MILWAUKEE — Former President Donald Trump’s solemn 15-minute acceptance speech, in which he spoke of unity and reflected on the shooting that nearly took his own life Saturday, turned to the familiar rally-festival grievances that have become a hallmark of his campaign.
First, he promised to tell the story of how the shooting happened, and said it would be his only opportunity to talk about it.
“There was blood everywhere, but in some ways I felt very safe because I had God on my side,” Trump said. “… I shouldn’t be here tonight. … I’m not here, but I’m standing before you in this arena by the grace of Almighty God.”
“The divisions and the problems in our society must be healed, and they must be healed quickly,” Trump said, standing at a white podium in front of a mock White House.
“I’m running for president not for half of America, but for all of America, because winning for half of America is not a victory,” he said.
He spoke of “Crazy Nancy” Pelosi, demanded that Democrats end three pending felony criminal cases against him, promised to end the “invasion” of illegal immigrants, and complained that his first administration’s accomplishments were not given enough credit. He accused Democrats of stealing the 2020 election, mocked the media, and called COVID-19 the “Chinese virus.”
It was a striking opening for a candidate long criticized for divisive and harsh comments about the genocide, and whose friends, family and colleagues have said in recent days that the assassination attempt has fundamentally changed him.
Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.) said he thought the shooting had given Trump some perspective.
“He’s just had a near-death experience and I think it will cause everyone to introspect on what the job of a leader is. I don’t think it would be out of the ordinary for him to say, ‘This has gone too far. We need to fix our country. Political violence is extreme and should never be resorted to,'” Obernolte told USA Today.
The final night of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee was a mixed bag, with family anecdotes, rehearsed speeches and former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan taking off his shirt onstage.
Singer Kid Rock, performing in front of a screen showing a flame licking the American flag, called Trump “the most patriotic American thug on the planet.”
The crowd was energized, with jubilant delegates waving signs bearing slogans such as “Fire Joe Biden,” “America First Puts Americans First,” “Trump = Success, Biden = Failure” and “Bring Back Common Sense.”
The Texas delegation rocked cream-colored cowboy hats to the band, the California delegation wore special edition gold “Make America Great Again” hats, and not to be outdone, the Wisconsin delegation wore cheesehead hats.
Ruth Streck, 73, of Wisconsin, wore such a hat on her head while waiting for Trump to speak.
“I think he’s a voice for the average person, and we need more of that instead of bowing down to lobbyists and the big rich,” she said.
Will Trump’s image become softer?
The campaign’s attempts to show a softer side to Trump in the wake of the shooting continued Thursday night, with a series of speakers sharing personal anecdotes. The former president held his youngest granddaughter, Carolina Trump, on his lap as her father, Eric, addressed the crowd.
“Most Americans have only seen his leadership on television, but I’ve seen his humanity in the quiet moments away from the spotlight,” New York real estate developer Steve Witkoff said, recounting the president’s concern for him when his father died.
John Nieport, head pro at the Trump Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, praised Trump’s golfing skills and recalled the day Trump was hired.
Former conservative TV personality Tucker Carlson called him “the funniest person I’ve ever met.”
Missing Melania Trump finally turns up
Melania Trump, who had been absent from the VIP box all week, arrived at the Fiserv Forum just before her husband’s acceptance speech.
While President Trump’s adult sons and youngest daughter and their families are regulars in Milwaukee, his wife and eldest daughter Ivanka Trump and youngest son Barron Trump were absent Thursday.
They missed Trump’s formal nomination and his first appearance on the convention floor on Monday night, just two days after he was shot at a political rally in Pennsylvania, and have not spoken or appeared at any convention-related events.
Chairman urges President Biden to fire Secret Service director
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana said he called the White House on Thursday morning to ask President Joe Biden to fire Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle in the wake of the assassination attempt on President Trump.
Johnson, in an interview at an event hosted by CNN and Politico, said he had not had a chance to speak with the president.
Security at the convention remained tight following Saturday’s shooting.On Wednesday, a group of U.S. senators confronted and pursued Cheatle at the Republican National Convention.
Lawmakers are due to receive classified briefings on the shooting from the Secret Service and FBI next week, but Johnson called on the administration to release the information so the American public can know.
“The danger is that we allow doubt to linger on this issue,” Johnson said, noting that conspiracy theories could “fester”.
Focus on Biden/Harris despite Republican National Convention wrapping up
Despite it being the final day of national attention on the Republican National Convention, attention was already beginning to shift to the question of whether President Joe Biden would remain the nominee or cave in to growing pressure from Democratic leadership and step aside, allowing a new candidate to take on President Trump.
The talks are expected to continue behind closed doors as Biden spends time with his family in Rehoboth Beach and recovers from COVID-19.
more:Brutal split screen: Biden holed up with coronavirus while Trump accepts nomination
In recent days, Democratic House and Senate leaders have been discussing directly with Biden about polls that show a declining chance of him winning the House or retaining control of the Senate if he continues to campaign.
Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), one of the first Democrats to call for Biden to withdraw, said Thursday he had directly conveyed his concerns to former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) about Biden’s health and his ability to clearly communicate his message.
“Nancy is a senior leader and I believe she is the most talented politician in the Democratic Party. She has a great relationship with the president and his team and all the members of Congress. She has led and directed and spoken to people about the best path forward, and I think the way she has done that has been very productive,” he said.
