Republicans attempted to reclaim the narrative on the second day of the Republican convention, after the stumbles of the first night dragged into Tuesday afternoon. Here are some top takeaways from Day Two:
Over the Waterfall
As unlikely as it seemed a year ago, the Republican Party on Tuesday night officially cast its lot with Donald Trump, selecting him as the party's presidential nominee. No more "presumptive"; this is now the guy.
It is clear there is still a sizable slice of the party that is unhappy about this. On Monday afternoon, anti-Trump delegates shouted from the floor in a futile attempt to win the right to cast their votes for somebody else. Top GOP candidates in close House and Senate races stayed away from the convention in droves. Even home-state Gov. John Kasich chose not to come into the hall to celebrate his party's standard-bearer.
But that is now reduced to grousing. Donald Trump is the Republican presidential nominee, and there is no longer anything anyone can do about that.
Order has been restored
While much of the Trump convention — like so much of the Trump campaign — has been rowdy and unorthodox, the roll call was smooth and predictable. The only hiccup was a complaint from the Alaska delegation after they announced a vote of 12 for Cruz, 11 for Trump and 5 for Rubio but they were recorded as 28 for Trump. The session recessed until Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus took the podium to explain that Alaska rules required Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio votes to be allocated to Trump after the other two dropped out of the race.
The orderly proceeding was an important achievement after Day One of the convention made a mess of the message. First there was the floor fight. Then Trump called in to Fox News and conducted an interview while the mother of a dead soldier was on stage telling the tearful tale of her son's death, and why it was Hillary Clinton's fault. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, a rising star in the party, was relegated to a speaking slot late in the evening after the TV networks had tuned out and most of the delegates had fled the hall. Twitter sleuths figured out that portions of Melania Trump's speech were purloined from a Michelle Obama convention speech, creating a daylong explosion of news coverage Tuesday that completely buried the convention's themes.
The second night needed to reclaim the agenda.
The roll call also gave the Trump family the moment of a lifetime: son Donald Trump Jr. delivered the votes of the family's home-state New York delegation that sealed the nomination for his father. "Congratulations Dad," he said. "We love you!"
It was a touching reminder that Trump's campaign has all along been a family affair.
Trump kids give one-two punch
It's no secret that a number of prominent Republicans weren't exactly lining up to speak on Trump's behalf in Cleveland. But while he may not have a former president to vouch for him, he could count on his children — and Tuesday night, they made a fairly compelling case.
First, there was Tiffany Trump, his daughter with second wife Marla Maples, who offered a softer side of her father, calling him someone who helps his kids "find our own way and our own gifts.”
Then, Donald Trump Jr. delivered a forceful case for his father and against Hillary Clinton, saying she'd be the first White House occupant "who couldn’t pass a basic background check.”
By electing his father, Trump Jr. argued, “We’ll have made America great again — greater than ever before.”
On balance, it was an effective way to personalize and soften Trump, delivered by messengers who know him best.
Christie continues his VP audition
2016 hasn't been kind to Chris Christie. It's been so bad that you'd have a hard time deciding which was his greatest indignity. Was it his 7% support and sixth-place finish in the New Hampshire primary in February? Was it becoming a social media meme as he stood behind Trump on Super Tuesday? Or was it being passed over as Trump's running mate — a role he openly coveted — for Mike Pence, who'd endorsed Trump's rival, Ted Cruz, before the Indiana primary?
Take your pick, but Christie showed no signs of feeling demoralized Tuesday night, as the former prosecutor laid out the case against Hillary Clinton on everything from the Iran deal to emails. It was the kind of red-meat speech that delegates love, so much so that at various times the delegates chanted "lock her up."
It was also the kind of address you might expect to hear from a running mate, both at the convention and on the campaign trail, which might have been exactly what Christie was thinking.
All Trump, all the time
Perhaps for future conventions they'll call it the "Full Trump." The nominee appeared in person at the Quicken Loans Arena on Monday night. He appeared again Tuesday via video and indicated he'd see delegates Wednesday as well. Obviously he'll appear on stage Thursday to deliver his acceptance speech.
So, assuming he does in fact make some sort of appearance Wednesday, that would make it four convention nights, four Trump appearances — the "Full Trump," if you will.
Suffice it to say, that's not par for the course. Nominees do on occasion make cameos before their big night. President Obama, for instance, joined former president Bill Clinton on stage at the 2012 Democratic convention in Charlotte.
But all four days? That's one of many reasons the Donald Trump candidacy is one of a kind.
