Here & Now

Zac Schultz Reports on Wisconsin’s Role in GOP Convention

Frederica Freyberg:

To the Republican National Convention. Last week the president tried to steal the thunder of the DNC by coming to Wisconsin. But Senior Political Reporter Zac Schultz tells us Wisconsin played a very limited role this week.

Andrew Hitt:

Thank you, everybody, for joining us. We sure wish you were here with us in Charlotte.

Zac Schultz:

Like the Democratic Convention the week before, the Republican National Convention was mostly virtual, with the speeches pretaped or presented live from everywhere but the host city of Charlotte.

Andrew Hitt:

We had a number of training sessions.

Zac Schultz:

However, some delegates, like Wisconsin GOP Chairman Andrew Hitt, did attend in person for the purpose of officially nominating Donald Trump for president. Former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker read the nomination for Mike Pence as vice president.

Scott Walker:

Mr. Chairman, it is my honor to nominate our friend, Michael R. Pence, to serve as the Republican Party’s 2020 candidate for vice president of these United States of America.

Zac Schultz:

Scott Walker was the only Wisconsin politician with a role at the RNC. However, two Wisconsinites did give brief speeches on Tuesday.

Chris Peterson:

My name is Chris Peterson. My husband Gary, our family and I milk 1,000 cows on a dairy farm in Grantsburg, Wisconsin.

John Peterson:

I’m John Peterson, owner of a second generation metal fabrication business called Schuette Metals.

Zac Schultz:

There was no mention of Kenosha police shooting Jacob Blake in the back seven times or of the white vigilante arrested on charges of first degree intentional homicide after he drove from Illinois with a gun and killed two people and injured a third. But Pence did condemn the protestors.

Mike Pence:

So let me be clear. The violence must stop, whether in Minneapolis, Portland or Kenosha.

Zac Schultz:

Reporting from Madison, I’m Zac Schultz for “Here & Now.”

Frederica Freyberg:

As we’ve said, former Republican Governor Scott Walker delivered the nominating speech for vice president Mike Pence.