That’s a wrap: RNC

 

Most of you probably watched most or all of the conventions.  Over at PJ Media, several contributors were live-blogging, and Bryan Preston’s closing comments were spot-on:

President Trump closed out the greatest speech of his career and the strongest political convention either party has produced since I have been watching political conventions. 

Both parties faced numerous logistical and structural problems thanks to the COVID pandemic. The Democrats allowed COVID to confine them to crummy Zoom calls, empty speeches in dark and empty rooms, cloying and shaming rhetoric, and a depressing spirit.

The Republicans tore up the script and came up with a better one, that had no time for hacks and grifters. It brought real Americans with real stories forward. It showcased American history and pride. It showed us Fort McHenry. It unabashedly supported citizens, public safety, the possibility and joy of redemption, the agony of loss, the power of unity, and our nation's role in the world. 

The RNC convention could have been blighted by COVID as the Democrats' was. But the parties have a different character. The Democrats sank into the mire because that's who they are. The Republicans rose above it because that's who we are. Democrats want Americans as victims. Republicans want Americans as victors. 

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Maximo Alvarez at the RNC

We watched most of the RNC speakers last night.  The one that moved us the most was this one.  RightSide video and intro via Sundance at Conservative Treehouse.

Maximo Alvarez is a Cuban immigrant whose family fled totalitarianism from both Cuba and Spain. Last night, Mr. Alvarez spoke directly about candidate Joe Biden and the Democrats’ dangerous slide towards socialism and the far left. Mr. Alvarez knows personally how President Trump is fighting to keep the American dream alive.

A powerful and emotional message directly from the heart.

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Republican National Convention links

Mike Miller at RedState posted the roster of speakers for the RNC this week.  Click here.

Sundance at Conservative Treehouse has posted resource & streaming links for the convention starting  today.  Click here.

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THANK YOU Cleveland Police Dept. and partners!!!

During the RNC this week, Cleveland has been crawling with paid protesters hoping to disrupt proceedings, but such efforts have been thus far mostly unsuccessful. Prior to RNC week, and having attended two meetings with presentations from law enforcement, Secret Service, and FBI, I was concerned that Cleveland was still vulnerable. This blog post is to say that no matter what happens tomorrow, Clevelanders owe an enormous thank you to the planning and preparations by Cleveland Police Dept. and its law enforcement partners.

Cleveland Tea Party’s roving photographer, Pat Dooley, took photographs today of many of the LEOs, and spoke for all of us when he thanked them for their service and efforts to keep us safe. You’ll see photographs of local and visiting police, mounted police, highway patrols, and others from Ohio State University, Cleveland Clinic, California, South Carolina, Pittsburgh, Austin TX, Florida, Georgia, Ohio National Guard, and many others. (scroll down for photographs or visit the entire album here.

THANK YOU Cleveland Police Dept. and partners!!!

UPDATE at 8:30pm: Geraldo is on O’Reilly at Fox giving credit to Gov. John Kasich for the successful security plans and measures in Cleveland. Whaaaaa  huuuhhhh??? Kasich had NOTHING to do with this! Kasich couldn’t even see his way clear to come to The Q to welcome the delegates to the Convention on Monday in his own state. It’s the Cleveland Police Dept. and FBI and Secret Service and law enforcement partners that deserve our gratitude.

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Republican National Committee: Cleveland prepares (more photos)

More photographs by Pat J. Dooley Photography of barricades, equipped policemen, National Guard troops, speaker areas, media, hizzoner the Mayor and Valarie McCall (who chaired the meetings for those who work and live in the Event Zone) on E. 4th St., automobile security checkpoints, CPD bike patrols, and the GOP elephant mascot in front of the Marriott, where the delegates from Texas are staying.  

Click here for the rest of Pat Dooley's Sunday photo album.

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Gov. John Kasich: Conduct Unbecoming

photo credit: wsj.com

Meanwhile, the Daily Caller reports that Ohio Governor John Kasich is so terribly busy that he cannot personally welcome the Republican National Convention into his own state. Bad form and conduct unbecoming.  

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Republican National Convention: Cleveland prepares

More photos of traffic control barricades going up, safety vehicles and personnel on the streets of downtown Cleveland. And surveillance helicopters. Photo credits: Pat J. Dooley Photography.

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Cleveland Prepares for the RNC: photos

                                                From photo album: RNC 2016 Friday before

Cleveland Tea Party's roving photographer, Pat J. Dooley, took a reconnaissance tour around downtown Cleveland today to check out preparations for the Republican National Convention that officially commences on Monday. You'll see crowd control barriers going up along the streets and in front of the Hilton Hotel, temporary cafes going up near The Q, various eateries on or near East Fourth Street that are now temporary headquarters for CNN, MSNBC, and other media, law enforcement presence on East Fourth St., and lots more.

The photo album "RNC 2016 Friday before" is here.

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RNC security update

photo credit: stories.avvo.com

 At the Downtown Cleveland Resident’s RNC Impact Meeting earlier this evening, many specific questions that required specific answers instead elicited general statements intended to reassure those living and working in the downtown area during convention week. One question concerned the report that members of the New Black Panther party will be protesting in Cleveland this week and will be open-carrying firearms. True? True. 

Ohio law allows NBP members who are domiciled in Ohio to open carry. Those from out-of-state cannot. Doesn’t this pose a risk? The strategy: If you see something, say something. There will be policemen everywhere. So that’s it? Some of us wanted more specifics, especially about contingency plans when violence erupts.

As planned, I asked whether they were going to call out the National Guard. The exchange of expressions between the guy from the FBI and the Secret Service guy was telling, as though they had hoped that direct question would not be asked. The Secret Service agent fielded the question by saying that some of the plans that law enforcement has in place will remain confidential. The Ohio National Guard is listed as a partner on the RNC Cleveland website, and I took that non-answer as a yes.

My impression is that all these agencies are walking a fine line between disclosing their security plans sufficiently to reassure Clevelanders, but not so sufficiently as to give anarchists and others intent on disruption and violence, information which they will immediately take on board, the better to execute whatever violent plans they are working on.

On the way back from the meeting, we passed a lot of black SUVs with out-of-state plates, some with FBI dashboard id's, and lots of pallets on the sidewalks with barrier equipment. Going up soon. I also stopped a Cleveland Policeman on the sidewalk, thanked him for serving, and shook his hand. If I am worried about how the next week will go, how must he and his fellow officers feel?

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UPDATE Jul-13: Tina commented (see below), and I found a link to a site called DC Clothesline containing the information. Oath Keepers picked up the report here.  

After Dallas: More security needed during RNC week

photo credit: pinterest.com

The Dallas shootings were horrific. How many citizens are aware that the murders of 5 cops were in part fueled by a false narrative of the Minnesota shooting that was promoted in the media. The misreporting of those circumstances  amounts to yet another instance of media malpractice.  The media has blood on its hands. 

And now there is more bad news from St. Paul (Black Lives Matter violence) and San Antonio (police under attack). What are the prospects for a violence-free RNC week in Cleveland? Not looking good.

On June 30, the convention committee published a news release that lists the various law enforcement and public safety agencies working on the RNC week. The good news: I am relieved to see that among the participating partners is The Ohio National Guard. I did not see any out-of-state National Guard units on the list, so that remains a question. Nor did I see that Mayor Jackson requested that Gov. Kasich actually activate the Ohio National Guard so they can be in place if/when needed. No good if it takes over 24 hours after the rioting begins to transport and put them where they were needed.

Thus far, I can find no report that the Ohio National Guard has been activated in advance. There is ample precedence for activating National Guard troops in advance for emergency preparations (e.g., here and here). It's my question for Tuesday's meeting at the Convention Center with, among others, CPD.

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Can federal agencies protect Cleveland?

photo credit: cleveland.com

Security and safety measures for downtown Cleveland during the Republican National Convention are planned and implemented by local, state, and federal agencies. Personnel from Cleveland Police Dept., Cleveland Fire Dept., Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Dept., state troopers from Michigan and Wisconsin, etc, are working with the Secret Service, the FBI, and FEMA, among other agencies. (Background reports are here and here.)

Just how effective are the federal agencies? Mr. Instapundit, Glenn Reynolds, published a few sobering thoughts in his USA article “FBI's reputation crumbles with Clinton email fumble.” An excerpt:

the FBI is just one of many federal agencies whose reputation for professionalism has taken a hit during the Obama years. The IRS, complicit in targeting Tea Party groups for their political views, is one. The Secret Service, which has figured in numerous sexual scandals and failures to protect, is another. And, in fact, the notion of a “non-partisan” and competent civil service has taken quite a knock, as one agency after another has seemed ready, willing and able to be compromised by politics.

Politicians have a short-term focus, seldom looking past the next election. But for those of us with a longer view, this is a serious problem. As The Atlantic recently noted, trust in government is collapsing around the world. The reason for this, I’m afraid, is that government isn’t trustworthy. 

I will be going to the meeting next week at Cleveland Public Auditorium to hear the updates from law enforcement and other personnel. My list of questions already includes: does CPD intend to deputize, say, any Oath Keepers? Has there been any communication with the Ohio National Guard? Is Gov. Kasich prepared to activate the compact to request National Guard troops from other states?

Am I overly concerned? Well, I was living in Cleveland during the race riots of 1968 and passed armed National Guard troops in jeeps or on foot on just about every street corner heading into downtown. I remember feeling safer because of their presence. Maybe I am overly worried about everyone’s safety during RNC week, but some of the reports and the list of organizations sending in paid protesters make me think that, to paraphrase Miss Piggy, too much preparation is never enough.

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Democrat Party budgets $800,000 to Disrupt RNC

photo from the San Jose Trump rally egg-throwing via YouTube

Jim Hoft at Gateway Pundit reports on the rent-a-mobs and paid activists’ plans to disrupt the upcoming Republican National Committee at Cleveland’s Quicken Arena, and they will be getting an early start. The protesters will start setting up operations next week on July 11. Hoft’s report reproduces a budget (click here) prepared by the Democrat Party that was hacked by Guccifer, and line items include a “wrapped bus for Bus Tour and Mobile Visibility” and billboards; they are obviously going for maximum media coverage in addition to attempts to interfere with the actual convention proceedings, meetings, etc. Hoft links to The Smoking Gun report with specific plans:

A copy of the plan was obtained by the hacker “Guccifer 2.0,” who breached party servers and made off with DNC financial records, e-mails, research reports, and other documents. In e-mails to TSG, “Guccifer 2.0” has claimed to be a Romanian “hacktivist,” though security researchers who have examined the DNC breach have said that the infiltration appears to be the work of a Russian espionage unit.

The DNC plan notes that the party’s efforts in Cleveland will cost in excess of $800,000. In addition to 16 staffers on the ground, the party will have numerous surrogates available for media interviews and an RV to “serve as a mobile billboard” and green room. The plan was honed when the GOP field narrowed to Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, and John Kasich. Subsequent updates focused primarily on “gimmicks” to ridicule Trump.

. . .

DNC officials also plan to “infiltrate friendly union hotels and properties around the convention that Republicans will be patronizing to distribute ‘care’ packages” to those who will be sickened by Trump’s nomination.

. . .

The production of an eight-page “Trump Tabloid” designed to look like the New York Post. The paper--“ideal for dumping oppo” research on the developer--would include a Trump-penned advice column entitled “How to Talk to Women.”

. . .

Producing milk cartons with the photos of the many GOP leaders who are skipping the convention.

Just harmless pranks and publicity stunts?  Cleveland Police Department and Secret Service personnel in Cleveland have been training to contain riots, prevent vandalism, assault, and other fine behavior we’ve seen at Trump rallies -- all committed by anti-Trumpers and paid protesters. I doubt that the DNC is budgeting at least $800,000 just to pull some Halloween pranks.

For another report on what can go wrong, see the report on Radical Democrats Target RNC Convention With Planned Riots, Cleveland Unprepared posted by NavyJack at Ammoland here.

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Safety at the RNC in Cleveland

photo credit: cleveland.com

The Republican National Convention convenes next month. Do you think downtown Cleveland will be safe? Last month, Cleveland.com reported on the Cleveland Police Dept.'s and Safety Director's plans for the July event. But it's not just about crowd control and preventing damage and violence by the expected rent-a-mobs. Mark Tapscott at Daily Caller reports on “Five Ways Political Correctness Kills Americans.” It is scary. And Clevelanders should be concerned for their safety during the RNC in July:

Political correctness in the federal government protected radical Islamic terrorist Omar Mateen in at least five ways during the months leading up to his deadly assault on a gay nightclub in Orlando, according to a national security expert.

“The fact is that the FBI did recognize Omar Mateen, twice in fact, but as a matter of official policy under the Obama administration’s politically correct ‘countering violent extremism’ policies, the institutional rules of our national security agencies as a matter of intentional design ensure that investigative clues are obscured,” Patrick Poole told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Poole is co-founder of Unconstrained Analytics, non-profit group dedicated to analyzing “evidence unconstrained by preconceptions and biases” concerning international terrorism. He has been a guest lecturer on counter-terrorism issues at the U.S. Army War College and a speaker at the Army Provost Marshal’s annual Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection conference.

PC blinds homeland defenders: Among the most controversial of the five factors Poole cited was a 2011 decision by FBI officials to remove from its counter-terrorism training materials references to all terms found objectionable by a team of Muslim experts retained by the Department of Justice. Despite congressional protests, the material was never restored.

As a result, “violent extremist” effectively became the official federal designation for individuals like Mateen, San Bernadino attackers Tashfeen Malik and Syed Rizwan Farook, Boston Marathon bombers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, and Fort Hood killer Nidal Malik Hasan, despite their shared devotion to radical Islamic movements, including ISIS and al Qaeda.

PC perverts religious tolerance: The FBI’s head-in-the-sand approach is also seen in a recently completed Department of Homeland Security report that directs federal officials there “not to use any language that might be ‘disrespectful’ to Muslims, including (but not limited to) the words ‘jihad,’ ‘sharia’ and ‘takfir.’” Poole said the policies recommended by the report are in effect throughout the federal government.

Among the federal agencies in DHS are the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Coast Guard and the Transportation Security Administration.

PC discourages witnesses. . .

PC gives cover to terrorist allies . . .

PC hamstrings Congress. . . .

Much more from Tapscott here.

Michelle Malkin outlines the terrifying context in which the Orlando terror attack took place in her column here.

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Republican Convention in Cleveland: Bikers and Truckers plan to roll in

photo credit: infostormer

From Reuters (and quoting Cleveland Tea Party’s Ralph King):

  

From bikers to truckers, pro-Trump groups plan forceful presence in Cleveland

BY NICK CAREY

When Chris Cox rolls into Cleveland in mid-July with other motorcycle-riding supporters of Donald Trump, he plans to celebrate the billionaire's coronation as the Republican presidential nominee. He also counts on joining protests if a battle over the nomination ensues.

"I'm anticipating we'll be doing a victory dance," said Cox, 47, a chainsaw artist and founder of Bikers for Trump, thousands of whom he estimates will hit the Ohio city for the July 18-21 Republican National Convention.

"But if the Republican Party tries to pull off any backroom deals and ignores the will of the people, our role will change."

Bikers For Trump is part of a diverse array of groups coordinating to hold thousands-strong protests and marches if the real-estate mogul is denied outright victory at the Republican Party’s nominating convention in Cleveland.

The risks of confrontation and violence surrounding Trump events were highlighted again on Thursday, when around 20 people were arrested following clashes between anti-Trump protesters and police outside a rally for the candidate in California. It was the worst outbreak of violence since Trump was forced to cancel a rally in Chicago in mid-March.

Anti-Trump protests are expected in Cleveland. In late March, the left-leaning National Lawyers Guild held a conference in the city to coordinate legal support to protesters in the event of mass arrests during demonstrations.

Leaders and members of the pro-Trump groups told Reuters their main goal is to mount a show of support for their candidate, who after a series of primary victories this week looks increasingly likely to clinch the nomination outright ahead of Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Ohio Governor John Kasich.

But if he falls short of the required 1,237 delegates, raising the risk he could lose out in a contested convention, they said they plan to do all they can to exert pressure on party leaders to prevent someone else getting the nomination.

Several Trump supporters suggested that tensions could escalate if the party was seen as trying to deny Trump the nomination despite his commanding lead in delegates won in primary contests.

"The plan either way is send a message to the Republican establishment to respect our votes," said Ralph King, a member of the Cleveland Tea Party. "If the party tries to parachute in a white knight to steal the nomination, it's not going to end well."

. . .

The Cleveland Division of Police also has a security plan in place as it does for all major events of this kind, a spokeswoman said in an email, without providing further details.

. . .

Pro-Trump groups planning a presence in Cleveland include some Tea Party-affiliated organizations, a new group called Stop The Steal led by Trump ally Roger Stone, Citizens for Trump, and the Truckers for Trump group.

King, a veteran of Tea Party rallies, is coordinating with other groups and local police to obtain permits for marches and protests during the convention, and to hold a major rally in downtown Cleveland that will then march on the convention site.

"STOP THE STEAL"

Read more here.

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