VP pick Mike Pence slated to speak on Day 3 of GOP convention

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• JUDY WOODRUFF:

  The nominating is done, and Donald Trump is back here in Cleveland, the Republican convention city.

  Tonight, delegates hear from the man who he chose to be his running mate, and from a rival who battled him nearly to the end.

  Correspondent Lisa Desjardins begins our coverage.

• LISA DESJARDINS:

  Donald Trump flew into Cleveland this afternoon to claim what he won last night, then, a helicopter ride to downtown, where he was joined by his running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence.

  DONALD TRUMP, (R) Presidential Candidate: The last time, I got accused for speaking a little too long, so this time, I'm going to speak a lot short. But I just want to introduce a man who's become a friend of mine, somebody who's going to make an unbelievable vice president of the United States, Governor Mike Pence.

  GOV. MIKE PENCE (R-IN), Vice Presidential Candidate: It is such an honor to welcome you to Cleveland. We're excited to hear you address the nation tomorrow night. It's been exciting to hear from your family. More to come tonight. And I'm convinced what begins in Cleveland will end in the White House.

• LISA DESJARDINS:

  The ticket's number-two man delivers his own prime-time address tonight, and campaign manager Paul Manafort says the nation will see what Trump saw.

• PAUL MANAFORT, Trump Campaign Manager:

  Governor Pence was the kind of guy who didn't see no for an answer, that, when he became governor, and he made a difference as governor. And that was an attitude was very appealing, and record was very appealing.

• LISA DESJARDINS:

  Manafort also brushed off questions today of any perceived awkwardness between the two men¯

• PAUL MANAFORT:

  Have they spent two years together? No. But are they comfortable with each other both on a personal basis and a policy basis? Absolutely. Will that grow? Yes.

• LISA DESJARDINS:

  Pence will use his speech to focus on tonight's theme, make America first again. Also scheduled to speak, a slew of Trump's primary challengers, including Texas Senator Ted Cruz. He's stopped short of making a formal endorsement, after a bitter primary battle, during which Trump dubbed him lyin' Ted.

  Even today, Trump's plane interrupted Cruz at one point, as he spoke to supporters.

• SEN. TED CRUZ (R-Texas):

  That was pretty well-orchestrated.

  You know, there's a lot of talk about unity. I want to see unity, and the way to see unity is for us to unite behind shared principles, us to unite in defense of liberty.

• LISA DESJARDINS:

  Cruz gave no specifics on exactly what he will say tonight, but Trump's lieutenant, Manafort, promised a supportive speech.

• PAUL MANAFORT:

  I think that he will talk about Hillary Clinton and the failures — how America cannot afford to have Hillary Clinton president. And I think he will say something, he will give a sign of where he is on Donald Trump that will be pleasing to the Trump campaign and to Republicans.

• LISA DESJARDINS:

  Also tonight, speaking the that podium will be another member of the Trump family. Eric Trump is the candidate's middle son. He's expected to give a very personal portrait of a son speaking of his father.

  Meanwhile, the fallout continues from Melania Trump's speech Monday night that lifted sections from a Michelle Obama speech. Yesterday, the Trump campaign dismissed any allegations of plagiarism. Today, Meredith McIver, a Trump staff writer, took responsibility.

  In a statement, McIver wrote: "She read me some passages from Mrs. Obama's speech as examples. I wrote them down and later included some of the phrasing in the draft that ultimately became the final speech. I didn't check Mrs. Obama's speech."

  McIver said she offered Trump her resignation, but he refused.

  Outside the convention hall, there were new protests, and this time, multiple arrests. Police on horseback and bicycles converged on one site and used pepper spray as anti-Trump protesters tried to burn an American flag.

  For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Lisa Desjardins in Cleveland.

• GWEN IFILL:

  And now we go down to the convention floor.

  NPR's "Weekend Edition Sunday" host Rachel Martin will be with us this week and next for our joint "PBS NewsHour"-NPR coverage of the conventions.

  Rachel, what are you watching for tonight?

• RACHEL MARTIN:

  Hi there, Gwen.

  So, yes, I'm down on the convention floor near the area where the delegation from Texas is sitting, because, as you heard, Senator Ted Cruz will be speaking tonight, addressing the delegates here. He ended up being the most fierce competitor against Donald Trump in that primary season.

  Even though he secured a prime-time speaking slot in the convention tonight, he hasn't actually endorsed Donald Trump. So it is going to be interesting to watch whether or not he uses this as an opportunity to do just that, or if he decides just to move past the moment and instead lay out his own vision for the future of the Republican Party, with perhaps an eye on 2020, when he may have another shot at the nomination himself.

  But no doubt the big draw tonight is Mike Pence. When the vice presidential nominee takes the stage, he will be commanding all the attention. Pence was picked for the Trump ticket for that V.P. slot as an olive branch to establishment Republicans who have been reluctant to support Trump.

  But it is really going to be interesting to watch whether or not Pence is able to unify the party in that kind of address tonight, because, no doubt, there is a real split in the party right now between establishment conservatives on the one hand and Trump supporters who say, listen, the party has missed the boat. They don't understand where the voters are anymore.

  They're looking to Donald Trump to kind of steer the ship, steer the Republican Party in a new direction. So, we are going to be exploring that tension tonight and asking a question. What does it mean to be a Republican in 2016?

  So, lots to come here. Stay with us. I will throw it back to you, Gwen and Judy, in the studio.