Free Republic

Technology investor Peter Thiel implored Republicans from the convention stage on Thursday against waging "culture wars" on lesbian, gay and transgender communities, mere days after the GOP approved a national platform that defines marriage as between “one man and one woman.” Thiel, who himself is gay, stressed that "every American has a unique identity." He said attempts to require transgender Americans to use particular bathrooms is a "distraction from our real problem." And in a first for a GOP convention, the Facebook board member and PayPal co-founder drew attention to his own sexuality: "I am proud to be gay, I...

Donald Trump needed to give the speech of his life–he did that, and much more. He laid out an inspiring American Manifesto for our troubled times. And he did it his way. Not surprisingly, from start to finish, it is muscular and bold, leavened only by appeals to racial harmony and pledges of compassion for all. It offers a prominent nod to Bernie Sanders’ supporters in a bid to get some to jump the Democratic ship.

<p>Another melée broke out on radio row at the Republican National Convention on Thursday afternoon, and ended with comedian Jimmy Dore spitting a beverage into the face of controversial Internet talk show host Alex Jones.</p>

Huge salute to law enforcement working the RNC. I was deeply concerned violence would visit the convention in some way. Excellent job by all keeping attendees and the protestors safe. Free Speech in a proper and peaceful (with a few exceptions) was allowed. We had law and order AND our Constitutional rights on display. May God be with these men and women and may we, with His mercy and grace, heal this great land!

WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO Go Trump!

It’s been a great week for gay escorts in Cleveland. Male prostitutes contacted by The Post said business is booming and Republican National Convention attendees — most of them married — are clamoring for their services. “Business has been way better. I’ve seen 10 clients so far,” one male escort said.

Sheldon Adelson refused to meet with Ted Cruz after the conservative Texas senator failed to endorse Donald Trump in a controversial speech to the Republican convention, several media outlets reported. The billionaire Republican donor and his wife, Miriam, barred Cruz from the suite where they watched Cruz’s speech, which was greeted by boos, CNN first reported.

It’s been a great week for gay escorts in Cleveland. Male prostitutes contacted by The Post said business is booming and Republican National Convention attendees — most of them married — are clamoring for their services. “Business has been way better. I’ve seen 10 clients so far,” one male escort said. “Most of them were first-timers. You could tell they were nervous, but once they became more comfortable, they seemed to be having a good time.” Another escort said he had already earned $1,600 since Monday — over six times the amount he usually makes.

At least five people were handcuffed and taken into custody at a flag-burning by anti-war protesters in downtown Cleveland Wednesday, in the first alleged violence at the Republican National Convention.

Before Ted Cruz walked onto the convention stage in Cleveland, Donald Trump had a very good idea what was about to happen. Without pre-planning, or staged set-ups, Trump knew what to expect because Donald Trump has an exceptional political sense; he knows how to read his adversaries. Throughout his life, Ted Cruz has exhibited a character of division; entirely tone-deaf to the people he encounters and leaves in his wake. Those who knew Cruz in grade school and college have talked about how Cruz’s abrasive personality made him a lonely person despite his intellect. Toxic abrasiveness is the same reason...

Thursday on MSNBC's coverage of the Republican National Convention, Senator Al Franken (D-M) declared the convention to be "the ugliest convention" he had ever seen and said it was "an extension of the candidate".

When Ted Cruz refused to endorse Donald Trump in his Republican National Convention speech, he channeled his ideological opponent, Ted Kennedy, whose bitter primary fight with Jimmy Carter made him dodge the opportunity to raise hands with his opponent. It cost Carter the 1980 election, and might do similar damage to Trump.

CLEVELAND -- It's tough to be a speaker at a political convention who has something substantive to say, because the sizzle always consumes the steak at these events. So it's not surprising that energy company executive Harold Hamm was overlooked amid Wednesday night's political sparks. But he delivered one of the better, or arguably one of the more important, lines of the night:

This election is about--and ONLY about--SAVING AMERICA Senator Ted Cruz, booed right off the stage at last night’s Republican National Convention, did not stick the knife in Donald Trump’s back as charged. Whether he realizes it or not, whether it was intentional or not, the Texas senator firmly stuck the shiv in America’s back. By letting his ego lead him to Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena he wrote the script for Hillary Clinton’s Big Night at the Democratic National Convention. Clinton will seize the Cruz RNC moment to advance her trajectory as Obama’s 3rd term in the White House. We can...

The majority of the panel on Tuesday’s The View were furious about former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s speech defending police officers at the RNC last night. Panelists Joy Behar, CNN’s Sunny Hostin, ABC’s Sara Haines and Whoopi Goldberg blasted the Mayor for his tone and message, calling him “nutty,” “berserk” “lunatic” and “divisive” while FNC’s Jedediah Bila was the only panelist to defend Giuliani’s speech. Whoopi began by asking the panel what they thought about Giuliani’s speech. Behar bluntly said, to laughter and applause, “I think he stole that speech from Mussolini.” Not to be outdone, Hostin had...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Laura Ingraham electrified the Q more than any speaker of the convention thus far. She shamed flag-burners. She hated on man buns and skinny jeans. She threw shade at Ted Cruz, implying he didn't have the stones to formally endorse Trump tonight. Ingraham, a conservative talk radio host who quite literally makes her living in media, chastised "the media" for being wrong—wrong all along!—about The Donald. She had the crowd roaring, even more jazzed than in the 7 o'clock hour when G.E. Smith and the house band cruised through a nifty mash-up of "My Sharona" and "Gimme Some Lovin'."...

Palin, whose endorsement of Cruz’s long-shot Senate bid in 2012 was credited by Cruz himself as the reason why he won the race that launched his national political career, gave the following statement to Breitbart after delegates booed Cruz off the stage at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday night: Turns out Ted Cruz’s partner, Carly Fiorina, had a more graceful exit from the political stage than he had. Cruz’s broken pledge to support the will of the people tonight was one of those career-ending “read my lips” moments. I guarantee American voters took notice and felt more unsettling confirmation...

CLEVELAND — Ayla Brown is singing the national anthem tonight at the Republican National Convention. During a conversation with Herald 
Radio yesterday her phone vibrated. “My dad just texted me,” she explained. “And he said, ‘Things are heating up there, be careful.’” “Be careful.” It may be the most prevalent sentiment sent to us here at the RNC by loved ones from all over.

CLEVELAND -- Whatever its label, Day 3 of the Republican Convention was clearly "Make Conservatives Feel Great" day. And the result was a night that was far more energizing, electrifying and cohesive than the first two.