Republicans are going to spend the next four days in an awkward/celebratory embrace of Donald Trump, making official what Republican primary voters decided back in May: He's going to be their presidential nominee. If you are remotely interested in politics, it's going to be a fun week. Since the convention officially started Monday afternoon, let's devote Monday's newsletter to everything you need to know about it. The convention's purpose: To nominate the party's presidential and vice-presidential nominees. How parties do that has changed over time. Up until the late '60s or so, conventions were the nominating process. But to avoid all the drama that comes from backroom dealing, party leaders have since given states the power to nominate the candidates. So today's conventions are little more than a formality.  Balloons for Paul Ryan after he and Mitt Romney got nominated in 2012. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) Fun fact to throw out at dinner: The last Republican convention where the outcome was in any doubt was in 1976, when Ronald Reagan almost won enough delegates to take the nomination from President Gerald Ford. The convention's actual purpose: Because their outcome is predetermined, modern day conventions now mostly exist to introduce a party's rising stars to the rest of the nation. Conventions garner some of the biggest TV audiences of the campaign — at least the last night does, anyway, which is when the nominee will actually be crowned.  (Philip Bump / The Washington Post) Potentially awkward moment: Given the convention exists to help the party put its best public face forward, it's notable that so many Republican lawmakers and leaders are skipping it — most of the 24 Senate Republicans up for reelection are, which is many more than for any other convention in modern history, according to a historian I talked to. What to expect: Four nights of pageantry. Trump's four children will speak; so will his wife. Party leaders, such as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), will give keynote speeches. But like every convention, there will also be some celebrity-ness to the proceedings.  Willie Robertson and Donald Trump, besties. (J Pat Carter/AP) Willie Robertson of "Duck Dynasty" will give a talk. Scott Baio — Chachi from "Happy Days" — will, too. NFL star Tim Tebow (hey, I'm a Broncos fan!) might be there. So will Antonio Sabato Jr. — a former Calvin Klein underwear model and star of "General Hospital" and of the 2009 reality TV show "My Antonio," where women competed to become his girlfriend. (We had to Google him, too.)  Antonio Sabato Jr., ladies. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) | 
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