The result of their efforts will be announced at 8:30 p.m. Monday: One of the key decisions Trump and his advisers made was to start half an hour earlier than Democrats, which means Republicans two-and-a-half will have half an hour of programming each night. With the help of a former producer for The Celebrity Apprentice – and input from the president that expanded to minute details – they decided that the convention would be heavy on non-politicians, with a mix of recorded and live speeches, and clever video production.
The goal was to make it a gripping TV show.
Republicans are aware of the bilingual praise Joe Biden drew for his convention last week, and Trump aides acknowledge that their rival is likely to get an interview. But they think the GOP – despite the mad rush to convene its convention – has a chance to offend the Democrats, who spent months on a virtual program.
‘I think they can handle it. I do not think the bar will necessarily be, ‘Oh the production values of the Democrats are so much better than the Republicans,’ ‘said Russ Schriefer, a veteran Republican who has helped spearhead previous conventions. “I think the counter is really focused on the messages and how well they message. The second going has a big advantage in that you kind of get something back … the Democrats did last week. ‘
Organizers who have been busy with the clock have been putting the final touches on the program since Saturday afternoon. They met Friday night at the Trump International Hotel in Washington to discuss plans and on Saturday again at campaign headquarters in Arlington, Va. Reasons were still being established.
Despite the tight deadline, Republicans suggest that planning has gone smoothly and is tainted by the kind of chaos that has shattered past major Trump projects. While acknowledging that they have to deal with serious limitations given the tight time frame, they say they have continued to practice runes of the program and express confidence that they will deliver.
But as they race against the clock, organizers have had to deal with the wishes of a former reality show star and TV-obsessed president who was fixated on the details.
Trump has gone over and over again about how much time each speaker should have, whether segments should be recorded or live, and where he should give his acceptance speech. He reached out to an array of allies for input.
The president waited in line to step down and had finally signed up for the speaker lineup, insisting that some of his staunchest supporters get much coveted slots. See include New York Rep. Elise Stefanik and Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, who both starred in the Democratic Inquiry. The president has held several convention-focused meetings with advisers in recent weeks, and First Lady Melania Trump has also been closely involved.
Organizers brought in Trump’s closest advisers – including Hope Hicks, Kellyanne Conway, and Jason Miller – who were keenly aware of the president’s wishes. They hired Sadoux Kim, a former co-executive producer of The Celebrity Apprentice and former co-star of longtime Trump ally Mark Burnett, to produce the show.
Perhaps the biggest hurdle for time-challenged planners was logistics. They had to figure out how to coordinate between the different locations where speakers would appear, and how to mix digital and live segments in a way that made sense.
Leaving locations during the coronavirus pandemic was its own obstacle. Several locations for Trump’s speech were considered, including Gettysburg and Mount Rushmore, before he chose the White House South Lawn.
Given their late decision to concentrate on daily Trump supporters, organizers also had to make sure the program was not exaggerated by politicians caught up for speaking time. While the convention will include some emerging Republicans – such as former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, who asked the president for a lock – officials had to leave others polite. It remains unclear, for example, when scenario presents Rick Scott from Florida.
Some people who were originally speaking in Jacksonville were cut instead of others who would fit better into the general concept of a ‘people’s treaty.’ Aides met several times after business hours at headquarters to go over prospects before bringing a revised list to Trump.
They eventually settled on 125 names. Among the picks was the St Louis couple who earlier this summer aimed a firearm at Protestants. The idea to include them was raised and immediately discussed at a planning meeting. Trump aides saw it as an opportunity to highlight the president’s support for gun rights and to agitate liberals.
They also recruited speakers who did not vote for Trump in 2016, but this time will declare their support for him.
Organizers participated last week in reviewing the Democratic convention, taking note of what worked and what they did not feel. Among their conclusions was that some of the speeches took too long. Republicans want a faster pace to keep viewers engaged.
While Republicans are confident that Biden will blast next week, Trump dismisses the Democratic convention in private as too gloomy and has expressed a wish that his program be more upbeat. The president, who has received input about his speech from several aides, is expected to make an appearance every night.
Advisors also concluded that only two hours of programming per night wastes valuable time getting cows. However, the GOP decision to start at 8:30 could lead to complications. One question is whether it will conflict with the wishes of Fox News, given that it breaks into the time slot of rating leader Tucker Carlson.
But Trump’s team hopes they can avoid the kind of production problems that plagued the 2016 confab.
The success of Republicans, Schriefer said, may depend on whether they can make a case for a second Trump term in a way that resonates emotionally.
Democrats “told a lot of really fun, compelling stories that you felt,” Schriefer said. “Good television is always something you feel.”
