Final push to block Trump fails

Cleveland, July 19 

The Republican National Convention briefly erupted in chaos on Monday when opponents of presumptive US presidential nominee Donald Trump stormed out of the room and others chanted in a failed attempt to force a vote opposing his candidacy.

The turmoil threatened efforts by the Trump campaign to show the party had united behind the businessman-turned-politician and distracted from the day’s theme of “Make America Safe Again,” meant to depict Trump as a strong leader capable of shielding the country from violence.

The anti-Trump forces interrupted the proceedings earlier in the day, seeking to change the party’s nominating rules to allow delegates to support alternative Republican candidates over Trump.

Party leaders held a voice vote, then declared the opponents lacked enough support, triggering pandemonium on the floor of the Cleveland basketball arena where Trump is due to be formally nominated this week for the November 8 election.

Many delegates began chanting: “Roll Call. Roll Call,” effectively calling for a lengthy process that would allow every state to weigh in. Some, including the Colorado delegation, walked off the convention floor saying they had to assess their next steps. “This entire system is rigged to force the vote for Donald Trump,” said Kendal Unruh, one of the Colorado delegates. Ken Cuccinelli, a delegate from Virginia who also favored a roll-call vote, called the situation “appalling”. “This is the party of law and order. ... If you won’t obey your own rules there is no reason to think you’ll obey any others,” Cuccinelli, the state’s former attorney general, told MSNBC. Trump’s son and adviser, Donald Trump Jr., threatened the leaders of the attempted revolt, saying: “Your careers are finished” in a message posted on Twitter.

The chaos during the convention highlighted the divisions within the Republican Party as it struggles to unify behind Trump in the run-up to the November election against Democrat Hillary Clinton. Trump, who made a brief appearance was cheered by thousands of Republican members.

He said he and the party would win “big” in the November general elections. He introduced his wife Melania Trump, who delivered an address to the convention.

A women in the audience raised banner and shouted anti-Trump slogan less than an hour before Melania was to address the delegates. Melania presented Trump as softer and gentler than the man known by the public.

“I can tell you with certainty that my husband has been concerned about our country for as long as I have known him. With all of my heart, I know that he will make a great and lasting difference,” Melania told thousands of cheering Republican members and party leaders.

“Donald has a great and deep and unbounding determination and a never-give-up attitude. I have seen him fight for years to get a project done or even started, and he does not give up. If you want someone to fight for you and your country, I can assure you he’s the guy,” she said amidst applause on the first day of the convention.

In an unconventional move, Trump himself appeared on the first day of the convention and made very brief introductory remarks for his spouse. The Trump couple later returned to New York.

John Green Director, Ray C Bliss Institute of Applied Politics, The University of Akron said it is “unusual” for the nominee to appear on the first day of the Convention. — Agencies