Category Archives: 2016 Election

Bits and Pieces

So, here is what I know after my first day at a Republican National Convention.

Comfortable shoes are a must!

Thank goodness for these Ivanka Trump shoes I rocked for over 12 hours! All the walking and standing and walking up and down stairs and walking to point A from point B would have caused a Fitbit explision I’m just sure of it!

The Quicken Arena is Big.

Here is my view from the cheap seats, or “Loud City” as we say in OKC. And, it was loud!

I chose another angle to watch my Governor address the crowd.

She did a really nice job…especially since there was a little conflict and controversy taking place.

The arena is a cesspool of activity.

This lady from Colorado was one of the head Dump Trumpers. She had a small, but vocal contingent with members from several states (my own included) who tried to pull a coup.

They failed. I just happened to walk by an interview of her that took place before their movement was shut down.

Yes, there were some sore losers in the building. Fact.

This is one of my favorite reporters from MSNBC. He is what I would call a roaming reporter….
I am old enough to be his mother.

You run into people you know everywhere.

Cliff and our friend from Tulsa (center), ran into another Okie (tall, young one on the left) who will be the next head of the RNC. What a breath of fresh air he is and a great guy all around.

I am now a big fan of Facebook. Haha

We found the Facebook tent mid afternoon and their adorable intern from Northwestern (and his boss) allowed us to charge our phones while we enjoyed a cold beverage and chilled before the prime time speeches. They also explained a little Facebook live challenge they had going on a took a party pic of a few of us in their “Oval Office!”

The Media Narrative is skewed.

After our phones were charging we met several reporters for a national magazine who were looking just as exhausted and thrilled to have found the same shady respite. In the course of a conversation with them, we learned they had been covering the protesters…all 2-300 of them. Bet it looked like more than that on television, didn’t it?

Evidently, this is an unconventional convention.

Since this is my first ever political convention, I am not sure if there is a precedent for the nominee to speak to the convention before he speaks to the convention – but last night, he introduced his wife (who, by the way was stunning and humble and gracious and wow’d everyone but the media).

It was something else and brought the arena to its feet.

In fact, I really want her white dress but I hear it has sold out already.

Maybe I can just be her in my next life! Seriously though, she was simply breathtaking and you could have heard a pin drop in that arena when she spoke about her family, her immigrating to the United States, her life with Donald Trump. What I experienced in the arena and what I read from the media this morning are two different narratives and I will leave it there.

I am just thrilled to be experiencing a little history in the making from my seat on the sidelines!

Opening Bell

Last night was the opening reception at the RNC and it was held at none other than the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in downtown Cleveland.

Thousands of Republicans swarmed the venue which boasted rows and rows of food trucks featuring a taste of the City! Big tents with various kraft beer and live music filled the venue and the actual museum was open for tours.

Architecturally, the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame is a beautiful contemporary structure and overlooks Lake Erie. I could not get over the outfits worn by Diana Ross and the Supremes….simply gorgeous!

The big stage was constructed on the lawn behind the museum where bands such as 3 Dog Night and the Doobie Brothers played. The evening ended with a stunning fireworks show over the lake and a long walk back to the rows and rows of buses which quickly transported the numerous delegates back to their hotels.

The Oklahoma Delegation went to the event on several buses which were under police escort with a heavily armed federal agent on board. The road to the event was blocked off at many places and police were positioned everywhere along the route. In fact, I don’t think I have ever seen that many police and federal agents in one location before. I hear the Bikers for Trump are also rolling into Cleveland to help…I hope I manage to catch a glimpse of that!

Cliff and I had a wonderful evening talking with Republicans from all across the country. Some were wearing outfits representing their state and others were outfitted in all the bling that one might imagine.

Most seemed very excited to be there and were just as strong in their support of the presumptive nominee. If there is still a Dump Trump movement, we didn’t see it…the only interesting tidbit we heard on the ground was the number of high profile hotels that George Soros rented out to house the protestors he has sponsored.

We’ll keep you posted with highlights from the events today. The theme this evening is Make America Safe Again and will feature Melania Trump, Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, Senator Jeff Session, Senator Joni Ernst, Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Willie Robertson of Duck Dynasty and my favorite, Scott Baio of Happy Days fame.

Refreshing Difference

Like most Americans, Cliff and I have spent the past 24 hours glued to the t.v. watching the coverage of the tragedy in Nice, the attempted military coup in Turkey and wondering what the heck is happening in our world! Seriously makes me want to hug my almost grown babies a little tighter and pray for our world.

But, sandwiched in-between the international news coverage was a media narrative that caught my attention, a narrative that belittles and bashes the presumptive Republican nominee for POTUS. Imagine that! Republican bashing has been a sanctioned sport for members of the media as long as I can remember. However, since we are headed to Cleveland to the big event, I had to watch the talking heads pontificate this morning…so, just shoot me already!

A handful of reporters on a few of the cable networks doubled down on the ‘bungled’ roll out of the Vice Presidential candidate, mocking the new campaign logo, the list of people who aren’t speaking at the convention…you name it, they gave it their best shot to downgrade and denigrate. Some of the words used were sloppy, strange, disorganized, rocky, to depict a superficial narrative they (the media) are trying to develop. Sure, maybe it was all of those things, but I would suggest a different one. A narrative that addresses the why and how a political outsider (with a long history in the media and lots of baggage) rose to the top? What was behind that rise and how does it correlate to the mood of the country? Clearly, there is something brewing and despite all the media bashing, and millions spent in unanswered negative ads by the other side, the race is virtually tied? Like I said – there is a story here.

I happened to catch an interview with Ben Ginsberg, a Republican strategist who has been around as long as I can remember…probably since Reagan….Anyway, he was funneling questions about the convention, Republican “dis-unity” and all the proported fumbles by the nominee on his VP rollout ….Ginsberg just chuckled and said he found (Trump) the nominee’s way of doing things to be ‘refreshingly different.’

Refreshingly different. Exactly. Trump might not be doing things the way politicians typically do things, but it’s probably why he received more votes in a Republican primary than any other nominee…EVER! He isn’t running as a politician, but rather as a businessman…someone who can clean up the mess politicians have made. That is the real story here…or, at least something to talk about anyway.