Donald J. Trump is different now. His near-death experience last Saturday has changed him. As he walked into the Finserv Forum on Monday night, the opening night of the GOP convention in Milwaukee, it was evident that he was deeply moved by the roar of the crowd; he appeared to be on the verge of tears. When he watched his granddaughter Kai speak on Wednesday, his face lit up with pride. He beamed from ear to ear as she spoke about her loving and involved grandfather.
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On Thursday, the final night of the convention, Trump was grinning like a child as Hulk Hogan took the stage, and again when another young granddaughter sat on his lap. This was a side of Donald Trump we had never seen before. His guard was down; he seemed genuinely happy and perhaps grateful to be alive.
This transformation is crucial for Candidate Trump, who has been portrayed by the media as a cartoonish villain for years. For the first time, he emerged from the Republican convention as a relatable human being.
The convention concluded with four days of buoyant, heartfelt, and at times electrifying events. The Republican Party came together to support their nominee, now officially their candidate for president. The crowd enthusiastically welcomed former first lady Melania Trump and cheered for the warm-up speakers. They chanted “four more years” with Eric Trump, rocked with Kid Rock, prayed with Franklin Graham, and fist-pumped with Hulk Hogan.
The highlight of the night was Donald Trump’s speech. Just days after narrowly escaping an assassination attempt, he thanked God for his deliverance. In the aftermath of the shooting, he decided to discard his original “very tough” speech and instead spoke about the importance of uniting the country.
At first, his early prepared remarks were pitch-perfect for the moment. He talked about his experience 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.
He brought, as he said, “a message of confidence, strength, and hope.” He promised the crowd, “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 heated, it is a message voters want to hear. This was also true four years ago when Joe Biden promised to bring the country together. Biden’s failure to deliver on that promise makes Trump’s pledge even more meaningful.
Trump promised to resurrect the American Dream and bring back common sense. He vowed on Day One of his administration to rebuild energy independence and secure the border. He declared he would end the push for electric vehicles and criticized UAW leadership for embracing policies that could harm their workers. He promised prosperity for the middle class and spoke about the future with enthusiasm and optimism.
But, as he often does, he went well beyond his teleprompter remarks—way beyond. One wag tweeted: When they said “four more years,” Trump misunderstood.
He couldn’t 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 not to mention the current president by name, but slipped up once, saying the damage done by Joe Biden was “unthinkable.” He spoke too long, revisited the same issues too many times, and left his “unity” message hanging by a thread.
In my view, he deserved to do whatever he wanted. This was his moment, and it was his prerogative. Donald Trump has endured so much over 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 didn’t care. They were with him throughout, happy to remember and celebrate the years when he was in the Oval Office: 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 revealed a deep and promising bench for the future. The ordinary Americans who shared 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.