West Michigan's Morning News
Setting the Stage for the RNC
Hey, have you ever used cheapo air? For years, and I really like it. With cheapo air, you can book online, use their app, or even over the phone. They've got great prices on over 500 airlines and millions of accommodations. There might go to for travel planning. And if you join their Club Miles program, you can earn points to save on the cost of your travel, book on the app, and you get double points. Sounds like it's time I tried cheapo air. Call cheapo air at 855-247-3279, or visit cheapoair.com/podcast. And this is West Michigan's Morning News. Steve Kelly, Tony Brooks, and for Brett today. Smitty back soon. Rory O'Neill in Milwaukee this morning. NBC News Radio National correspondent. Good morning, Rory. Morning, Steve. I can't imagine and we'll get to the amount of security at this thing. We still don't know much about the shooter following that assassination attempt. No, pretty remarkable how little information there is. They're trying to figure out now what the motive may have been. We know that the man was a registered Republican, but that doesn't really tell us much of anything about the shooter. A 20-year-old man who was somehow able to get on this rooftop and fire multiple shots at the president before he was taken out by a sharp shooter working for the Secret Service. So still many questions about the man's background, but exactly how that shooting and the assassination attempt change what's going to happen here in Milwaukee. Doesn't seem like security precautions are going to be changing much. We had early reports that the president obviously seeking medical attention, but still keeping the schedule to head there. Yeah, he arrived here last night, actually. So he's already here and they've already changed up the schedule with the RNC. The former president is now expected to make some kind of an appearance tonight. Now, does he just walk out at stage or wave to the crowd? Does he give a speech? Does he come out alongside his running mate? That's the other big question. You know, going into this before the assassination attempt, we thought the big story out of Milwaukee would be the finally getting the announcement of a running mate, but now obviously that has changed. And even the theming, perhaps, of the week is going to change. The former president posting on truth social last night, after President Biden's speech, he said unite America. And apparently they're going through all the speeches that are set for this week, trying to make sure that theme is included, maybe toning down some of the other rhetoric that had been included. Talk to us a little bit about what must be a lockdown following that event with security at this event, even including you. Yeah, they're still putting in, or as of last night, they were still installing some of the barricades that are going to be enforced during this week of events. You know, Milwaukee's a pretty good-sized city. So to shut down the city and the heart of it for at least four days is pretty remarkable in and of itself. Now, we did get a brief update from the local woman who's been running the Secret Service planning and operation here for more than a year. She says they're not really going to change their plan here, that there are so many layers of security. It's a national event, which is like the highest security level they give, so she says, look, we've already planned for all contingencies here. We're just going to stick by the plan that we implemented. She did not comment on the ongoing investigation about what happened in Pennsylvania, whether or not that was a lone gunman or what may have unfolded there. But she said they're confident in the plans they have in place. Rory O'Neill, NBC News Radio, National Correspondent in Milwaukee this morning. Thanks for your time today.