Former candidate Mike Huckabee talks Trump at the RNC

CLEVELAND (WJBK) - Former rival presidential candidates were the talk of the Republican National Convention Thursday.

One of whom was former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who spoke one-on-one with Roop Raj in Cleveland about the Donald Trump he knows away from the spotlight and knows the family very well.

"I had conversations with all of his children individually," Huckabee said. "I just find this to be a family that America could be happy to know is in the white house. I think it's the side of the Trump family that we needed to see as a country."

We know Donald, you now know Melania, now we're getting to know the kids.

Former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee knows the Trump family well. more on that in a moment. but first, the man who isn't family yet but is being welcomed like he is: Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.

"(He is) able to step up and be introduced to America, a lot of people don't know him," Huckabee said. "It will be significant and I think a wonderful night. Because I expect Mike Pence will deliver a terrific speech."

Back to family matters - on Tuesday Donald Trump Jr. wowed the crowd  and Wednesday night, it was Eric Trump's turn. Huckabee says it's what he sees when the cameras aren't rolling that he think says a lot about the Trump family.

"I got to know them in the course of the campaign," Huckabee said. "One of the things that really was amazing was the relationship he had with his wife and adult children. It was just enviable. I'm talking about behind the scenes. Anybody can get on the stage and wave and smile and look like, 'Oh, what a wonderful American family' and get offstage and not even speak to each other.

"But Donald Trump's relationship with his children is absolutely just delightful to watch. The respect they have for him, the intense sense of love that they show toward each other. This is in the private moments that aren't for public consumption.

Huckabee said that the real winners of conventions like these aren't always the ones that take the stage, but the delegates who sit in the audience who attend the meetings every month for their party.