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Kosar, Cotton greet Ohio delegation as Convention starts
CLEVELAND
While he was there to make brief remarks, Bernie Kosar clearly was the star of the Ohio delegation’s first meeting at the Republican National Convention.
Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel introduced Kosar, a Boardman native and Cleveland Browns great, as his “childhood hero” during the Monday meeting.
Before speaking, Kosar told reporters he wasn’t at the convention to support Republican Donald Trump or anyone else for president. Having the RNC in Cleveland is a great honor, he said, and the former quarterback wanted to experience it. Mandel, who hosted the breakfast, invited Kosar to speak.
Kosar, who received the loudest reception of anyone speaking Monday, praised Cleveland police for how the department handled security during the Cavaliers’ NBA championship celebration. He added that he was confident they would do a great job during the convention that started Monday and concludes Thursday.
Kosar called for tolerance and not violence when two sides disagree during his speech.
Kosar, who recently moved to a farm in Portage County, said it was “a ìhumbling experience” for “a kid from Mahoning County” to speak to the delegation.
He mentioned that he wanted to play football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, but they didn’t recruit him, so he went to the University of Miami.
U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas was the main guest speaker at the breakfast, talking about the tremendous gains Republicans have made in federal elections and in numerous states in recent years.
Cotton said the rich and wealthy have prospered because of President Barack Obama. It is Republicans who are looking out for the middle class, the working class and the working poor, he said.
“We are less safe today than we were a year ago” because of Obama’s foreign policies, he said.
Cotton took a few shots at Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate, saying that Democrats had the choice between two socialists and selected the one under investigation.
Also speaking was Joe Hockey, Australia’s ambassador to the United States. Hockey gave a chin-up speech to the crowd while not getting political.
Hockey said: “America was the greatest country. America is the greatest country,” adding that the United States also has “the greatest economy on Earth.”