Cleveland prepares for tense, confusing Republican Convention
Listen
Cleveland is bracing for a potentially wild four days as the Republican National Convention begins (Mary Kilpatrick/ cleveland.com)
The Republican National Convention begins Monday in Cleveland. WHYY’s senior reporter Dave Davies, and national political columnist, Dick Polman, will be there to keep you up to date on many events and stories from the convention that also impact our region.
“I’m sure the city of Cleveland sees this as an opportunity to showcase their city for the nation,” said Davies. “That said, there’s tension here. We have a lot of political in-fighting among Republicans, and you have people coming in from outside who have very passionately held views that may clash in the streets, and everyone knows that will be the case. Because of that, there will be a bit of tension.”
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will be sending 71 delegates to Cleveland, a number of whom are unbound to the presumptive nominee Donald Trump. Around the country, delegates — including some in Pennsylvania — who were not sold on Trump tried in vain to get the RNC to change the rules tying delegates to the results of the primary elections.
“The party leaders want to show a unified party, one that is fully behind its candidate,” Davies said. “Anything that distracts from that — an emotional argument that Donald Trump is not the guy who should be leading the party — will undermine that. That’s what will be interesting.”
For more from Jennifer Lynn and Dave Davies’ conversation about the impending RNC, including delegates attempts to carry guns on to the convention floor, press play at the top of the page.
WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.