Donald J. Trump is different. His close brush with death last Saturday has changed him. As he walked into the Finserv Forum on Monday night, the first night of the GOP convention in Milwaukee, the former president was quite clearly moved by the roar of the crowd; he looked on the verge of tears. As he watched his granddaughter Kai speak on Wednesday, he was beaming from ear to ear, clearly proud as a peacock that this beautiful young woman had asked if she could speak the truth about her grandfather – what a caring and involved person he was, and how much she loved him.
And on Thursday, the last night of the convention, Trump was smiling like a kid as Hulk Hogan roared and blustered, and again when a young granddaughter came to sit on his lap. This is a Donald Trump we have never seen before. His guard was down; he was genuinely having fun, grateful perhaps to be alive.
Nothing could be more important for Candidate Trump, who has been vilified by the media for years and cast as a cartoonish, ghoulish villain. Trump emerged from the Republican convention a relatable human being, perhaps for the first time.
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At the end of four buoyant, heartfelt and sometimes electrifying days, the Republican Party gathering came together to embrace their nominee and now officially their candidate for president of the United States. The crowd enthusiastically welcomed the arrival of former first lady Melania Trump, and also the warm-up speakers, shouting “four more years” with Eric Trump, rocking with Kid Rock, praying with Franklin Graham and fist-pumping with Hulk Hogan.
But the highlight of the night was finally hearing from Donald Trump, who just a few days earlier had nearly been killed by a young man with a rifle, and who thanked God for his deliverance from that near-miss. In the hours after the shooting, the former president said he had torn up the “very tough” speech he had intended to deliver, and instead would be addressing the nation on the importance of bringing the country together.
That he did, at first. His early prepared remarks were pitch perfect for the moment. He talked about what he experienced at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where he was nearly assassinated, and called for a moment of silence for Corey Comperatore, the volunteer fire chief who was tragically killed shielding his family from the bullets.
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He brought, as he said, “a message of confidence, strength, and hope.” He promised the crowd that “Four months from now, we will have an incredible victory, and we will begin the four greatest years in the history of our country.”
Further, he told his fellow Republicans, “I am running to be president for ALL of America, not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America.” At a time when our country appears hopelessly divided, and when the nation’s political rhetoric has become dangerously hot, it is a message voters want to hear. That was also true four years ago, when Joe Biden promised to bring the country together. That he has failed to deliver on that promise makes Trump’s pledge even more meaningful.
Trump promised to resurrect the American Dream and to bring back common sense. He vowed on Day One of his administration to rebuild our energy independence and to secure our border. He declared he would end the push for electric vehicles and slammed the UAW leadership for embracing policies which could harm their workers. He promised prosperity for the middle class. He spoke about the future with enthusiasm and optimism.
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But, as he is wont to do, he went well beyond his teleprompter remarks…way beyond. Some wag tweeted: When they said “four more years,” Trump misunderstood.
He could not help himself. In addition to touting the many achievements of his presidency, he attacked the numerous failures and general incompetence of the current “administration.” He had vowed he would not mention the current president by name, but slipped up once, saying the damage done by Joe Biden was “unthinkable.” He spoke too long, went over the same issues too many times, and left his “unity” message hanging by a thread.
My view: he deserved to do whatever he wanted. This was his moment and it was his prerogative. Donald Trump has been through so much in the past several years: the dishonest paid-for Russia hoax, the impeachments, the bogus lawfare, the indictments and constant, relentless attacks from the establishment, the media and his political opponents. If he wanted to ramble on for an extra 20 minutes, who cares?
The convention audience did not care. They were with him throughout, happy to remember and celebrate the years when he was in the Oval Office and inflation was low, the border was secure, the world was at peace, we achieved energy independence and the economy was strong.
This was, overall, a Republican convention for the ages – inspirational, moving, and well-organized. The many GOP speakers reveal a deep and promising bench for the future. The ordinary Americans who contributed their life stories, their tragedies and victories, touched all who heard them.
If the campaign is as intelligently managed as the convention, Donald Trump may well become our next president.
