Memorable moments from the Republican National Convention

MacArthur’s bad speech

1952

Before the advent of primary elections, party insiders chose the presidential candidates after hearing from all the candidates at the convention. Gen. Douglas MacArthur delivered a keynote speech during the 1952 convention in Chicago that was so bad it boosted his rival, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, to the Republican nomination. The New York Times reported that “one could feel the electricity gradually running out of the room” during MacArthur’s speech.

Reagan’s vice president pick

1980

Ronald Reagan was already a major Republican star thanks to his powerful speech at the 1976 convention, but the former California governor really shocked Republicans when he picked George H.W. Bush as his running mate. Reagan had hoped that former President Gerald Ford would accept Reagan’s request to be his running mate. Instead, Reagan came to the podium a day earlier than planned and announced Bush. NPR described it as “one of the truly unscripted, unexpected moments in recent convention history.” Reagan and Bush went on to win the 1980 election in a historic landslide.

‘Read my lips: no new taxes’

1988

Vice President George H.W. Bush became instantly quotable following his acceptance speech of the Republican nomination in New Orleans in 1998. “Read my lips: no new taxes,” he said. It helped catapult him to the White House but later helped to cause his downfall, as the economy tanked during his term and he worked with Democrats in Congress to create new taxes to cover deficits. The quote was used in attack ads in 1992 against him.

Sarah Palin’s ‘lipstick’ speech

2008

Republican presidential candidate John McCain shocked the country when he picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, but Palin delivered on the big stage during her speech at the convention in Minnesota. She rocketed out of obscurity to fame with a joke — “You know what they say the difference is between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick!” — and became the first woman placed on a Republican presidential ticket.

Clint Eastwood talks to a chair

2012

Famous actor/director Clint Eastwood became one of the Republicans’ biggest celebrity speakers in years in a surprise appearance at the convention in Tampa. His 11-minute rambling and improvised speech to an empty chair meant to represent President Barack Obama was well received by the convention crowd but largely panned by the media. Many snippets were incoherent. “You’re an ecological man. Why would you want to drive that truck around? OK, well, anyway. All right, I’m sorry. I can’t do that to myself either,” Eastwood said. Film critic Roger Ebert wrote at the time, “Clint, my hero, is coming across as sad and pathetic.”

Plagiarism, protests and notable absences

2016

The RNC in Cleveland was chaotic to say the least. Protests from liberal and left-wing activists roiled outside the convention arena for four days straight, calling on Trump and Republicans to leave the city. Inside had moments of tension, too. Several prominent Republicans skipped the convention to distance themselves from Trump, including former President George W. Bush and Sen. John McCain. A group of delegates sought to unbind themselves from Trump, but the effort was ultimately unsuccessful. Melania Trump also gave a speech with plagiarized quotes from first lady Michelle Obama. Regardless, Trump and Republicans swept into office that year.