Next up: our own man VOA National correspondent Jim Malone.
He's been to nearly all presidential conventions since 1992. Here are some of his unique thoughts fresh from his reporter's notebook:
On the first day in Cleveland, this already has a different feel from any Republican convention I've ever attended. Never has this party seemed so fractured and unsure about its impending nominee.
At a scenic overlook of Cleveland just south of downtown, several Ohio delegates stopped to take pictures. It was immediately clear they weren't Trump fans. “Looking forward to the convention?” I asked. “Well, I hope the week goes well,” said one, “but I'm not sure. Not really sure about Trump.” When I pressed them if the party could come together this week behind Trump, I got a very noncommittal, “We'll see.” -- and off they went headed for the convention center downtown.
It was a different story outside Quicken Loans Arena, known locally here as the “Q.” I ran into Lou Murray from Massachusetts, a big Trump supporter who has no qualms about supporting the New York billionaire. “I'm excited”, Murray said. Then he ran off to find a local Boston talk show host who is a huge Trump backer.
Security is extremely tight down near the convention hall. To get to a parking lot near the arena, we went through a Secret Service check that included a bomb-sniffing dog. Then while going through the regular security line, everything was temporarily shut down when I overheard one of the agents say that one of the dogs “got a hit on something.” After a delay, the line resumed.
Ahead in line was Senator Susan Collins of Maine, one of the Trump doubters who nevertheless came to Cleveland. “But only for two days,” she hastened to add when pressed if she was changing her mind about supporting Trump. Many more luminaries are staying home including former Presidents Bush, Mitt Romney and John McCain.
In front of the “Q,” Texas delegates walked toward a group picture. As they passed an Ohio State trooper, they fist-bumped. Support for the police is very high here among the Republican delegates and they seem eager to show support. As for Trump, one of the Texas delegates said he was not enthusiastic about the nominee-in-waiting but would support him anyhow. “Just look at the alternative,” he said, referring to Hillary Clinton. That is a common refrain here. Republican delegates may disagree about supporting Trump but there is no question about the one person who brings them together—Hillary Clinton.
In Cleveland, it's legal for residents to carry guns in public (with a legal permit, of course), like Jesse Gonzales (from Lakewood, Ohio) does:
Protest zones at the convention site:
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