MILWAUKEE (AP) — Republican National Convention celebrates former president Donald Trump Not just as a party leader, but as a living martyr. Assassin’s Bullet And after our overwhelming victory in November, I am ready to get to work on behalf of ordinary Americans.
The portrayal of unity, including his first speech since he was wounded in last Saturday’s assassination attempt, was an attempt to erase the image of a man whose presidency was mired in chaos and infighting and ended with a violent riot at the U.S. Capitol. Democrats have repeatedly used footage from that day to try to block his return, highlighting repeated use of inflammatory and hardline rhetoric.
Inside the arena in Milwaukee, he was an “American folk hero” and a “powerful commander in chief” who had survived by a “miracle.” To the left, he remains a threat to democracy with an authoritarian agenda.
There’s still plenty of campaigning left before the election and it remains to be seen how effective the conflicting messages are, but it’s been a shocking four days for Republicans, with three presidential elections reshaped by Trump’s personality and politics.
Here are some takeaways from the final part of the Wisconsin Republican rally.
Trump promised to “serve the nation” (but…)
Trump, who failed to win the popular vote in two attempts, began his speech with the bombast typical of inaugural addresses.
“The discord and divisions in our society must be healed. As Americans, we are bound by one destiny, a common destiny,” he said. “I’m running to be president for all of America, not for half of America, because winning for half of America is not a victory.”
It was a stark change from his reception at his first party convention in Cleveland eight years earlier, when he painted a dark side to American life and proclaimed, “I alone can fix it.”
Initially, Trump seemed to be trying to present himself as neither partisan nor bitter: still a big man, but one who would use his position for the good of the country. But as soon as he called for an end to the “demonization of political opponents,” he immediately pointed the finger solely at Democrats. He reiterated his accusation that his conviction and other prosecutions were the result of the weaponization of the justice system, and responded to criticism that he was upending democracy by insisting, “I’m the one who’s going to save democracy.”
Republicans on the convention floor welcomed the idea, but it was arguably aimed at a more cautious demographic: swing voters and occasional voters who are essential to Republicans’ chances of winning the kind of sweep they spoke of in Milwaukee.
Trump tried to humanize his image by talking about the assassination attempt.
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The former president spoke vividly about the injury he sustained on Saturday and the experience that nearly cost him his life.
“You’ll never hear this story from me again because it’s just too painful,” he said, recounting at length the “beautiful day” that took that fateful turn. He recalled a “loud whoosh” and realized his hearing was damaged. He praised Secret Service agents but made no mention of the criticism the agency has received in Washington.
“I felt a sense of calm,” he said.
“It is only by the grace of Almighty God that I stand before you on this stage,” Trump continued, echoing the same idea of divine intervention that spilled out from the stage during the convention. “I should not have been here tonight,” he said, as delegates responded by shouting, “Yes! Yes!”
The stage was decorated with the uniform of former fire chief Cory Comperatore, who was killed behind Trump. It was powerful theatrics and storytelling. When Trump returns to the post-convention rallies, it will be interesting to see whether the former presidents stick to their insistence that they never speak again about the assassination attempt that shocked the nation.
Brandman rebrands — with limitations
The name and persona of Trump have been ubiquitous for decades. Long before he first ran for president, Americans and the world knew the gold letters “TRUMP” and saw him say “You’re fired!” on his hit show, “The Apprentice.” He took control of the Republican Party and was sworn in as president in 2016 as an unashamedly bombastic political outsider.
The convention program sought to portray the former president as a kinder, more compassionate man determined to help people individually and help Americans across the country. Alina HabbaTrump’s lawyer, Steve Witkoff, spoke of Trump’s “character, his kindness and his commitment to trying to save this great country.” A personal friend, Steve Witkoff described Trump as a music lover and someone who “shows up in the darkest hours, listens and always acts.”
During a break in his speech on Thursday, video of Trump lit up the arena with a different vibe. A stern-looking Trump said Democrats were “destroying our country. … They’re cheating. And, frankly, that’s the only thing they’re good at. … Crush them. They can’t cheat.”
Ahead of the speech, Trump hosted several notable figures from the world of professional fighting, including retired wrestler Hulk Hogan and Linda McMahon, former president and CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment. McMahon perhaps most blatantly attempted to reconcile conflicting messages. “Donald Trump is not just a fighter, ladies and gentlemen,” she said. “He’s a good person.”
Perhaps that sent a confusing message.
Sure, it’s possible to reconcile an aggressive politician with a caring image of a man who loves music, his friends, his family and even Americans he doesn’t know.
But selling Trump as someone who is determined to fight for those “ordinary Americans” is one thing; selling him as someone who bombards entire walks of life with blatant attacks on Americans and is still fighting for a presidential election he lost is another. Voters who believe his false claims about 2020 and embrace his onslaught are already on Trump’s side. Trump is trying to expand his base, and he needs to, at least if Republicans want the landslide victory in November that he spoke of in Milwaukee.
Another term lacks detail
Trump has made sweeping promises to end inflation and secure the border. “Republicans have a plan to bring energy prices down very quickly,” he said, without specifying what that plan was.
He said, “Drill, baby, drill” and “Cut taxes.” He falsely suggested Democrats want to raise taxes “four times” what they are now.
The most specific promises were to roll back the Biden administration’s efforts to fight climate change, direct all infrastructure spending to “roads and bridges,” and impose high tariffs.
Republican leaders said ahead of the convention that Mr. Trump should lay out a clear vision for what a second presidency would look like, but if he did, it would likely be limited to broad outlines and rely primarily on populist talking points.
Trump barely mentioned Biden or Harris.
Many Republican speakers this week have been poised to condemn not only President Joe Biden but also his vice president. Kamala HarrisIt’s an apparent move to prepare the party for the possibility that Biden, 81, will end his campaign and Democrats will turn to his No. 2.
Trump himself barely mentioned the Democratic incumbent, saying “I’m only going to say it once” after naming Biden, and at another point simply referring to “this guy.”
The approach is: The Democratic Party is in FluxTrump remains uncertain about who he will actually face in the fall, which may reflect how confident he is of victory — perhaps he no longer sees a confrontation with Biden at all.
