On the big stage, Trump was subdued


On this, his biggest night of the Republican National Convention, the question was which Donald J. Trump would show up — the generous, caring, warm-hearted, person described by his friends and family, or the slashing, bragging, biting, mocking, vain and thin-skinned president we have come to know.

As always, it was his show

Always the showman and master of TV, after being introduced by daughter Ivanka, he made his entrance with Melania down a curved stairway from the balcony, mimicking the iconic escalator ride he took to announce his candidacy five years ago. In a deep blue suit and regimental blue tie with red stripes, he looked relaxed, confident. . . Presidential.

His was a long speech that seemed even longer because he stayed on the TelePrompTer and didn’t treat the audience (seated on folding chairs without social distance) to some of the wild verbal loop de loops that come when he starts to wing it. 

What we got was pretty much his standard stump speech, mostly low key, and mostly a laundry list of accomplishments, most of which were mentioned by earlier speakers, but, yeah, he gets to recite them, too.

Since he had an audience, this was the one event in either convention to feel like a convention, with people cheering and leaping to their feet. Also better-then-Biden fireworks at the end, with some spelling out “2020.“

Traditional acceptance speeches by incumbents usually lay out what they will do in the next four years, as the candidates re-applies for the job.

Trump did none of that until the end, and then it was a long paragraph. Some of the new items included landing a woman on the Moon, planting our flag on Mars, creating 10 million jobs in 10 months, further reducing taxes and regulations, bringing back our medical supply chains, and banning Sanctuary Cities, which I don’t think he can do.

His undisputed list of achievements in his first four years include a big tax cut, smashing regulations, appointing almost 300 federal judges, two Supreme Court appointments, a great economy (until coronavirus), record low unemployment, building up the military, improving the V.A., prison reform, the Space Force, moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, U.S. energy independence, record funding to Black colleges, replacing NAFTA with USMCA, breaking some other treaties, and rescuing hostages from unfriendly hands.

Well, enough with the unpaid PR.

Here’s a phrase you will be hearing more of: The best is yet to come.

Here is another: Joe Biden is a Trojan horse for socialism.

Trump, and others, repeatedly referred to the Democrats as radical socialists, but Trump was so presidential he didn’t once refer to him as Slow Joe. Or Sleepy Joe.

He did say at the Democratic convention, “Joe Biden and his party repeatedly assailed America as a land of racial, economic, and social injustice.” In that case, he asked, “How can the Democrat Party ask to lead our country when it spends so much time tearing down our country?”

In what I will call the undercard, Ivanka did a good job of warming up the crowd for her father, who she called “the people’s president,” whose tweets are “a bit unfiltered.“

The biggest emotional punch of the night came from Carl and Marsha Mueller, whose daughter Kayla was the humanitarian social worker kidnapped by ISIS and held for 18 months. The Muellers held up a picture of their daughter while relating that she was tortured and repeatedly raped before being murdered. They held President Barack Obama responsible for not rescuing her, nor allowing them to negotiate with the terrorists, which is against U.S. law. I think they were unfair, but I have never been in their shoes.

In the first hour there was a video tribute to the American Athlete, with a lot of action shots, and video of championship teams meeting with the president in the White House. There was no mention of teams that declined that honor.

Nor was there any mention during the evening of the American athletes who are currently boycotting their sports.

On the other hand, there was a lot of mention of unrest, riots and violence in U.S. cities run by Democrats, but the briefest mention of racial injustice.

Each party has nominated a white, male septuagenarian.

May the best man win. 

13 thoughts on “On the big stage, Trump was subdued”

  1. HAPPY FRIDAY !!!
    Stu,
    Apparently, you and H.G. sleep in shifts. It seems that you are up at various times. Same here. This week, more than last week, was a very good reason to stay awake and watch the show.
    I want to thank you for “taking the high road”, most of the time. You didn’t like Donald Trump, the builder, and you don’t like ( despise ) OUR President Trump with a socialist passion !
    The entire RNC was one of positive actions by a people that want what is better for all of the people of the United States of America. Our President continued on the high road giving his speech. He spoke of his actions for the first term, staying positive. Those actions brought more positive actions throughout the term. Again. Imagine what could have been accomplished with some help from what should be the loyal opposition !
    I feel the need to point out to you, my friend, that you missed the obvious. The entire convention was about the people of America. Who better to deliver the message than those that have been affected ? It has a greater impact when a pardoned criminal speaks than it does from the jury. A lobster fisherman gets a better price for his catch. A lumberjack is back up and running with a bigger work force.
    Your low blow was directed at grieving parents. It is routine for those in governments to either negotiate or cause to negotiate. It is quietly permitted to happen when the government doesn’t want to get involved. To not find fault with an administration that accomplished very little is an one sided story that needs to be told. Somehow pallie, you missed the obvious. Maybe you are too driven by the famous TDS . ( Trump deranged syndrome )
    The next four years, hopefully, will see America come together. We were good way back when. We let greed and corruption rear its ugly head and try to destroy my beloved country. I didn’t join the service because I had nothing better to do for six years. I haven’t stayed involved because I would rather not watch T.V.. Because I love my country. I want what is best for all of us. Not a chosen few. Finally, there is a President that agrees with us down here in the trenches. Make America Great Again for all of us red blooded Americans !
    VOTE REPUBLICAN and DRAIN THE SWAMP !
    Tony

    1. Dear Tony,

      Yes!! The people!

      Ditto to everything you stated so well!
      And thanks.

      Tom

  2. I am joining you in the “I’m not voting for either.” A pox on all the lying, corrupt politicians from both sides.

  3. May the best man win? Really? Here I was hoping to vote for the lesser of two evils.

  4. Philadelphia, PA

    Dear Stu & readers,

    May the best man win, and may they both improve along the way.

    H.G. Callaway

    1. may the best man win. you really should come out into the real world.
      Mr. Trump, as I call him, the “Great Exaggerator “, has done more by accident than all of those dimocrats put together ! again. this is not the democrat party that we were fortunate enough to grow up with.

  5. Observations and thoughts..no particular order

    Former D, now R, Rep Jeff Van Drew NJ…appeal to other D’s..”be true to who you are, Now.” In other words, examine your conscience. (I wish Brendon Boyle, my rep.would). He stated that many in the House of Representatives are threatened by Pelosi if they don’t abide to the party line. That’s why he switched parties.

    Stacia Brightman, Military. Apprenticeship Program Graduate, was homeless for three years.

    Last night I was thinking of the last four years and all the wasted and illegal effort to remove a president. Swamp dwellers, so intent on stopping him that they have damaged the country and deeply divided us, the “people”, all because of  power and “hate.” Their only thought was themselves and still is, which include RINO’s. They’d liked to see DC become a state…what a joke! There’s only one ‘Best Man”³ and it aint Joe ‘The Abider,’ Biden.

    Dr Ben Carson..said of the president “he’s one of us” something I always understood and felt.

    Did the professional athletes who went on “strike” take the time to watch Ann Dorn speak? (widow of Dan Dorn, retired black St Louis police Captain, then a security  guard, murdered by the rioters). They certainly had enough time. 

    Alice Johnson, criminal justice reform advocate, 23 years imprisonment (commutated), under the president’s First Step Act. Non violent crimes.

    There was so much more, all reaffirming my initial gut feeling of our President. Uplifting were “the people” testimonials and tributes. 

    Lastly, when Trump asked, “How can a Party lead it’s country when it is constantly tearing it down.?” My answer, even though a rhetorical question is by “reimagining.” God (a name unfamiliar to their platform) help us!

  6. Let’s face it: these two candidates are so far apart in their beliefs that their followers will not be swayed to vote for the other guy. It’s that ‘undecided’ in the middle — the 10% — that will shape the election. And you either vote for Trump, warts and all, and take four more years of sobbing by the Left, or vote for Biden and get ready for major changes to America — and not for the better, in my opinion. We survived Obama (“I’m going to fundamentally change America”), we’ll survive Trump. I’m not so sure we’ll survive Biden/Kamala Harris.

  7. I just saw a clip on FBC’s The Evening Edit of Kamala Harris from the Cobert Show in June:
    “….this will continue and it should…”ref the protesting and rioting. She said it emphatically several times!

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