Politics & Government
Republican Convention: Roger Ailes-Fox News Breakup | A Baldwin for Trump | 'Last Chance' Cowboy
#RNCinCLE Blog, Day 2: Activist Cornel West on the outside supporting protesters | California delegation hit with norovirus, diarrhea
Roger Ailes on His Way Out at Fox News
Roger Ailes reportedly was given an Aug. 1 deadline by media baron Rupert Murdoch to leave Fox News. Ailes is the only CEO Fox has ever known, but a growing number of women have come forward alleging Ailes sexually harassed them. A 21st Century Fox investigation initiated by Murdoch reportedly has found some of the claims credible.
The news comes as Republicans are gathered in Cleveland, Ohio, for the four-day GOP convention. Murdoch reportedly wants the convention to end before Ailes departs the network. Word that Ailes could be on his way out for such horrible conduct is a shock to many delegates and guests at the convention. Bill Knowles of Georgia said if Ailes is guilty, he must go.
Find out what's happening in Clevelandfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"If he did something stupid, he needs to resign," Knowles told Patch on Tuesday. "Bottom line, he shouldn't be above the law like anybody else just because he's the CEO of a network."
» Read More: Roger Ailes Sex Claims and Possible Resignation from Fox News Stun GOP Convention Goers
Find out what's happening in Clevelandfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
A Baldwin Brother Touts Trump in Cleveland (No, Not Alec. One of the Other Ones)
Actor Stephen Baldwin, who did two turns on "The Apprentice" with Donald Trump, made the rounds on Media Row and the floor of the Republican Convention Tuesday to tout his buddy as presidential timber. He'll make a good president because he's not a politician, Baldwin told the Wall Street Journal's Shelby Holliday.
"I'm here because I think he's the right guy at this time, more so for anything else that he's not a politician," Baldwin, 50, said in one interview. He also defended Trump's wife Melania Trump and her speech.
He's one-fourth of the Baldwin Brothers. Which one is Stephen? He's the one whose name you don't really remember. (He was in the movie "Born of the Fourth of July" with Tom Cruise and Willem Dafoe. No, really. I didn't remember that, either. Baldwin said he's now producing a movie for the first time.)
Baldwin only added to the showbiz star power Trump promised for the convention, as Scott Baio, Kimberlin Brown and Antonio Sabato Jr. also made appearances. ;-)
Cornel West at the GOP Convention
Cornel West, the educator, activist and philosopher, was on the outside looking in at the Republican convention on Tuesday. Just outside the entrance to the arena, he was surrounded by reporters. He's been in the city all week, appearing at a benefit concert Sunday night for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. He's supporting Green Party candidate Jill Stein for president.
Later on Tuesday, as several protest groups merged into one massive crowd on Public Square, including Black Lives Matter, the situation between demonstrators and police grew tense. Police said no arrests were made. At one point, Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams was in the thick of the crowd and grabbed the arm of a man who was scuffling with someone else in the crowd.
West was there, too.
"They have a deep, deep hatred for injustice. The worst thing in our society today given our spiritual decline is greed and indifference," West told reporters. He also shared his views on Donald Trump. "He's a mediocre, narcissistic, dumbed-down, navel-gazing reality TV star."
Eric Andre Again
The Comedy Central comic looks stunning in a red, white and blue dress Tuesday night.
Donald Trump Jr. Gives Dad the Nod
Pennsylvania deferred and let New York go out of order, allowing Donald Trump Jr. as a New York delegate to cast the state's votes for his dad. Trump Jr., who works in the Trump Organization, is scheduled to speak tonight in prime time. He said his dad gave average Americans a voice in the election. Trump's candidacy has been a source of great irritation to the GOP establishment.
WATCH: New York, Donald Trump Jr puts @realDonaldTrump over the necessary number to clinch GOP nomination https://t.co/UMqULa7nJ2
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) July 19, 2016
The process unfolded without incident. Trump whips clustered around the states that had stronger anti-Trump sentiment within their delegate ranks to ward off any last-ditch efforts to thwart the nomination.
"Congratulations, Dad. We love you," Trump Jr. said from the floor as the nomination was secured. He was surrounded by other Trump siblings and Trump business associates.
New York, home to Hillary Clinton, where she served as a U.S. senator, is expected to break for the Democrats in the fall election, but Trump Jr. promised his dad would put New York into play.
The Finest Governor in the United States?
As each state and territory took its turn declaring electoral votes, the leader of the delegation touted something unique and amazing about their home. The declarations come with emotion and over-the-top declarations of fealty for the nominee, at times.
American Samoa, endearingly, cited its status as the leading exporter of professional football players. Idaho grows the best potatoes, if you didn't know.
Illinois GOP Chairman Tim Schneider, during his moment in front of the national TV cameras, did not cite the Land of Lincoln's status as America's largest producer of pumpkins. Nor did he praise the jibarito, a sandwich invented in Chicago. Nor did he acknowledge that Illinois is where the first Ferris wheel was built.
Instead, he touted Illinois as the home of "the finest governor in the United States of America in Bruce Rauner."
Rauner marked his first year in office without actually passing a state budget. His state is $8 billion in debt, and that debt is getting higher. Governing magazine last fall rated Rauner as one of the least effective governors in the nation. Rauner's 34 percent approval rating is one of the lowest in the country, too.
Rauner isn't at the convention. He decided to stay home. He also has not endorsed Trump.
After announcing Illinois as having 54 votes for Trump, nine votes for Ted Cruz and six votes for John Kasich, Schneider then fist pumped and bully-boy chanted, "TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP."
'Last Chance': Cowboy for Trump
Kraig Moss sings for Donald Trump. A single parent, Moss lost his only son two years ago to a heroin overdose. Moss believes Trump as president will be able to curtail the flow of heroin and drugs into this country. That's why he's been crisscrossing America on the Rob JR Moss Heroin Awareness tour to sing the praises of Trump.
That journey brought the Owego, New York, man to Cleveland for the convention. For the last few days, people have heard him mix his Trump originals with classics, including Hank Williams.
California Sick Days
Erie County officials confirmed Tuesday that 11 Californians (not delegates, but guests involved in planning convention activities) have come down with an ailment that could be norovirus, which causes vomiting and diarrhea.
The California delegation is staying at a resort about 90 minutes outside of Cleveland in Sandusky, Ohio, home to the Cedar Point Amusement Park. The group, totaling more than 500 in number, are staying at Kalahari, the largest water park in the United States.
Hmmm. Roller coasters and water park vs. a Dr. Ben Carson speech? Don't be surprised if more Golden Staters suddenly claim they're sick.
Communists Say 'America Was Never Great'
Tuesday morning, a small group of communists marched down East Fourth Street near the convention arena shouting, "overthrow the system." East Fourth Street is packed with onlookers, police, demonstrators and news media, including two very large MSNBC mobile studios.
The Revolutionary Community Party USA marchers held placards reading "America was never great" and posters with the photographs of black men killed by police. The marchers moved in orderly fashion down the alley past about a dozen Indiana State Troopers and two Akron Police officers brought to Cleveland to help with security and policing.
Thus far, violence of any sort, whether by anti-Trump and anti-GOP protesters or by gun-wielding loons, has yet to materialize.
5 Arrests as of Tuesday
Cleveland Police today said five people have been arrested in the first two days of the convention. On Tuesday morning, three people were arrested after climbing a flagpole at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to hang a banner. On Monday, one possibly mentally disturbed man was arrested and charged with petty theft after grabbing a State Trooper's gas mask. And an activist was arrested on Public Square after she registered to use the Speaker's Platform and police determined she had an outstanding arrest warrant.
Comedy Central Host Ambushes 'Orville Redenbacher'
In the spirit of his unpredictable show on Comedy Central, "The Eric Andre Show," Eric Andre was asking East Fourth Street partiers about the convention and hot-button topics. He called one gent "Orville Redenbacher." The man got angry. "What is this? Humor?" » Read More and Watch the Video
Queen Not Happy Trump Took Their Song
That dramatic intro Monday night in which Donald Trump was dramatically backlit as Queen's "We Are the Champions" rocked The Q arena? Well, no one in the Trump campaign or the RNC convention organizers asked the Hall of Fame rockers for permission.
» Learn More: Trump Campaign Ignored Sony Demand to Stop Using 'We Are the Champions'
"No time for losers, 'cause we are the champions" ... Freddie Mercury's lyrics stir the soul and raise the goosebumps. The crowd loved the moment. Tuesday morning, Queen tweeted:
An unauthorised use at the Republican Convention against our wishes - Queen
— Queen (@QueenWillRock) July 19, 2016
Worth noting: Under the GOP platform, Freddie Mercury could have been subjected to "homosexual conversion therapy," a practice banned in five states. Viewing his sexual identity as a disease, however, doesn't preclude conservative Republicans from enjoying his music.
Fun Facts: Today is Queen guitarist Brian May's 69th birthday. Queen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which is just a few blocks away from the Republican Convention, in 2001.
More Melania Trump Speech Fallout
Publicly, Republican leaders are saying there is no problem with the speech, the news media and Hillary Clinton are just stirring the pot because they hate Trump, and the similar use of words reflects similar sentiments about family. No one will be fired for the speech, either, the campaign says.
Chris Christie: "No way Melania Trump was plagiarizing Michelle Obama's speech. ... 93 percent of the speech was absolutely different than Michelle Obama's speech."
Paul Manafort, Trump campaign manager: "To think that she would do something like that knowing how scrutinized her speech was going to be last night is just really absurd."
Privately, the candidate is really upset.
CNN: Donald Trump is "furious" the embarrassment his wife has been subjected to because of the speech and how the first night of the convention was ruined, according to two sources.
» Read More: Melania Trump's Speech Cheat Exposed; Campaign's 'No Time for Losers' Moment Backfires
RNC, with Jokes
Jokesters are having fun with the embarrassing news: "Barack Obama is still the same man I fell in love with all those years ago." Read More: #FamousMelaniaTrumpQuotes
'Make America Work Again' Speakers
The theme for Day 2 of the Republican National Convention is "Make America Work Again," with a special focus on jobs, the economy, and Donald Trump's experience as a businessman and entrepreneur.
The formal nomination process begins as well.
Headline speakers include Donald Trump Jr., Dr. Ben Carson, Kimberlin Brown and U.S. Sen. Shelley Brown of West Virginia.
Primetime speakers will feature Dana White, president of Ultimate Fighting Championship; Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson; former U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey; New York businessman Andy Wist, founder of Standard Waterproofing; U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin; Chris Cox of the NRA; pro golfer Natalie Gulbis; U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan; New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie; Tiffany Trump; and Trump Winery General Manager Kerry Woolard.
Day 1 Coverage
Melania Trump's Speech Cheat Exposed and Campaign's 'No Time for Losers' Moment Backfires
Benghazi Mom Rages at Hillary Clinton on GOP Convention's Opening Night
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