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USA TODAY's Susan Page sets up the week ahead at the Republican National Convention. USA TODAY
CLEVELAND —<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Welcome to Day One of the Republican National Convention, kicking off a week in which<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the Grand Old Party is expected to nominate one of the most unusual candidates for president, perhaps ever.
Despite the efforts of the #NeverTrump movement, including an unsuccessful push just days ago to change convention rules so delegates could vote for someone else, Republicans are poised to nominate Donald Trump.
The<span style="color: Red;">*</span>New<span style="color: Red;">*</span>York real estate developer and reality television star has promised to put “showbiz” into the convention, “otherwise people are going to fall asleep.”
[h=2]Keep up moment-by-moment with a livestream of the speakers[/h][h=2]Making conventions exciting again?[/h]The event kicked off right on time at 1 p.m. Monday with a moment of silence for<span style="color: Red;">*</span>police officers who lost their lives in Baton Rouge, La.; Dallas, "and elsewhere," along the traditional openings (Pledge of Allegiance, National Anthem and an introduction), and a band played a cover of<span style="color: Red;">*</span>The Turtles' "Happy Together."
Monday’s Theme is “Make America Safe Again,” and the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>primetime lineup<span style="color: Red;">*</span>does feature some atypical speakers for a political convention.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Slated for primetime speaking slots Monday<span style="color: Red;">*</span>are soap opera actor and model Anthony Sabato Jr., of The Bold and The Beautiful and General Hospital, and Scott Baio, known for his role as Chachi on Happy Days.
The evening’s schedule also features survivors of the attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi as well as immigration activists whose relatives were killed by immigrants living in the United States illegally.
Rounding out the program will be former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and retired<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency.
Monday will also be when Trump’s wife, Melania, addresses the convention — it turns out the nominee-in-waiting will be there to introduce her.
[h=4]Posted![/h]A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.
[h=2]Back up, and remind me what this convention is all about[/h]This is essentially a four-day-long celebration on behalf of the party where the nominee becomes official and people get together and decide what they want to stand for going into the election. Last week, the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>platform committee met and decided on an extremely conservative platform<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(which is interesting, considering Trump is actually more central on some of the issues), and this week there will be a vote to adopt it.
While Trump is likely to be the nominee,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>it isn’t until delegates cast their official votes during roll call that he becomes the Republican Party’s standard-bearer. The delegates have been selected during their state’s primaries and caucuses, and most of them are pledged to a specific candidate based on the way their state voted. (There are some unpledged delegates who can vote the way they choose;<span style="color: Red;">*</span>click here for a guide to all the convention terminology.)
[h=2]About that safe thing …[/h]The fatal shooting of police officers Sunday in Baton Rouge, La., led Trump to call the country a “divided crime scene” and bash President Obama, saying he “doesn’t have a clue.” The fallout promises to cast a pall over the opening days of the Republican convention.
Alarmed by the succession of police shootings, the Cleveland Police union asked Ohio Gov. John Kasich to suspend the state’s law allowing people to openly carry firearms during the convention, saying it would make securing the event “much more difficult.”
"Somebody's got to do something," union President Steve Loomis said. "What we have now is completely irresponsible."
But Kasich spokeswoman Emmalee Kalmbach said he does not have the power to arbitrarily suspend federal and state constitutional rights or state laws.
Authorities, meanwhile, have banned such items as aerosol spray, tennis balls and umbrellas in the event zone during the convention.
USA TODAY
Tennis balls, coolers, lasers: What's been banned at the RNC
[h=2]Kasich: The mysterious man[/h]Speaking of the Ohio governor, he’s playing coy with his plans. Kasich is flirting with the convention — he’s attending a bunch of events with convention goers and will be around Cleveland —<span style="color: Red;">*</span>but he may not actually engage.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>A spokesman for his team told The Cincinnati Enquirer that “he is very unlikely to go into the convention hall or speak.”
[h=2]Thou dost protest …[/h]Thousands of protesters are expected to descend on the city with marches and speeches planned from morning through night Monday. Among the groups with public speaking slots are the Imperial Women’s Coalition, which is protesting violence against women, Black on Black Crime Inc, an anti-violence group.
Area businesses are worried about possible disruptions, but they are also looking forward to the extra customers. Some are extending their hours or creating catchy signature dishes to attract convention-goers.
Then, of course, there are the strip clubs. The Daily Beast spoke to Jeff Kallam, general manager at the Crazy Horse Cleveland strip club:
“It’s all hands on deck — we’ve cancelled all vacations, ordered in extra stock of alcohol, food, everything … Republicans love strippers, so we’re just hoping to make some money.”Well, OK then.
[h=4]Posted![/h]A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.
[h=2]States that voted for Trump are at the equivalent of the cool kids' table[/h]The seating chart is out, and if your state voted for Trump,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>you’re in a better position (literally) than those who didn't. Many of the states that backed<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Ted Cruz<span style="color: Red;">*</span>—Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Idaho, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming — are away from the front. And just because Ohio is hosting doesn’t mean the state’s delegation has a good spot. Ohioans cast their ballots for home-state Gov. Kasich in the primary (and he had so.much.confetti when he won), and they’re paying for it by being cast off to the side.
[h=2]Who will be watching from home?[/h]While 50,000 people are expected to attend the convention, there will be some notable names missing. The last two Republican nominees, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and Arizona Sen. John McCain, both said they can’t make it. Romney really, really doesn’t like Trump, so he’s skipping on principle, and McCain said he needs to campaign for re-election back home.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Former presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush and former Florida governor<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Jeb Bush also are all sitting this one out. They’re not big fans of Trump either.
[h=2]More USA TODAY convention coverage:[/h]USA TODAY
Unpredictability could help Trump make conventions great again
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In a volatile year, GOP convention isn’t just about Trump
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Trump Nation: Supporters see themselves in Republican nominee
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Tennis balls, coolers, lasers: What's been banned at the RNC
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