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| USA TODAY | - |
Donald
Trump's status as an outsider has been a core part of his appeal and
helped pave his path to the Republican National Convention later this
month, where he'll officially claim the GOP presidential nomination.
Trump Campaign Lining Up Sports Icons for ConventionBl
But being an outsider can mean that, sometimes, you're not fully up to speed on all the minutiae of party mechanics — including, apparently, that the convention's host city was a settled matter.
The presumptive GOP nominee at one juncture during the campaign was unaware that the party had decided, unequivocally, that the convention would be in Cleveland, according to a Friday New York Times article, citing two aides.
The Republican National Committee selected Cleveland as the site of the convention in the summer of 2014.
While making clear that much of the convention plan remains fluid, The Times story offered a glimpse into Trump's thinking regarding the Cleveland gathering, which begins July 18. In an interview with the newspaper, Trump said he was asked to speak each of three nights, an offer he said he declined.
“I don’t want people to think I’m grandstanding — which I’m not,” Trump told The Times, adding, though, that he thought "it would get high ratings."
Other highlights:
► Trump said there was considerable "sameness in conventions" but also warned that "you don't necessarily want to reinvent the wheel" and "make it so different that it's no longer a convention."
► Trump said some of the more unorthodox potential speakers from outside politics he's asked — he described them as "great winners" — have indicated to him they'd be a little uneasy about the prospect of addressing such a major political event. “They may do it," Trump told The Times. "But they’ll be nervous as hell.”
► The real estate mogul's wife, Melania, is mulling a speaking slot. "She’s actually writing some things up right now,” Trump said, according to The Times. At a Friday speech in Denver, Trump confirmed that his entire family, including his wife, would be speaking at the RNC.
► As for the aesthetics of the stage itself, Trump apparently wasn't delighted with the first design. "Too straight. Too nothing. Didn’t have the drama," Trump told the newspaper.
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