On a day when Fox News chairman and chief executive Roger Ailes resigned after 20 years, there is still one more major story yet to unfold: the speech by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, whose address will mark the high point of the Republican National Convention.
We have yet to see text of Trump’s remarks, but we do have this, from CNN:
“Crooked Hillary,” the wall, AND MORE! So buckle up, America, this is going to be good. The New York Times reports Trump will describe himself as the champion of the “forgotten.” [Some sites have posted what they describe as leaked copies of the remarks Trump will give after tonight.]
Whatever he says, the crowd seems ready:
The #RNCinCLE dance party has also officially begun 🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/gcHSfegSFE
— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) July 21, 2016
Balloons ready to go at the Q pic.twitter.com/MnWlMqePn0
— Benjy Sarlin (@BenjySarlin) July 21, 2016
8:10 p.m. ET: All Lives Matter Pastor Mark Burns fires up the Cleveland crowd, shouting his way through a very passionate speech to the delegates, and getting them chanting “all lives matter.” He also broke–it seemed–into a full body sweat. On MSNBC, Brian Williams said it was an example of one of the rare speeches when the speaker need “to take a shower” afterwards.
.@PastorMarkBurns: Under @realDonaldTrump "all lives matter!" https://t.co/hECQavik1P https://t.co/cHJsP5K2DY
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 22, 2016
Still ahead: the nominee’s daughter, Ivanka Trump.
8:30 p.m. ET: Larry the Cable Guy Rep. Marsha Blackburn may have confused some with a line in her speech that began, “as Larry the Cable Guy would say…”
9:00 p.m. ET: Never Trump Never Happened As the anticipation for Trump’s speech builds, Fox News Channel’s Megyn Kelly notes talk of a protest on the floor, or effort to grab the nomination away from Trump just never happened. “The Never Trumpers have ultimately failed to stop the businessman’s campaign.”
9:20 p.m. ET: History Peter Thiel, the founder of Pay Pal, made his own bit of history by taking the stage at the GOP convention and announcing “I’m proud to be gay.” The crowd, many of whom supported a party platform criticized as profoundly anti-gay, stood and cheered.
This was truly, truly stunning to witness https://t.co/ZKHoKQXiqy
— Jose A. DelReal (@jdelreal) July 22, 2016
10:00 p.m. ET: When My Father Says He Will Make America Great Again, He Will Deliver Trump’s daughter, introducing her father, described him as “the person to make America great again…My father has… the kindness and compassion that will enable him to be the leader this country needs.”
10:19 p.m. Trump’s Speech “Who would’ve believed when we started this journey…would have received almost 14 million votes,” Trump began, standing before a graphic of dozens of American flags–and behind a new, black and gold lectern.
“My message is that things have to change, and they have to change right now,” Trump said, attacking Hillary Clinton repeatedly. “This is the legacy of Hillary Clinton: death, destruction, terrorism and weakness.”
This is unlike any acceptance speech I've ever seen. Not a single grace note or touch of humor or self-deprecation.
— Jeff Greenfield (@greenfield64) July 22, 2016
.@realDonaldTrump: "We don't want them in our country" pic.twitter.com/7lIZXSNXlY
— POLITICO (@politico) July 22, 2016