Monday, 18 July 2016

US election: Trump camp lashes Cleveland no-shows

REUTERS There was uproar when an attempt to force a vote on the rules was quashed

Donald Trump's allies have hit out at the senior Republicans who are staying away from the party's annual convention now under way in Cleveland.

Ex-House Speaker Newt Gingrich called the Bush family "childish" while Mr Trump's top aide said Ohio Governor John Kasish was "petulant".

The nomination of Mr Trump has been a source of conflict in the party.

And there were attempts on the convention's opening day to "unbind" delegates from supporting him.

A request by Republicans opposed to Trump to force a full vote on the convention rules was refused, causing brief uproar.
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While it's clear that the eventual adoption of the pro-Trump rules was never really in doubt, a roll-call vote would have been an embarrassing show of dissent from the delegates - something Trump's team wanted to avoid at all costs.

Despite their best efforts, however, cracks in the Republican foundation were quite visible at the start of a week in which the party is desperate to put its best foot forward.

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The long-simmering tensions between Trump and anti-Trump factions in the party broke into open warfare earlier on Monday.

Former House Speaker New Gingrich told ABC News "the Republican party has been awfully good to the Bushes and they're showing remarkably little gratitude".

The two former presidents, George HW Bush and George W Bush, have refused to endorse Mr Trump.

Mr Trump has criticised the younger Bush over the Iraq War and the 9/11 attacks, and constantly mocked Florida Governor Jeb Bush during his unsuccessful
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People are not allowed to take guns into Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena, which is hosting the four-day event, or within a secure zone outside.

But some people were photographed openly wearing guns nearby.
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Cleveland police have asked Ohio's governor to suspend open-carry gun rights during the convention but he said he did not have the power to.

Thousands of federal and state law enforcement officers have descended on the city over the past week in preparation for the convention, ramping up security protocols as delegates, attendees and demonstrators pour into Cleveland.

About 50,000 people are expected to travel to Cleveland during the four-day event, with protests and rallies expected to take place throughout the week.

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