UPDATE: Donald Trump‘s acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention started with a somber recounting of the assassination attempt last weekend, but then turned to extended, rally-esque rants on the state of the country under Joe Biden.
Going on for more than an hour, former president devoted a huge chunk of the speech to the southern border and illegal immigration, as he sprinkled in references to Hannibal Lecter and an “illegal immigrant invasion.”
“The worst that has ever been seen anywhere in the world,” Trump said, reflecting a common theme throughout that week that has seen some delegates waving “Mass Deportations Now” signs.
The later part of Trump’s speech meandered, as he addressed illegal immigration, then electric vehicle subsidies, then the border again, and back to clean energy. He sprinkled it in with asides as he thanked different people from the week. At one point, as he talked of crime in the U.S., he joked that if Democrats won, the next GOP convention would be in Venezuela “because it will be safe.”
The tone is typical of a Trump rally, but certainly different for a convention and its TV audience.
He did end the speech with a call for ending division, saying that if he wins the country will be “more united than ever before.”
PREVIOUSLY: Donald Trump opened his speech at the Republican National Convention tonight by recounting the assassination attempt on his life, telling delegates about the harrowing moments at his rally in Butler, PA.
The former president, in his first speech since the shooting, recalled how he had turned his head “and I was ready to begin a little bit further turn, which I am very lucky I didn’t do when I heard a loud whizzing sound, and felt something hit me, really, really hard on my right ear.”
“I said to myself, ‘Wow, what was that?’ It can only be a bullet, and moved my right hand to my ear…My hand was covered in blood. There was absolutely blood all over the place. I knew right them that it was very serious, that we were under attack.”
He said that he then “proceeded to drop to the ground” as the bullets continued to fly.
“The amazing thing is that prior to the shot, if I had not moved my head at the very last instant, the assassin’s bullet would have perfectly hit its mark, and I would not be here tonight,” Trump said.
“I’m not supposed to be here tonight,” Trump said, as delegates shouted, “Yes, you are.”
Against a backdrop of the White House, and with iconic images from Saturday’s shooting flashing on the screen, Trump in a slow, almost somber tone at times as he described the events, while saying that he was spared “only by the grace of almighty God.”
“I’ll tell you what happened, and you’ll never hear it from me a second time, because it’s too painful to tell,” Trump said.
He also noted that the crowd at the rally stayed, rather than fled, as the bullets rang out. By then, he was on the ground with the Secret Service protecting him. “The crowd was confused because they thought I was dead,” Trump said. “And there was great, great sorrow. I could see it on their faces as I looked down. They didn’t know I was looking at them. They thought it was over.”
“But I could see it. I wanted to do something to let them know I was OK. I raised my right arm, looked at the thousands and thousands of people that were breathlessly waiting, and started shouting, ‘Fight, fight, fight.’ Once my clenched fist went up, and it was high into the air … the crowd realized I was OK, and roared with pride for our country like no crowd I have every heard before.”
Trump also paid tribute to Corey Compertore, the rally attendee who was killed as he was protecting his family from the bullets. On stage with the former president was Compertore’s firefighter uniform and hat, which Trump kissed.
After the emotional moments of the start of the speech, Trump went into what was essentially a rally speech — Teleprompter reading sprinkled with lots of riffing — that repeated his broadsides against President Joe Biden on issues like immigration and the border and clean energy initiatives, as well as attacks a few attacks on the press (calling CBS News’ Face the Nation “Deface the Nation”). He also referred to a topic that has been barely mentioned through the week — that the 2020 election was stolen, as he accused Democrats of “cheating” on elections.
The final night of the convention also was infused with doses of Vegas-like, arena-style showmanship.
Trump’s speech followed a spectacle of Hulk Hogan tearing off his shirt, Kid Rock performing an extended rap, UFC’s Dana White chosen to introduce the president. All pointed to the idea that the former president would bring “strength and security,” an implicit contrast to Joe Biden, in isolation with Covid.
Walking out to Lee Greenwood singing, once again this week, God Bless the USA, Trump the appeared on the stage to gigantic stage lights spelling out “TRUMP,” reminiscent of the set design for Elvis’ 1968 comeback special.
