How Trump is planning to turn Republican convention into entertainment - including unveiling running mate on the floor for maximum TV hits
- Some of the ideas that Donald Trump has for the Cleveland Republican National Convention are starting to leak out
- Trump is considering announcing his vice presidential pick - and maybe his cabinet too - on live television
- He's also contemplating speaking each night of the four-night affair instead of the standard final night speech
Donald Trump has already promised to make the Republican National Convention in Cleveland more 'showbiz,' but now sources are talking about what he might do.
For one, he's thinking of debuting his running-mate, live on national television.
Politico is reporting that Trump is trying to 'maximize the drama and spectacle' of the four-day affair, which usually includes back-to-back political speeches, broken up with the occasional musical act.
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Donald Trump wants to make the Republican National Convention in Cleveland more 'showbiz' and plans to do that by potentially naming his running mate on live television
In years past, the conventions were a four-day affair, filled with political speeches and the occasional musical act
But Donald Trump, with his years of reality television experience - shown here with contestants from season 14 of the Celebrity Apprentice - wants to make the political show more lively
The most interesting thing to happen at the Republican National Convention in Tampa in 2012 was actor Clint Eastwood's rambling speech, in which he told off an empty chair.
'This is the part of politics he would naturally enjoy, and he wants to control it 100 percent,' one Trump insider told the publication. 'This is a massive television production and he is a television star.'
Unlike the last two GOP picks, nominated for their political experience and relatively moderate politics, Trump's outsider status brings along with it his decades of real estate prowess and his understanding of reality TV.
As for announcing a vice presidential pick before the convention, which is tradition, one campaign source told Politico that The Donald sees it like 'announcing [the] winner of "Celebrity Apprentice" before the final show is on the air.'
'This is one of the only opportunities to create tension and drama in the whole show,' the source continued. 'You better believe Mr. Trump understands that and is looking to maximize that.'
Another idea, taking the plan a step further, is to have Trump announce his entire cabinet from the convention stage.
Cabinet assignments aren't usually doled out until after the election.
Generally the convention schedule has the nominee only speaking to the masses on the last night of the convention, to top off the week, while the vice presidential pick addresses the audience on the third night.
In 2012, the most interesting thing to happen at the Republican National Convention in Tampa was actor Clint Eastwood's rambling speech, in which he told off an empty chair
Donald Trump (right) along with reality television start Omarosa (left) has years in the entertainment business to bring to the table when planning the July convention
Trump, however, is thinking about addressing the crowd each and every night of the convention, so the audience has reason to tune in.
'We're past an era of thinking about this through the lens of C-SPAN and looking at this more like the networks would broadcast or cover an Olympics or reality TV programming,' GOP strategist Kevin Madden told Politico. Madden was a media consultant for Romney, but is unaffiliated in this race.
'One of the things that's been unique about the Trump campaign is the candidate himself has had the ability to create suspense and also drive the news cycle just with one tweet,' Madden continued.
'I think I would bet on their ability to do it again through the platform of the convention,' he added.
The broadcast networks, too, are anticipating a Trump-led convention with glee, as it's likely to draw bigger ratings than the confabs of the past, which were generally televised for only an hour each night, with livestreaming also available.
'Other than election night, they're the Super Bowl,' NBC and MSNBC managing editor for politics Dafna Linzer told Politico. 'We're excited and plan to go very big but not because Trump is the nominee, but because the American public is completely engaged in this election.'
'You see it in turnout and in tune in,' Linzer added.
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