MILWAUKEE — Monday's kick-off press briefing for the Republican National Convention earned a Bronx cheer from many of the more than 200 journalists gathered when organizers announced the affair was off-the-record.
"This is for planning purposes only," an unidentified convention official said from behind a Baird Center lectern atop a stage and adorned with American and Wisconsin flags. "Off-the-record."
A convention official then asked operators of more than a dozen television cameras perched on risers ringing the large ballroom to turn their cameras off, prompting many to leave.
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"Arrrrgh!" one cameraman grumbled, as other reporters — clearly caught by surprise — dropped muted f-bombs, muttered mild oaths and called their newsrooms with updates.
"Sorry for the confusion," Brian Hughes, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign told the gathered journalists a few minutes later before starting the off-the-record affair.
In advisories prior to the press briefing, there were no indications the event would be off-the-record.
Off-the-record means that what is discussed between the sources and journalists cannot be publicly reported by the journalists assembled.
Trump, who survived an assassination attempt on Saturday in Pennsylvania and arrived in Milwaukee on Sunday, is expected to officially become the Republican presidential nominee today in a roll call vote of delegates.
Fox News today reported that Trump will name is vice presidential running mate today.
