AND WELCOME TO THIS SPECIAL EDITION OF CHICAGO TONIGHT.

I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN TONIGHT.

WE BEGIN OUR COVERAGE.

OUR TEAM COVERAGE OF THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION BEING HELD THIS WEEK IN MILWAUKEE AND BIG NEWS ALREADY.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAS SELECTED OHIO JUNIOR SENATOR JD VANCE TO BE HIS RUNNING MATE.

THAT WHILE REACTION IS STILL POURING INTO THIS WEEKEND'S ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT OF THE FOREIGN PRESS, FORMER PRESIDENT.

WE BEGIN OUR TEAM COVERAGE FROM MILWAUKEE TONIGHT WITH THEM.

AND THEN A COMING TO US LIVE FROM THE PFIZER FOR MAYOR AMANDA.

AND AS IT HAS BEEN A BUSY AND VERY EXCITING DAY FOR DELEGATES HERE, ALTHOUGH BIT OF A LULL AT BETWEEN ALL THE MEETINGS AND GOINGS ON THE BIG NEWS SO FAR IS WELL AS THE VICE PRESIDENTIAL PICK, OF COURSE, IS THAT IT IS OFFICIAL.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IS OFFICIALLY AGAIN, THE REPUBLICANS NOMINEE FOR PRESIDENT.

HERE'S A MOMENT FROM EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON WHEN ILLINOIS PLEDGED ALL OF THE STATE'S DELEGATES TO HIM.

A LITTLE KNOWN.

SECRETARY.

CONGRESSWOMAN MARY MILLER.

NOW NOT TO BE A DOWNER, BUT ILLINOIS SLOT IN THAT ROLL CALL CAME ACTUALLY AFTER TRUMP HAD ALREADY SECURED ENOUGH DELEGATES TO BE THE OFFICIAL NOMINEE.

BUT OF THE ILLINOIS DELEGATION THAT'S CENTRAL ILLINOIS CONGRESSWOMAN MARY MILLER WAS PROUD TO DO IT ANYWAY.

AND HAVE SHE SAID OF GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN HURT BY JOE BIDEN'S PARENTS WHO ARE HORRIFIED BY JOE BIDEN'S ATTACK RENTAL RIGHTS ON BEHALF OF FARMERS WHO ARE BEING CRUSHED BY THE BIDEN ECONOMY.

ON BEHALF OF HER DAUGHTERS, WHO BIDEN IS FORCING TO COMPETE AGAINST MEN IN SPORTS ON BEHALF OF THE VICTIMS OF THE KAMALA HARRIS BORDER CRISIS.

AS I TALKED WITH DELEGATES TODAY, THESE ARE TWO'S.

THE IS A TALK WITH DELEGATES AS THESE ARE THE ISSUES THAT KEEP ON COMING UP, THE ECONOMY, INFLATION, IMMIGRATION, PARENTAL RIGHTS.

AND THEY SAY THAT TRUMP IS THE MAN TO TAKE ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS ON AND TO SAVE THE COUNTRY.

THEY SAY THAT HE DEMONSTRATED THAT OUT HOW HE HANDLED THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON SATURDAY BY REFUSING TO STAND DOWN EVEN AFTER GETTING SHOT.

WE THANK YOU VERY DONALD TRUMP TO BE ALMOST CERTAIN DEATH SATURDAY SURELY USE ANGEL TO GENTLY TOUCHES BASE.

TO MOVE IT.

SLIGHTLY.

TO AVOID THE FATAL SHOT IN THE U.S. AT THIS POINT.

THIS IS JUST YOUR MOST RECENT BLESSING.

ALL OF MAN OF ULTIMATE COURAGE AND RESILIENCE WHO WAS INJURED AND PREVAILED OVER ENEMIES.

THOUGHT TO DESTROY HIM.

NOW, DEMOCRATS HAVE ALL LEARNED PART REPUBLICANS GOT A LOT OF THOUGHTS ABOUT THE IMPACT OF SHOOTING.

SOME SAY THEY BELIEVE THAT IT WILL TONE DOWN THE POLITICAL TENOR.

OTHERS SAID NO WAY THAT TRUMP IS NOT A MAN WHO TEAMS ANYTHING DOWN.

SPOKE WITH ONE CANDIDATE FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE WHO SAID THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS GOING UNIFY THE COUNTRY AND TO INTO RECOGNIZING THE DAMAGE THAT HAS BEEN DONE BY PRESIDENT BIDEN WITH HIS AND OTHER DEMOCRATS RHETORIC AGAINST TRUMP.

I I THAT CANDIDATE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ABOUT TRUMP'S VITRIOL AGAINST BIDEN LONG-RUNNING AND HER RESPONSE IS THAT YES, TRUMP ME GET CRITICIZED FOR HIS INFLAMMATORY LANGUAGE, BUT SHE SAYS THAT CONSERVATIVES DIDN'T PROTEST AND BURN THINGS DOWN.

THAT DOES IT NOR THE JANUARY 6 RIOT AT THE U.S. CAPITOL.

OF COURSE, NOW THERE IS BROAD AGREEMENT AMONG A LOT OF REPUBLICANS PICK THIS ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT IS GOING TO ELEVATE AND HELP TRUMP TO BE ELECTED PRESIDENT.

ALL AND ONE OTHER QUESTION FOR YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING, OF COURSE, ALL AFTERNOON.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF COVERAGE ABOUT THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S SELECTION FOR VICE PRESIDENT, A JD VANCE FROM OHIO.

WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO THAT SELECTION?

WELL, SO YOU SPOKEN WITH DELEGATES ABOUT THIS IS WELL AND ONE WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT HE HOPED IT WOULD BE KARI LAKE, BUT NONETHELESS, TO BACKER OF VANS.

OTHERS SAY THAT THEY ARE ENTHUSED ABOUT THIS CHOICE THAT THEY BELIEVE VANCE READY TO TAKE OVER IF NEEDED THAT HE HAS THE SAME ENERGY AND ADOPTION OF AMERICA FIRST PHILOSOPHY THAT TRUMP HAS THAT DANCE IS GOING TO BE A BUDGET HAWK AND WILL BE VERY EFFECTIVE AS A VICE PRESIDENTIAL PICK.

ANOTHER DELICATE SAID THAT THEY ACTUALLY WON 10 BUCKS ON A BET IN THE BELIEF THAT VANCE WAS GOING TO BE THE CHOICE FOR TRUMP'S THE P. A $10 BET.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT'S A GOOD ONE.

I WONDER WITH A ONE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF BUT SOMEWHERE DOWN AND OF COURSE, STICK AROUND BECAUSE WE'LL BE SEEING YOU AGAIN A LITTLE BIT LATER ON IN THE BUT I WANT TO GET YOUR COLLEAGUE, OF COURSE, BECAUSE WHILE THE ILLINOIS DELEGATION HAILS FROM A SOLIDLY BLUE STATE MOST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS THESE DAYS, SOME OF THE STATE'S BIG MONEY DONORS HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY SUPPORTING TRUMP'S RE-ELECTION BID AND A HOST OF OTHER CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATES AND COMMITTEES.

A NEW BLOOMBERG HAS BEEN LOOKING INTO THOSE DONORS AND THE CAUSES THEIR FUNDING.

NICK.

WILL BRAND AS WE HAVE HEARD A LOT FROM THE ILLINOIS DELEGATION TODAY ABOUT THEIR COMMITMENT TO SEEING PRESIDENT TRUMP GET REELECTED.

2 PROMINENT DONORS WITH ILLINOIS TIES ARE SPENDING BIG TO TRY AND MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

RICHARD AND ELIZABETH, YOU LINE ARE BOTH BIG TIME BACKERS OF CONSERVATIVE CAUSES BOTH IN ILLINOIS AND AROUND THE COUNTRY AND THEY ARE CURRENTLY THE SECOND LARGEST DONORS TO THE MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN PAC.

THAT'S WORKING TO GET TRUMP REELECTED.

NOW, THAT'S NOT THE SECOND LARGEST DONORS FROM ILLINOIS.

THAT'S THE SECOND LARGEST DONORS IN THE COUNTRY.

NOW BANKING HEIR TIMOTHY MELLON CURRENTLY HAS THE TOP SLOT WITH 75 MILLION DOLLARS.

BUT TOGETHER, THE EU LINES HAVE GIVEN 10 MILLION DOLLARS TO THAT PATH.

THE LINES ARE LONG TIME LAKE FOREST RESIDENTS WITH PLENTY OF TIES TO WISCONSIN HERE AS WELL.

THEY MOVED THE HEADQUARTERS OF THEIR SHIPPING PACKAGING COMPANY.

YOU LINE UP TO PLEASANT PRAIRIE AND UIHLEIN IS AN HEIR TO THE SCHLITZ BREWING FORTUNE.

NOW WHILE THEY THROWN QUITE A BIT OF MONEY BEHIND PRESIDENT TRUMP, FEDERAL ELECTION RECORDS ALSO SHOW A 3 MILLION DOLLAR DONATION TO A PAC THAT SUPPORTED FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS IS UNSUCCESSFUL.

PRESIDENTIAL RUN.

YOU OTHER ILLINOIS CANDIDATES.

WHAT OTHER ILLINOIS CANDIDATES HAVE THE SUPPORT IT?

WELL, THEY'VE BEEN SUPPORTERS OF CONGRESSWOMAN MARY MILLER, WHO WE DELIVERING ILLINOIS'S DELEGATES TO FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP.

WE HEARD FROM EARLIER TODAY SAYING THE DARKNESS AROUND THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT WILL ALLOW REPUBLICANS TO SHINE BRIGHT.

ULINE DONATED TO FORMER STATE SENATOR AND GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE KAREN BAILEY'S CANDIDACY LAST YEAR HE RAN IN THE GOP PRIMARY AGAINST CONGRESSMAN MIKE BOST WHO WAS EVENTUALLY THE WINNER OF THAT PRIMARY BOSS ACTUALLY TIPPED HIS HAT TO DAILY TO BAILEY, RATHER AT THE DELEGATION BREAKFAST EARLIER TODAY SAYING THE FORMER OPPONENTS ARE NOW WORKING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER TO DEFEAT PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN IN THE 2014 ELECTION.

GOING BACK A FEW YEARS.

THE EU LINE SUPPORTED FORMER GOVERNOR BRUCE RAUNER IS EVENTUALLY SUCCESSFUL BID THAT IN 2018 BACK TO HIS GOP PRIMARY CHALLENGER STATE REP JEANNE IVES ALL TOLD ILLINOIS ELECTION RECORDS SHOW 92 MILLION DOLLARS IN DONATIONS TO CANDIDATES AND COMMITTEES AROUND THE STATE SINCE 1998.

AND NIC, WHO ARE SOME OF THE OTHER PROMINENT DONORS FROM ILLINOIS.

WELL, THERE'S ONE NOTABLE FORMER ILLINOIS RESIDENT WHO IS STILL LISTED AS COMING FROM OUR FAIR STATE IN SOME OF HIS FEDERAL ELECTION DONATION RECORDS THAT WOULD BE CITADEL CEO KEN GRIFFIN WHO MOVED HIS COMPANY TO FLORIDA AND HAS HAD PLENTY OF CRITICISMS OF DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL LEADERS IN ILLINOIS AND CHICAGO AT LAST COUNT RECORDS SHOW GRIFFIN CONTRIBUTING NEARLY 60 MILLION DOLLARS TO CANDIDATES AND COMMITTEES THIS CYCLE.

BUT HIS MONEY ISN'T GOING TOWARD ILLINOIS.

HE'S MADE A 10 MILLION DOLLAR DONATIONS APIECE TO U.S. SENATE CANDIDATES, REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES IN MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA AND HE GAVE 6 MILLION DOLLARS TO A PAC THAT OPPOSED ONE OF THE CONGRESSMEN WHO VOTED TO UNSEAT FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER KEVIN MCCARTHY.

GRIFFIN ALSO MADE A $6600 DONATION TO THE SUCCESSFUL U.S. SENATE BID OF NEBRASKA'S PETE RICKETTS, WHO IS, OF COURSE, A PART OF THE FAMILY THAT OWNS THE CHICAGO CUBS.

AND OF COURSE, THOSE ARE ALL SOME VERY A FAMILIAR POLITICS AND IN BECAUSE THOSE ARE, OF COURSE, SOME HEAVY HITTERS IN TERMS OF DONATIONS.

NICK, WHAT ABOUT SOME OF THE SMALLER DONORS WHO ARE GIVING DIRECTLY TO THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEES RATHER THAN THE PAST?

THAT'S RIGHT.

BRANDS.

WE ANALYZED FEDERAL ELECTION RECORDS OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS TO TRUMP AND PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN'S OFFICIAL CANDIDATE COMMITTEES.

NOW, WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THAT THE VOLUME OF INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS TO TRUMP'S COMMITTEE FAR OUT TO SEA EXCEEDS THOSE TO BIDEN MORE THAN 92,000 TO TRUMP COMPARED TO 26,000 TO BIDEN.

WHICH SOUNDS SURPRISING RIGHT?

BUT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE ACTUAL AMOUNTS THEY'RE DONATING.

THERE'S A BIG DISPARITY THERE.

MORE THAN 26,000 OF THOSE DONATIONS TO TRUMP WERE UNDER A DOLLAR AT LAST CHECK.

ONLY 50 ILLINOIS RESIDENTS GIVEN TRUMP $3300 OR MORE.

3300 BEING THE LIMIT UNDER FEDERAL LAW THAT YOU CAN DONATE TO A CANDIDATE PER ELECTION CYCLE.

NOW, COMPARE THAT TO THE 570 TO ILLINOIS WHO HAVE GIVEN BIDEN 3300 OR MORE OVERALL TRUMP'S COMMITTEE HAS TAKEN IN 3.7 MILLION DOLLARS FROM ILLINOIS COMPARED TO 5.8 MILLION DOLLARS TO BIDEN.

BUT BRAND IS IF THERE IS ONE POLITICAL PREDICTION, I FEEL CONFIDENT MAKING EVEN PUT DOWN A $10 BET IS THAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE GOING TO GROW QUITE A BIT AS THIS ELECTION KICKS INTO EVEN HIGHER GEAR.

THINK YOU HAVE A LOT OF TAKERS FOR THAT ALL RIGHT, NICK, THANK YOU SO IT WAS IT IS WORTH A SHOT.

I APPRECIATED.

I WANT TO LET OUR VIEWERS KNOW THAT OF COURSE THEY CAN FOLLOW ALL OF OUR REPORTERS WHO WE HAVE ON THE GROUND IN MILWAUKEE AS WELL AS OF COURSE, YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT THE STORY THAT NICK JUST SHARED INFORMATION ON THAT IS AT OUR WEB SITE W T TW DOT COM SLASH NEWS.

WITH MORE PERSPECTIVE ON THIS WEEK'S REPUBLICAN CONVENTION.

WE ARE JOINED HERE IN THE STUDIO BY HEATHER AND ARE SHOT.

SHE IS THE CARTERS COLLINS, PROFESSOR OF COMMUNICATION STUDIES AND JOURNALISM AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY.

ALSO MOST RECENTLY WROTE AND ANALYSIS ON THE 1968 DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION IN CHICAGO, A BOOK TITLED WHEN THE NEWS BROKE.

SHE JOINS US NOW TO TALK ABOUT MORE OF WHAT'S AT STAKE FOR THE REPUBLICANS IN THEIR MESSAGE FOR THE WEEK.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

HEATHER.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE.

SO OF COURSE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S ELECTION OF OHIO, SENATOR JD VANCE TO BE HIS RUNNING MATE.

ALTHOUGH FANS IS A ANOTHER WHITE MAN FROM A RED STATE, HE'S STILL QUITE DIFFERENT FROM MIKE PENCE.

THE VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AND OF COURSE, VICE PRESIDENT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT TRUMP IS TRYING TO DO OR SAY WITH THE SELECTION?

WOW.

WELL, I MEAN, JD VANCE, OF COURSE, DECLARE ITSELF A NEVER TRUMPER SOME YEARS AGO.

AND HIS BOOK HILLBILLY ELEGY, WHICH SOLD SO WELL WAS A VERY CONVENTIONAL IN SOME WAYS, YOU KNOW, RIGHT-WING CONSERVATIVE BOOK OF ANTI WELFARE AND ANTI ELITES, RIGHT, WHICH IS A TALKING POINT OF THE RIGHT WITH LOT OF TRACTION AND HE WOULD MADE SENSE AS A AS A CANDIDATE OR AS A VICE PRESIDENT THE VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE.

BACK WHEN PENCE WAS CHOSEN.

I THINK TRUMP NEEDED PANTS TOO.

BOLSTER THE CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIAN, RIGHT?

YOU KNOW, AND IN BECAUSE OF HIS MORAL ISSUES THIS AND SO ON.

I THINK THAT TRUMP PROBABLY FEELS LIKE SORT OF GOT THAT VOTING BLOC.

NOW AND THAT VANCE WILL BOLSTER THE RIGHT-WING CONSERVATIVE MAGA CROWD THAT HE ALREADY HAS.

HE'S VERY MEDIA JANNIK, RIGHT COMPARED TO PENCE.

HE'S SORT OF YOUNGER, MORE HANDSOME AND HE'S A LOYALIST.

HE'S A FIERCE LOYALIST.

NOW, PENCE, OF COURSE, WAS A LOYALIST BUT NOT WILLING TO OVERTURN THE ELECTION.

AND SO ON.

AND I THINK HE FEELS THAT THIS TIME AROUND, HE'S GOING TO HAVE MORE LOYALIST THAN HE DID LAST TIME.

THIS IS THE 3RD TIME THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS NOMINATED.

DONALD TRUMP HAS THE MESSAGING CHANGED AT ALL THIS TIME AROUND?

HE'S LEANING INTO THE AUTHORITARIANISM IN EXTREMISM THAT WAS THERE BEFORE HE NOW HAS THESE ATTACK AGAINST BIDEN AND HUGHES, HIS AGE AND HIS FITNESS FOR OFFICE AND SO ON.

AND THAT WAS NOT A BIG THING ON THE TABLE.

YOU KNOW, 4 YEARS AGO.

SO HE'S GOING TO HARD INTO THAT.

AND THEN HIS THAT THIS ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT TO SOMETHING ELSE THAT HE CAN LEAN INTO.

THAT, OF COURSE, WAS UNFORESEEN.

AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE RIGHT TO PREDICT THAT THIS HE WILL BENEFIT FROM THAT.

LET'S GET INTO THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE.

HOW HOW MIGHT THE HOW HAS IT CHANGED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS AND HOW MIGHT CHANGE GOING FORWARD SINCE ATTEMPT?

I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT DEMOCRATS SAYING LET'S BRING THAT THE TEMPERATURE DOWN.

THIS IS NOT AMERICA.

WE SHOULD NOT ACT IN THE STANDS.

SO AND SO FORTH.

AND I THINK THAT TRUMP IS EAGER TO BRING THE TEMPERATURE UP TO TURN UP THE FLAME UNDER THIS WHOLE THING.

AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT IMAGES FROM JUST MOMENTS AFTER HE WAS INJURED, HE'S GOT BLOOD ON HIS FACE AND THE SECRET SERVICE IS DOING THEIR JOB.

LET'S GET YOU OUT OF HERE.

AND HE SAYS YOU HEAR THE AUDIO.

HE'S STOP, STOP.

WAIT.

AND HE PUTS FIST UP AND HE SAYS, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT.

THAT IS INFLAMMATORY RHETORIC.

HE IS TELLING HIS FOLLOWERS NOT, YOU KNOW, LET'S PRAY FOR PEACE, THE KINDS THINGS THAT A VERY POLITICALLY DIFFERENT KIND OF PERSON WOULD SAY.

HE IS DELIBERATELY SAYING LET'S TURN THE VOLUME ON THIS WHOLE THING.

UP IN A BRILLIANT MOMENT OF RALLYING THAT AUDIENCE BECAUSE THEY ALL CHEERED FOR HIM.

THE NEXT TURNED AROUND AND BEGAN TO SAY LOTS OF MEAN THINGS TO THE MEDIA.

EXACTLY WHO WHO WERE SHARING THIS EVENT WORLDWIDE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

HOPEFULLY WE HEAR MORE FROM YOU A LITTLE BIT LATER IN THE BROADCAST.

WE WILL HEAR MORE FROM HAD ARE, OF COURSE, I WILL BE JOINED A LITTLE BIT LATER BY NICK BLUMBERG, OUR OWN HEATHER SHARON AND AMANDA BUT FIRST, I WANT TO GO TO AMANDA VICKI RIGHT NOW.

SHE'S STANDING BY WITH A GUEST FROM THE ILLINOIS DELEGATION.

AMANDA.

FRAN AND I NATIONAL COMMITTEE WANT TO MAKE SURE TO ALSO ABANDON THE BACKGROUND.

THINGS ARE BEGINNING IRAQ IN IT IS CAN YOU JUST BEGIN?

OF COURSE, THE SHOOTING ON SATURDAY VERY FRESH, VERY DO YOU BELIEVE THE IMPACT OF THAT IS GOING TO BE ON THE 2020 RACE WIFE PICKS ARE?

WELL, FIRST, I WATCHED IT LIVE.

AMANDA, QUESTION LIVE ON TELEVISION IS LIKE ALL OTHER AMERICANS.

I WAS ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED.

I THINK WHAT STRUCK MAYBE THE MOST IS AFTER HIS DEMAND, OUR FORMER PRESIDENT WAS SHOT.

HE GOT UP AND LIFTED HIS HANDS UP IN THE AND SAID FIGHT.

AND IF YOU NOTICE THE RESPONSE FROM THE AUDIENCE WAS USA, DIDN'T GO CRAZY LIKE, OH, MY GOD.

WANT TO DO SOMETHING I GET THAT WAS US.

WAS LIKE FELT A BIT OF REACTION HE IS GOING BIG AS TRUMP WITH I I TRULY BELIEVE THAT AND I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE STAND AT THE CENTER DEMAND.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO TAKE MORE SEATS IN THE HOUSE.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE CRIME PUBLIC, ABSOLUTE AND AMOUNT HE SAID FIGHTS AND A LOT OF FOLKS THAT I SPOKE SAID THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT REALLY SHOWS IS STAMINA AND LEADERSHIP.

IS IT BECAUSE OF BETTER WITH THIS GOING TO BE THAT REPUBLICANS NO, I THINK WHAT MATCHES I'M HERE, I'M HERE FOR YOU.

IF YOU SAW WHEN HE GOT UP, HE WAS PALE LIVE STREAMING DOWN HIS FACE AND YET HE WAS THINKING OF AMERICA, CELL.

HE WAS NOT EVEN COVERED BY THE SECRET SERVICE FROM HE WAS STILL EXPOSED AND YET FIGHT FIGHT.

MEAN, IT'S A CHANT THAT WAS HEARD BY DELEGATES ON THE CONVENTION.

YEAH.

THINK MIGHT.

YOU KNOW, YOU, HOWEVER, OF COURSE, ILLINOIS KNOWN AS A VERY BLUE STATE.

PLUS, THEY'RE EXPECTED TO AGAIN THIS ELECTION CYCLE.

WE ADMIT THAT IT'S SIMPLE AS SAY.

IT'S VERY, VERY TOUGH.

IT'S A VERY, VERY TOUGH SITUATION FOR US.

IT WILL BE GREAT IF WE COULD WIN, BUT I REALLY NO ILLUSIONS.

BUT OUTSIDE, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO LET A LOT A LOT OF THE OTHER STATES, THE IMPORTANT STATES THAT WERE GOING PICK UP.

OTHERS SAY IT'LL VERY SURPRISING.

AND THEN YOU SAY THAT ABOUT THE ILLINOIS REPUBLICAN PARTY, AS YOU THE BLUE STATE, BUT ALSO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS SEEN A LOT OF DIVISION MORE THAN THIS YEAR WITH THE CURRENT CHAIRMAN DONE WITH HIS ROLE ON FRIDAY AFTER BLAMING WHAT IS THE SEAT OF THE LATE ROUNDS WE'VE BEEN CHAIRMAN A GET THE STOP YOU RIGHT FOR US.

I'M HOPING FOR UNITY THERE.

I THINK THE FRICTION.

I THINK IT'S OVERSTATED.

I'M A CONSERVATIVE.

AND YET I'VE BEEN ELECTED 4 TIMES AND YOU KNOW VERY WELL THAT EVEN REPUBLICANS, ALLEN PRETTY MODERATE.

I I THINK WE'RE GOING TO DO WELL, BUT IT'S A BUILDING PROCESS IT IS A BUILT-IN PROCESS.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR FOR ONCE AGAIN.

THAT IS TO BE SURE TO MONTE ILLINOIS NATIONAL COMMITTEE WOMAN, A POST HE'S HELD SINCE FOR LIMITED FRIDAY BE HER LAST DAY AS RIGHT BACK TO AS THE THANK YOU SO MUCH TO BOTH OF YOU.

AND OF COURSE, WE'LL BE BACK WITH AMANDA AND THE REST OF OUR POLITICAL TEAM WITH MORE ABOUT TODAY'S TODAY'S EVENTS AND A LOOK AT WHAT TO EXPECT TONIGHT.

THAT IS RIGHT AFTER THIS.

CHICAGO TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART WHY THE ALEXANDRA AND JOHN NICHOLS FAMILY.

THE GYM AND K MAYBE FAMILY.

THE POPE BROTHERS FOUNDATION AND THE SUPPORT OF THESE DONORS.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, COMING IN OUR WBTW NEWS POLITICAL TEAM, OF AND NIKKI ALONG WITH NICK BLUMBERG AS WELL AS HEATHER SHARON HERE IN THE STUDIO.

WE'RE JOINED NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY'S HEATHER HINDER SHOT.

OF COURSE, WELCOME EVERYBODY.

GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL DOING GREAT WORK OUT THERE.

WANT TO START COMING BACK TO BECAUSE AS WE MENTIONED, THE RNC, YOU KNOW, IT COMES ON THE HEELS OF AN AS WE WERE DISCUSSING THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP.

WHAT WAS THE REACTION FROM THE ILLINOIS DELEGATES AT THE RNC?

WAS SO AND AS I NOTED TO YOU HAD DELEGATES CHANTING, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, WHICH IS WORD THAT TRUMP HAD USE WHEN HE PUMPS HIS FIST IN THE AIR AFTER HE WAS SHOT, THAT THEY'RE PROUD ADMIT.

THEY SAY THAT THIS SHOWS JUST SORT THERE THAT THE LEADERSHIP, A MAN WHO DOESN'T STAND DOWN AND THEY BELIEVE VERY MUCH THAT THAT IS WHAT AMERICA NEEDS RIGHT NOW.

AND THEY DREW SHARP CONTRAST TO THAT.

DEMOCRATS PRESUMED NOMINEE IN PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN THAT CAME UP.

IT IS WELL DURING THE BREAKFAST FOR YOU IN THEIR FACE TO THE ILLINOIS DELEGATION MEETS EVERY MORNING AND HAS A BREAKFAST SORT OF GOES OVER WHAT PRE RALLY RALLY OF SORTS AND ONE OF THE SPEAKERS SAID THAT WE KNOW AND WE ARE UNIFIED.

WE KNOW WHO OUR NOMINEE IS GOING TO BE.

DEMOCRATS CANNOT SAY THE SAME.

I OVERHEARD ONE OF THE DELICATE SAY, YEAH, THEY'VE GOT CIVIL.

SO REALLY THEY BELIEVE SHOWING SHARP CONTRAST IN THE DIRECTION THAT THE PARTIES ARE GOING IN.

THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE COMEDIES ARE, BUT OF COURSE, ALSO THE POLICY.

STRONG WORDS TO USE TO USE THE TERM LIKE VEGETABLE.

SOME ARE USING THE ASSASSINATION AS A CALL FOR UNITY.

DID.

DID YOU GET A SENSE OF THAT TODAY FROM THE ILLINOIS GOP?

WELL, IT CERTAINLY GAVE REPUBLICANS A CHANCE TO SORT OF PAPER OVER ALL OF THE DIVISIONS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH IN RECENT WEEKS AND MONTHS.

AND HONESTLY YEARS UNITE ANYTHING.

IT IS THAT THEY ARE ALL UNITED BEHIND FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND HIS SORT OF BRUSH WITH AN ASSASSIN'S BULLET SORT OF PUT THOSE THE STAKES OF THE ELECTION.

I THINK IN STARK RELIEF FOR MANY OF THE REPUBLICANS.

SO IT WAS SORT OF A WAY FOR THEM TO FOCUS ON THE PRIZE ON THE HORIZON WITH THE NOVEMBER ELECTION WITHOUT FOCUSING TOO MUCH ON THE NITTY-GRITTY DETAILS WHICH THEY DO NOT AGREE I'M HEATHER.

LET'S TAKE A STEP BACK.

YOU KNOW, WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT FROM THIS CONVENTION PROCESS?

HOW MUCH OF A ROLE DOES ILLINOIS HAVE IN THE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION PROCESS?

WELL, THEY DON'T HAVE MUCH OF A ROLE.

HONESTLY, THEY'RE ONLY 64 DELEGATES FROM ILLINOIS.

IF DONALD TRUMP DID NOT WIN ILLINOIS'S DELEGATES, WHICH OF COURSE HE DID, HE WOULD STILL HAVE THE NOMINATION.

ILLINOIS IS A BLUE STATE.

AND REALLY THIS IS A CHANCE FOR THE ILLINOIS GOP TO SORT OF RESET RETRENCH, BUILD SOME NEW RELATIONSHIPS AND TRY TO FIGURE IT ALL OUT ONCE THE NOVEMBER ELECTION IS OVER.

NICK, YOU SPOKE TO SOME DELEGATES, INCLUDING SOME FIRST TIME DELEGATES FROM ILLINOIS TELLS ABOUT THEIR ROLES.

WELL, THEIR ROLE IS TO OFFICIALLY NOMINATE PRESIDENT TRUMP, EVEN THOUGH HE PRETTY MUCH DOES HAVE ZONE UP SINCE SUPER TUESDAY.

THANKS.

PRIMARY VOTERS.

THEY ALSO HAVE TO OFFICIALLY ADOPT THE PARTY PLATFORM, WHICH HAS BEEN VERY MUCH SHAPED BY FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP.

IT'S JUST 16 PAGES DOWN FROM 66 IN 2016 REALLY SOFTENS.

THE PARTY STANDS ON ABORTION, SAYING THOSE SORTS OF RESTRICTIONS SHOULD BE LEFT UP TO THE STATES.

BUT DESPITE THAT POTENTIAL SNAG, A LOT OF ILLINOIS DELEGATES, A LOT OF DELEGATES RIGHT AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE VERY AGAINST ABORTION RIGHTS THAT PASSED A QUITE EASILY ON A VOICE VOTE EARLIER TODAY.

HEATHER DEMOCRATS HAVE RESPONDED TO THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT BY A PULLING ADS.

GOVERNOR PRITZKER IS NO LONGER IN MILWAUKEE.

WHY THAT SHIFT?

WELL, PART OF IT WAS JUST SAFETY CONCERNS ABOUT TRAVEL AND AND SO ON.

IT WAS AN ATTEMPT TO DE-ESCALATE THIS SORT OF VIOLENT RHETORIC AND THE AGGRESSIVE RHETORIC.

IT PUTS THE DEMOCRATS IN A BIT OF A BIND, RIGHT?

BECAUSE DURING THE RNC, WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING IS ATTACK ATTACK, ATTACK AND BOLSTERING THEIR OWN CANDIDATE.

IF IT HAPPENED, THEY'RE BEING AGGRESSIVE AND TURNING UP THE TEMPERATURE IN A WAY THEY DON'T WANT TO AND IT'S HARD FOR THEM TO SUPPORT THEIR OWN CANDIDATE.

WHEN THERE'S SOME DOUBT, THIS IS GOING TO BE OUR CANDIDATE MOVING FORWARD FOR THIS FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

SO IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT POSITION.

COULD THIS BE A MOMENT TO BRING THE CONVERSATION BACK TO THE CAMPAIGN ISSUES AND, YOU KNOW, AWAY FROM THE CONVERSATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE CANDIDATES AGE OR FITNESS TO BE PRESIDENT.

EXACTLY FOCUS IN ON ISSUES DECISIONS WHO'S LIKE ABORTION RIGHTS AND SO ON AND THINGS THAT RNC IS TRYING TO SHOW US OFTEN STANCE ON.

BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS THE REALITY OF THE FEELING OF THE BASE.

THEY'RE SOFTENING THEIR STANCE ON THAT.

SO THEY COULD DEFINITELY TAKE A TURN TOWARDS THE ISSUES AS HE PUT IT.

NIC, WHAT IS THE DELEGATION LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS UPCOMING WEEK?

WELL, THE FOLKS THAT I SPOKE TO TODAY ARE OBVIOUSLY VERY EXCITED ALL IN ABOUT A RE NOMINATING PRESIDENT TRUMP, BUT THEY ALL HAVE THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL ISSUES THAT ANIMATE THEM.

WE HEARD FROM A FIRST-TIME CANDIDATE WHO ACTUALLY BECAME A U.S. CITIZEN ORIGINALLY FROM ITALY BECAUSE HE WANTED TO PARTICIPATE YET ALL SORTS OF ISSUES LIKE BORDER SECURITY, MAKING SURE THE POLICE ARE FUNDED, TAKING CARE OF VETERANS.

WE HEARD FROM ONE FIRST TIME OR WHO SAID SHE'S BEEN WATCHING THIS AND SHE WAS A LITTLE GIRL.

SHE'S EXCITED FOR THIS AS SORT OF AN EVENT.

IT REALLY IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, YOU KNOW, THESE DELEGATES TO MINGLE, TO POLITIC, TO GET TO KNOW, FOLKS.

SHE REALLY WANTS TO SEE THAT BIG BALL DROP.

WE ALL KNOW AND WE ALSO HEARD FROM ONE FIRST TIME OR BROKE HER FOOT.

BUT SHE SAID SHE WOULD CRAWL TO GET HERE IF SHE HAD TO.

SHE'S PARTICULARLY ANIMATED BY THE ISSUE OF WHAT SHE SEES AS LIBERAL INFLUENCE IN SCHOOL CURRICULA.

THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF CONSERVATIVE AND PARTICULARLY FAR-RIGHT, ILLINOIS AND AROUND THE STATE RECENT A BROKEN FOOT.

THAT IS UNFORTUNATE.

BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE SHE WAS STILL ABLE TO MAKE IT HAPPY FOR HER THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO DO THANKS TO OUR POLITICS TEAM AMANDA VICKI HAD OR SHARON NICK BLUMBERG AND OF COURSE HINDER HEATHER HENDERSHOT FOR JOINING US HERE IN STUDIO.

AND THAT IS OUR PROGRAM FOR RIGHT NOW FOR THIS EVENING AT 5.30 BUT YOU CAN SEE MUCH MORE WBTW NEWS COVERAGE ON OUR WEBSITE.

OF COURSE, W T TW DOT COM SLASH NEWS AND STAY TUNED NOW FOR PBS NEWS HOURS LIVE COVERAGE OF THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION AND JOIN US AGAIN FOR CONVENTION WRAP-UP LIVE HERE AT 10:00PM.

NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT CHICAGO TONIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE.

WE'LL SEE YOU AT 10.

CLOSED CAPTION WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY ROBERT, A AND CLIFFORD PERSONAL INJURY, LAW