Donald Trump and the Republican Party are having some difficulty recruiting speakers for the RNC in Cleveland from July 18-21. (Getty)
Donald Trump has alienated many from the establishment wing of the Republican party, with many members refusing to speak at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland from July 18 to July 21. There’s a longer list of Republicans who plan to sit out than those who have signed on to speak at an event where the party usually outlines their agenda and trots out future party stars.
Trump has suggested that he would have a night of just sports stars, but hasn’t quite panned out with two potential speakers – Tom Brady and Mike Ditka – sitting out.
Here’s a look at who will not be speaking in Cleveland.
1. The Bush Family Is Sitting This Out
President George W. Bush at the Invictus Games Orlando 2016. (Getty)
Both former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura Bush, will not be speaking at the convention, Yahoo News reports. Bush’s father, former President George H.W. Bush, and his brother, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, are also sitting it out.
The two former Bush presidents did not attend the 2012 convention in Tampa either.
The Bush family, other than Jeb, who ran against Trump, have remained quiet during the presidential race. A George W. Bush spokesman told the Associated Press that he does “not plan to participate in or comment on” the current race. Condoleeza Rice, who served as George W. Bush’s second Secretary of State, also will not be speaking.
When CNN asked Jeb if he was going to Cleveland, he just said, “No.”
2. John Kasich, Ohio’s Own Governor, Might Not Be There
Ohio Governor John Kasich. (Getty)
Rather than celebrate a major event in his state, former candidate and current Ohio Governor John Kasich might not be at the convention. Oddly enough though, Kasich does plan to be in Cleveland during the time of the convention, reports WFMJ 21 News. His communications advisor, Chris Schrimpf, told the station that it is “not accurate” to say that Kasich definitely won’t speak at the convention.
Still, Schrimpf confirmed, “We have not sought nor are we expecting a speaking slot at the convention.”
Kasich still hasn’t endorsed Trump, but he told Morning Joe that he has no interest in stepping in at the last second to stop Trump from getting the nomination.
Trump told the New York Times that if Kasich or Texas Senator Ted Cruz – another former rival – don’t endorse, he doesn’t want them speaking at the RNC. “If there’s no endorsement, then I would not invite them to speak,” he said.
3. Lindsey Graham, One of Trump’s Rivals, Refuses to Speak
Texas Senator Ted Cruz in May 2016. (Getty)
South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham has said he won’t support Trump either and won’t be at the convention.
“He announced back in May he’s not attending,” a Graham spokesman told Politico.
Politico polled over 50 governors and congressmembers in June and many of them said they weren’t interested in speaking. South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who started shifting support towards Trump, initially said she wouldn’t plan on speaking. However, The State reported on June 21 that Haley plans on at least attending.
Cruz has now said that he would speak if Trump offers him a slot at the convention after they met in Washington on July 7.
4. Some of Trump’s Sports Picks Aren’t Speaking
Mike Ditka in 2015. (Getty)
In June, Bloomberg reported that boxer Mike Tyson, NASCAR CEO Brian France, former Indiana University basketball coach Bobby Knight and former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka were all being considered to speak.
However, Tom Brady is reportedly not going to speak at the RNC.
Even though he supports Trump, Ditka told the Chicago Tribune that he declined the offer to speak. “I don’t travel much anymore except between Chicago and Florida, and giving a speech at a convention isn’t really my style,” he said.
Trump also tweeted that Tyson was never asked to speak at the convention.
Iron Mike Tyson was not asked to speak at the Convention though I’m sure he would do a good job if he was. The media makes everything up!
Ben Roethlisberger also wont’s peak, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette confirmed in June.
5. Trump Won’t Speak… on the First Two Nights
Donald Trump. (Getty)
Yes, Trump himself will be speaking during the convention. However, he told the New York Times that he was asked to speak on all three nights of the convention, but turned organizers down.
“Everybody wants that,” he said. “I don’t want people to think I’m grandstanding — which I’m not… But it would get high ratings.”
In the same Times interview, Trump said that he doesn’t plan on changing the format, so it might not be as surprising as audiences hope.
“There’s a lot of sameness in conventions. At the same time, you don’t necessarily want to reinvent the wheel. You don’t want to make it so different that it’s no longer a convention,” he said.
