Also, Fiscal Conservatives Go Over Budget by $6 Million, Beg Billionaire for Check
As presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump and his campaign are supposed to be intimately involved in the details of the Republican National Convention, which kicks off Monday. But day after day after day news breaks of embarrassing decisions and falsehoods.
On Thursday, the full list of speakers was finally released, after much prodding by the media who historically get it a few weeks in advance. It was a roundup of “B” list celebrities and others, with a dash of obligated GOP leaders, from RNC Chairman Reince Priebus to House Speaker Paul Ryan. While not on that list, the Trump camp confirmed to The New York Times that NFL free agent quarterback and religious right darling Tim Tebow would be speaking at the convention. In fact, a Wednesday article in the Times was titled, “Speakers at Donald Trump’s Convention: Tim Tebow, Peter Thiel, but No Sarah Palin?”
“A night highlighting the tragedy in Benghazi, Libya. An appearance by onetime football star Tim Tebow. A presentation detailing former President Bill Clinton’s sexual misconduct,” the Times article begins. It goes on to state the roster of speakers was “confirmed by two people with direct knowledge of the convention planning.”
Tim Tebow, in fact, is not going to speak at the GOP convention next week.Â
In a video he posted to Facebook late Thursday night, the former Denver Broncos quarterback and Christian conservative says not only was he not planning on speaking, he was never even asked.
“It’s amazing how fast rumors fly, and that’s exactly what it: a rumor,†Tebow said in a video that has received nearly 800,000 views overnight and in under 12 hours.
In a new article Thursday, the Times reports Trump’s “campaign had invited Mr. Tebow to speak, according to a person directly involved in the planning and invitation process.”
“But like other sports stars whom Donald J. Trump said he would like to have appear at the convention — Tom Brady and Serena Williams, for example — Mr. Tebow is out.”
To be more accurate, he says he was never even in.
The fiscal conservatives in the Trump campaign and the RNC are proving just how bad they are at business too. They are $6 million over budget, and strapped for cash have turned not to billionaire Donald Trump, but to billionaire and GOP candidate financier Sheldon Adelson for a handout.
“The GOP admits two dozen companies have pulled out because of Trump,” Politico reports Thursday evening, adding “more than two dozen prominent corporations and individuals … have reneged on a collective $8.1 million in pledged donations.”
“Over the past couple months,” a letter from the Cleveland organizers reads, “negative publicity around our potential nominee resulted in a considerable number of pledges backing out from their commitments.”
Politico reports, “those who have canceled their donations, according to the letter, are David Koch ($1 million), FedEx ($500,000), Visa ($100,000), Pepsi ($500,000) and Coca-Cola ($1 million).”
And finally, Sarah Palin.
Why is she not scheduled to speak at the convention?
When asked directly, here’s what Trump had to say.
“She was asked,” Trump told the Washington Examiner Thursday. “It’s a little bit difficult because of where she is. We love Sarah. Little bit difficult because of, you know, it’s a long ways away.”
But air travel in July from Alaska has never been a problem.Â
What is a problem is how Palin’s children’s bad behavior continues to dog her.
Little Green Footballs’ Charles Johnson reports Track Palin went to jail on Wednesday:
“Those three charges are Class A misdemeanors,” notes Joe.My.God., “and at this writing there’s no news account on why they would result in Track Palin being remanded. However, the Twitterverse is already buzzing that this may be why Mama Grizzly will not speaking at the GOP convention.”
The GOP convention promises to be a joke.
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