” Republican National Convention, Day 1 – ‘ Way to go ! High Five !’ ” – August 24, 2020.

          Amidst the general sense of great curiosity and the thick air of expectations, both within the party and its base, the Republican National Convention kicked off tonight in great style.

          That the First Day tried to strike a right balance between proving inclusivity to spreading the message of American values and beliefs was clear.

           That  President Donald Trump, has so far, managed to outmanoevre and outsmart his rivals and critics was also clear. As impressive as it can be at this moment  ,  final  judgement  can, however,  be drawn  only  at the end of the 4th Day and chiefly by the American citizens.

          There were coups de maitre full of the session tonight. I pick the following as significant delivering good news with clear messages of the nation’s importance :

          1.  To open the Convention night with a video full of American Promise, and Heroes plus speeches by three sets of individuals – (Charlie Kirk, Founder, Turning  Point, America and 26 year old Student Leader;  Rebecca Friedrichs, a School Choice Advocate, a school teacher for 28 years in CA ;  and  Tanya Weinreis, a Small Business Owner benefited from PPP loan ) was nothing a short of a dream act. Implying in that opening also hidden, probably, is the  “Mission”  of the  Republican Party in terms of  “Education, Schools, and Small Businesses “. Truly a great beginning.

          2.  Ronna McDaniel, Chairwoman, Republican National Committee, niece of Mitt Romney, talked about what is  ‘not nice’  with Joe Biden – referring to the likely tax increases if elected ;  jobs (oil and gas) out of industry ;  being soft on China ..  which are all counterproductive. Re-election of Donald Trump will mark the new Chapter in American History is her message.

          3.  A video highlighting the Promises Kept and Delivered was a fine creation emphasizing the Land of Promise that America stands for and was thoughtful to elevate the mood of viewers.

          4.  Speech by Amy Ford, a registered nurse;  a Video on Coronavirus actions ( with the key message of Safe, Stronger, and Greater than ever);  and a Speech from Dr GE Ghali, Louisiana surgeon, glowingly propagating that “regulatory responses”  are more important ;  testing, diagnosis, and vaccines going beyond some regulatory barriers ;  expanded access to convalescent plasma ;  Remdesivir authorisation –  constituted the swift choices by this Administration. The video portrayed in an excellent manner the sequence of events of the China Virus ;  travel bans imposed immediately; and the drugs and vaccines as measures of control ;  use of face masks and social distancing ;  lockdown  and other  actions. A telling Observation(s) and Argument(s) on the state of the Coronavirus pandemic and control by this Administration.

          5. President Donald Trump’s speech with frontline workers helped reinforce the actions, spontaneous and gradual, taken after the COVID-19 outbreak, valued and substantiated by the frontline workers. Aim here is to boost the confidence of the Citizens and to get the fear out of their minds.

          6.  Herschel Walker, former NFL player, speaking against national anthem protests by athletes and players ;  Vernon Jones, (D) Georgia State House Rep, the democrat supporting Donald Trump, in the strong belief that he supports free people with free minds ;  Andrew Pollack, (his daughter died in the Parkland shooting ) advocating strong school safety measures as Donald Trump envisages ;  Mark and Patricia McCloskey, St Louis, the homeowner who waved guns at Black Lives Matter protesters in front of their home, calling for strong home safety measures –  all make good cases for important plans and programs for the Party.

          7.  President Donald Trump’s second appearance tonight in the Diplomatic Room, White House, with people freed from various countries stressing his  ‘Concern’  for people must have made a big impact on the viewers.

Kimberley Guilfoyle, National Chairman, Trump Victory Finance Committee

          8.  Kimberly Guilfoyle, National Chair, Trump Victory Finance Committee, gave a forceful speech dwelling on the Inadequacies of Joe Biden visa vis the Strengths of Donald Trump in a manner that will be remembered for long.

Nikki Haley

          9.  Nikki Haley, former US ambassador to the UN, former South Carolina Governor ;  and  Donald Trump Jr., Executive Vice-president of Trump Organisation :  While both succeeded in painting with a broad brush the works of Democrats, they failed in taking the excellent opportunity  – to speak of the empathetic relationship with family in Donald Trump Jr.’s  case;  and  the sensitive and understanding picture of relationship with President Donald Trump in the case of Nikki Haley. They frittered away the precious time offered even while speaking authoritatively.

Senator Tim Scott

          10.  Senator Tim Scott, (R) South Carolina, proved a stark contrast with the right points hammered in a measured way. ” Shoot for the moon, even if you are to miss ;  you will be with the stars “, probably quoting his mother and  stealing the limelight.

          Conclusion :  1. It was a show of force and strength. It was showmanship at its best .  It was Time Management at its precision. It certainly would have captured the attention of citizens and entertained them too.  2.  The aim to create a fresh public image closer to the real person that he is (President Donald Trump), perceived strongly by his base may have been accomplished to some degree tonight.  3. That America under Republicans will hold great appeal to citizens – from the proceedings of this event tonight may be 50/50. While there are some sprinklings of policy and programs, not explicitly though, there may be answers to all these in the coming three days.

Donald Trump Jr.

   ” Dieu avec nous “

   Tuesday, August 25, 2020 –  10.19 a.m. (IST)

   Tidbit : ” This administration achieved ‘rocket speed economic growth’ before the Coronavirus outbreak ” –  Donald Trump Jr.