While accusations of plagiarism in Melania Trump's speech dominated the analysis of day one of the Republican Party Convention in Cleveland, Buffalo News Political Reporter Bob McCarthy says it was just one of many noteworthy events.
Day one of the event flashed with rebellion as convention rules were challenged in a last-ditch effort to stop the nomination of Donald Trump. It didn't happen, in part due to the New York delegation.
"They had a role in making sure the nomination was sealed last night," McCarthy told WBFO's Morning Edition, fresh off an 18-hour day tracking the tumultuous convention.
As Whip of the state delegation, Erie County Republican Party Chair Nick Langworthy was tasked with making sure that representatives were present and ready to fulfill their obligations.
"So, when the time came for that important voice vote New York was there shouting at the top of its lungs," McCarthy said.
"The voice vote won out. That prevented a very time-consuming roll call vote that would have possibly been chaotic."
McCarthy also reflected on the shadow cast by the late Jack Kemp, the GOP legend and long-time WNY Congressman. House Speaker Paul Ryan, who also serves as convention chair, worked for Kemp during his early career. Ryan often espouses the Kemp philosophy.
"His (Kemp's) ideas of inclusion of minorities and everything were given lip service but it's nothing that's really come to fruition in the Republican Party," McCarthy said.
"You've got a situation now where Donald Trump has alienated many minorities, especially Hispanics, because of some of his comments on Mexico and immigration."
"I think the party is struggling even more mightily with that problem right now."
Bob McCarthy will offer analysis during WBFO's Morning Edition throughout the Republican and Democratic Conventions.
