Day One of the RNC 7/18

    Today was the very first day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Today was also my first day volunteering with the Republican Party of Cuyahoga County (RPCC). My intial thoughts going into downtown were something spectacular. Upon driving downtown, my expectations rapidly changed. I was comparing what the RNC would be to what the Cleveland Caviler's 2016 NBA Championship parade was. I was expecting thousands of people and unattainable streets due to the overabundance of people. But, I was dead wrong. The streets were more clear at 4pm during convention week compared to the 4pm rush hour Cleveland normally has.
    Upon arriving to Gray's Armory for the RPCC event, I was eager and excited to get the night underway. As the night progressed, the party died slowly. There was no more then 30 people there at any given time, especially at their "big" event of the night, the ice cream social. I was somewhat shocked by the outcome by how little the party actually was. I must remember that it is only the first night and many people wouldn't go out and do things also because of the fact Donald Trump did not make his speech until around 8pm.
    While watching Melania Trump's speech, I couldn't help but feel like a child. Mrs.Trump said nothing more intelligent than something a second grader could comprehend. Melania was also very redundant. Saying things such as "ever since we met Donald has loved this country". I also found it very interesting that Melania had said "I have had a love for this country (United States) upon meeting Donald Trump". I find this very interesting since the United States is not her place of birth, but also the fact that Donald Trump and Melania had been together for 8 years prior to her getting legal citizenship in the United States. My biggest question is "How can you have a burning love and passion for somewhere you've never lived for extended periods of time"? According to the New York Times, Melania Trump's speech and Michelle Obama's 2008 speech were very similar. The New York Times shares a snippit of both Obama and Trump's speeches. “From a young age, my parents impressed on me the values that you work hard for what you want in life, that your word is your bond and you do what you say and keep your promise, that you treat people with respect. They taught and showed me values and morals in their daily lives. That is a lesson that I continue to pass along to our son. And we need to pass those lessons on to the many generations to follow. Because we want our children in this nation to know that the only limit to your achievements is the strength of your dreams and your willingness to work for them” (New York Times 2016). The bold lettered parts of the quote are word for word identical in both Melania Trump's speech tonight, and Michelle Obama's speech in 2008. I think in both speeches, these words are just too precise for this to have just been and cosmic coincidence.
    My final thoughts of the night reflected on Trump's grand entrance. "We are the champions" by Queen is playing while Trump slowly turns on a platform on the stage, as the lights gradually rise to present this man to the crowd of people. Again, being from Cleveland, I associated this with the CAVS considering that was the song of the city for the week. I found this coincidence to be humorously positive since 2016 is the year for Cleveland, Ohio.
    Although the party was not what I was expecting, I am hoping the following days of when the convention really starts moving along, there will be more to bask in. With the RNC in Cleveland, the city is buzzing, but right now, I feel it is at a light hum. I'm very excited to see what the days have to come.



Works Cited
Haberman, Maggie, Alan Rappeport, and Patrick Healy. "Melania Trump’s Speech Bears Striking Similarities to Michelle Obama’s in 2008." The New York Times. The New York Times, 19 July 2016. Web. 19 July 2016.