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TOPLINE
With the Democratic National Convention underway, Republicans have begun to unveil plans for their own event next week, including a divisive speaker list featuring the St. Louis couple who pointed guns at Black Lives Matter protesters earlier this summer and anti-abortion activist Abby Johnson.
Trump accepts the nomination at the 2016 Republican National Convention.
Getty Images
KEY FACTS
Patricia and Mark McCloskey, the St. Louis homeowners who gained national attention for wielding guns at protesters marching through their private neighborhood, were announced as speakers at the Republican National Convention on Monday, as the Democrats kicked off their first night with headliners Michelle Obama, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
President Trump has repeatedly defended the couple, who was later charged with a class E felony for unlawful use of a weapon, siding with those who thought the McCloskeys had a right to defend their private property with arms.
Also speaking at the RNC is Covington Catholic High School graduate Nicholas Sandmann, who recently settled with multiple news organizations over a 2019 viral video in which the MAGA-clad teen was accused of being disrespectful to Omaha tribe elder Nathan Phillips—but later footage showed Sandmann and his classmates were themselves being taunted by another group.
Former Planned Parenthood clinic director turned anti-abortion activist Abby Johnson and Andrew Pollack, the father of Parkland shooting victim Meadow Pollack, will also deliver speeches during the four-day event.
What To Watch For
The RNC runs from Monday, August 24 through August 27. The overall theme for the week will be “Honoring the Great American Story,” with each day boasting its own tagline: “Land of Promise,” “Land of Opportunity,” “Land of Heroes” and “Land of Greatness.”
Key Background
The president is expected to accept the nomination from the White House, drawing concerns over a possible ethics violation, while a group of approximately 300 Republican delegates will gather in-person in Charlotte, North Carolina. After initially fighting to hold an in-person convention in Charlotte and then Jacksonville, Florida, Trump canceled the plan in June due to coronavirus risks. Vice President Mike Pence will speak from Fort McHenry in Maryland.
Further Reading
“Bernie Sanders, John Kasich To Pitch Biden To Non-Democrats In DNC Speeches” (Forbes)
“Donald Trump In The Crosshairs On First Night Of Democratic Convention” (Forbes)
“All The Republicans Who Have Endorsed Joe Biden For President” (Forbes)
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