How To Watch The RNC
The Republican National Convention began on Monday, July 15 with the ominous specter of an assassination attempt on Donald Trump that occurred at a rally just a couple of days prior. Ramifications of that attempt have spread in unconventional ways, such as BlackRock pulling a commercial featuring the assailant as well as a TV channel removing a "Simpsons" episode from broadcast for being too reminiscent of the attack. As such, there may be more attention on the RNC this year outside of political pundits and individuals who want to see what this political process is all about.
The RNC will run until July 18 at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As one would surmise, anyone with a cable package will be able to stay abreast of the convention on any major news network for all four days, including MSNBC, CNN, ABC News, NBC News, CBS, PBS, and Fox News. Coverage will vary on each network and may be relegated to a few hours each evening to recap all noteworthy events. However, C-SPAN will air the convention in its entirety without any interruptions. Here's everything else to know about the RNC.
What actually happens at the RNC?
The RNC is underway, with plenty already transpiring to get people talking. Donald Trump took to the stage on the first day with a bandage over his ear to address the wound he sustained on July 13. Additionally, J.D. Vance was announced as Trump's vice presidential running mate, whose name might sound familiar to anyone who remembers the overwhelming negative response to "Hillbilly Elegy," the movie based on his book. But outside of these major stories, what is the RNC about, and what goes on for those four days?
At its core, any national political party convention, whether Republican or Democrat, is about delegates confirming who will be each party's nominee for president and vice president. Each state held a primary earlier in the year, where people voted for whom they wanted to be their party's nominee. Donald Trump won the overwhelming majority, so the RNC is basically the delegates confirming what the voters have decided. However, there are also unbound delegates, from states like South Dakota and Montana, who can vote for whomever they like. But given the sheer number of primaries Trump won in 2024, it's safe to say he'll slide to the nomination with Vance by his side.
When the RNC is taking place & where you can watch it
The RNC takes place from July 15 to July 18 in Milwaukee. It was initially thought that Donald Trump would forgo appearing during the first couple of days of the convention due to the assassination attempt, but Trump wrote on Truth Social, "I cannot allow a 'shooter,' or potential assassin, to force change to scheduling, or anything else." While people can stay up to date on the RNC on all major news channels, there are also ways to watch it without cable on various online platforms.
Several streaming services, such as Hulu + Live TV, Sling, Fubo, and DirecTV, will allow individuals to keep up with all things RNC. And even if you don't have cable, various news networks are available to watch through their respective streaming platforms. Paramount+ offers CBS News, and Max allows streaming of CNN. Additionally, anyone with a Premium Plus plan on Peacock can access NBC News for coverage. The RNC also has its own YouTube page, where it will livestream videos of select events.
Where you can watch the RNC if you missed it
Four days is a long time to keep up with absolutely everything that comes out of the RNC. Monday already saw many prominent figures in the Republican party address the delegation, including Georgia representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, South Dakota governor Kristi Noem, and rapper Amber Rose. That was all on top of J.D. Vance's vice presidential announcement, so where can one turn to check back on all of the event's highlights?
The major news outlets all have their own individual YouTube channels, where videos of various speeches and important events will be uploaded. NBC News has already uploaded several prominent speeches from the RNC, while CNN has exclusive interviews from members of the Republican party, like Eric Trump. You can pretty much type the news network of your choice into YouTube and keep up with the RNC at your leisure.
Suffice it to say, all of these tips will be applicable when the Democratic National Convention takes place from August 19 to August 22 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.