This archive report was first published on 23 August 2020.
Published on August 23, 2020, the Republican National Convention is taking place at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, a neo-Classical event space. Despite current regulations in Washington prohibiting gatherings of more than 50 people, Republican aides have hired 'Covid experts' to determine how many onlookers can enter the auditorium and what audience participation could look like.
The convention's lineup is heavy on the president's relatives and White House staff members, including Dan Scavino, Mr. Trump's former caddy who is now deputy chief of staff for communications, and Larry Kudlow, the national economic adviser. Rudolph W. Giuliani, the president's personal lawyer, will also speak.
Other notable speakers include Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the Missouri couple who toted weapons at Black protesters and have since become right-wing media stars, and Nicholas Sandmann, the Kentucky teenager who sued news outlets over coverage of his encounter last year with a Native American protester in Washington.
Each night's events are expected to begin at 8:30 p.m., a half-hour earlier than the Democrats. A 'Democrats For Trump' segment is planned, though the participants remain a closely guarded secret.
Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the sole Black Republican in the Senate, will speak, along with two future potential presidential candidates: Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Nikki Haley, the former ambassador to the United Nations.
According to Kellyanne Conway, Mr. Trump's counselor, the convention aims to improve on the 'dour and sour mood' of the Democratic National Convention. 'We definitely want to improve on the dour and sour mood of the D.N.C.,' she said.
