Breakfast meeting

Breakfast meeting

Today will be the biggest breakfast meeting for the Ohio delegation to the Republican National Convention. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan will be the featured guest at the meeting at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel. The other meetings started at 8 a.m. But the Ryan event starts 30 minutes earlier with a security sweep – the only time the Ohio delegation will have one for these breakfasts – at 6 a.m.

A different tune

Gov. John Kasich isn’t known as a classic-rock fan. But two classics from The Who’s “Who’s Next” album from 1971 played him in and out at his public event at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Kasich entered the hall to “Baba O’Riley,” the iconic song about a “teenage wasteland.” When his speech of about seven minutes ended, he left the stage with “Won’t Get Fooled Again” blaring over the speakers at the hall. To quote the latter song: “And the men who spurred us on, sit in judgment of all wrong. They decide and the shotgun sings the song.”

Democratic rebuttals

Though the Democratic National Convention is next week in Philadelphia, party officials have set up camp in Cleveland for press conferences rebutting what Republicans are saying during their convention.

While there’s plenty of venom for Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, Ohio Democrats are focusing a lot of attention criticizing U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, the Republican incumbent. Ex-Gov. Ted Strickland is the Democratic nominee challenging Portman.

On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Howland, D-13th, joined other Democrats in the unveiling of a large banner at the SEIU District 1199 hall on East 30th Street tying Portman to Trump. Portman hasn’t backtracked on his support of Trump, but is having numerous events on his own in Cleveland during the convention, including kayaking with wounded war veterans Tuesday.

That also happened to be the 30th wedding anniversary for Portman and his wife, Jane.

Mistaken identity

A funny thing happened on the way to the roll call of states (the delegate count) Tuesday to Bertram de Souza, The Vindicator’s editorial page editor.

He was walking down a hall in Quicken Loans Arena when a pleasant-looking man stopped him and said, “Mr. de Souza, nice to see you again. I remember meeting you in [unintelligible]. Are you still writing?”

Bertram said yes and was introduced to his wife, who immediately asked if she could take a picture with them on her cellphone. After thanking them, the husband asked, “Are you going to write another book?”

And then it dawned on Bertram that the couple thought he was Dinesh D’Souza, the ultra conservative darling of the Republican Party and author of books and papers about the ills of liberalism.

Drinking it all in

Politics can sometimes drive you to drink – and that’s perhaps what a small food place in the basement of the Huntington Convention Center is betting on. The center is open to journalists to work during the convention. Among its numerous beverages are cans of beer.

A curious reporter asked an employee there if any journalists purchase beer during work hours. Drinking while working is typically a no-no for anyone. But not only are the cans sold, they are going at a rapid rate, the worker said. On Tuesday, a reporter for an Asian media outlet purchased eight cans, each costing $8, the worker said.

‘Very tight’ platform

Delegates signed off on the Republican Party platform Monday, outlining positions statements on a variety of issues.

Area delegates voiced support for the resulting document Tuesday morning.

“It’s a very tight conservative platform,” said Sarah Brown, an Alliance resident and delegate representing Ohio’s 13th Congressional District, which includes parts of Mahoning, Trumbull, Portage, Stark and Summit counties.