Takeaways From Trump's RNC Speech

It had a gripping start, but soon became a standard Trump speech, analysts say
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 19, 2024 8:03 AM CDT
Takeaways From Trump's RNC Speech
Donald Trump stands on stage with Melania Trump after speaking during the Republican National Convention.   (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

Donald Trump broke his own record for the longest televised presidential acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention Thursday night and analysts say it was a tale of two speeches: A gripping and emotional recounting of Saturday's assassination attempt, followed by a more conventional rally speech. The former president opened with "a personal story infinitely more compelling than those of most other presidential candidates," Jeff Greenfield writes at Politico. But the shooting seemed to have "no impact at all on the remainder of his meandering and occasionally bizarre speech," Greenfield writes. Some takeaways:

  • Biden was only mentioned once. Trump repeatedly attacked President Biden's policies but only mentioned his rival by name once, saying the "damage he has done to this country is unthinkable," the BBC reports. Before the speech, his campaign told reporters Trump would not say Biden's name at all. Trump also attacked Nancy Pelosi, calling her "crazy."

  • No coherent theme. The opening 15 minutes had many powerful moments, including when Trump said, "I'm not supposed to be here tonight," and the crowd responded, "Yes you are," writes Aaron Blake at the Washington Post. But the remainder, he writes, lacked the "coherent, lofty theme that defines traditional presidential convention fare." It was, Blake writes, "undifferentiated from a normal Trump stump speech."
  • An "indelible image." Trump's account of the assassination attempt "displayed a vulnerability and humility that most people had never seen before," Matthew Continetti of the American Enterprise Institute writes at the New York Times. "And when he kissed the fireman's helmet of Corey Comperatore, the husband and father who was killed during last weekend's shooting, Trump created yet another indelible image."
  • The crowd grew restless. Trump spoke for an hour and 33 minutes, and Reuters reports that "delegates on the convention hall floor appeared to stare at their phones during the speech's latter stages, a relatively rare occurrence at Trump events." Politico reports that Trump spoke for 40 minutes after his family left their private box at what may have been the intended time for him to finish.
(More Donald Trump 2024 stories.)

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