequivocally direct about the Obama/Biden policies he feels led to the murder of his child and not lack of gun control laws. He was direct on how the media and Democrats’ politicization of Meadow’s death negatively affected him and his family.

• The McCloskeys, from St. Louis, who are now charged with a crime for defending their home and lives, implored all Americans to understand what happened to them could just as easily happen to them. They even explained that the lead protester threatening them that evening has just won a primary for US Congress. They made the point that the Marxists want to fill the halls of Congress and the streets to force radical change. Watch their speech here.
• Kimberly Guilfoyle, Trump Campaign Adviser, gave a full-throated and YELLING speech supporting all of Trump’s policies and picking apart Biden’s. She began by indicating she represented a Latino woman, and there was a heavy dose of fiery bombast, perhaps too over the top, on display. Watch her speech here.
• Rep. Steve Scalise (R- LA) offered a unique perspective on the Democrats defund the police mantra as a victim of the GOP baseball shooter attack. Watch his speech here.
• Sean Parnell, veteran and candidate for Congress, spoke about just how radical the Democrat party has become with examples. Watch his speech here.
• Trump was live from the White House meeting with Hostages. His administration has secured their releases. Watch the video here.
• Maximo Alvarez’s personal story about Communism/Marxist/Socialism. Every America is better off having watched this man speak.

• Nikki Haley, former Gov.and US Ambassador to UN, spoke about how Democrats always blame America first. She lauded Trump’s strength and successes on the geopolitical stage. “Biden is good for ISIS, Iran, and China and a “godsend” for everyone “who wants America to apologize, abstain, and abandon our values,” Haley said. She spoke with authority after being SC governor of the state that had the Mother Emanuel AME massacre by a white nationalist and ripped Democrats for saying America is a racist country. She went on to tell her heritage and a front-row seat to how this country heals divisions, not by dark, cynical weaponizing race like Democrats. Watch her speech here.
• Donald Trump Jr. pointed out the booming economy before the virus and how this is the American story Trump seeks for all Americans. Jr. discussed the economic come back in the making with specifics and then pivoted to trade and free speech issues. He also touted and corrected the  Democrats on Trump’s Virus actions record and more. Watch his speech here.
• Sisters Catalina and Madeline Lauf, who are from Chicago, One sister, who owns a children’s nutritional company, spoke about receiving a Paycheck Protection Loan to keep her employees on the payroll. They both talked about their Guatemalan heritage. Watch the video here.
• Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) mic drop- Speaking truth to power as he reviewed his life story and the facts of Trump’s policies for Black Americans.

President Donald Trump released his second-term agenda in advance, and many of the items were highlighted tonight – see here.

The four objectives for night one:

1. Boldly call out the Media and Democrats cynical lies and expose Americans to who Trump is and what he has actually accomplished as President to date without the filter of the media.
2. Showcase what the Republican Party stands for versus what the Media and Democrats narrative says it is. Night one was young, female, diverse, and direction was inclusive and optimistic.No victims or Identity politics, just unity and vision for all.
3. Show Americans the real Trump record on the pandemic response and lay down markers exposing the lies perpetrated on them by the media and Democrats.
4. Contrast Trump’s vision for our country with Biden/Harris’s vision and reviewing accomplishments without the media filter. Personal stories addressed the smears about Trump being a racist, lazy, lacking empathy, authoritarian, and “a danger to our democracy.”

We will be doing a summary on each consecutive night remaining, so check back. But in the meantime, we leave you all with an intellectual exercise that will be both enlightening and affirming as well as depressing. Take 15 minutes of your day and google headlines after each night, and compare and contrast, to Democrat convention headlines. Truly, eye-opening.

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