What They Are Saying About: Donald Trump's 2016 Republican National Convention Speech
Donald Trump’s RNC address could mark the start of an American revival (New York Post, 7/21/16)
Donald Trump needed to give the speech of his life–he did that, and much more. He laid out an inspiring American Manifesto for our troubled times.
And he did it his way.
Not surprisingly, from start to finish, it is muscular and bold, leavened only by appeals to racial harmony and pledges of compassion for all.
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He would unleash America’s energy production, use trade deals to help blue-collar workers and fix the broken immigration system so that cheap labor doesn’t undercut wages and overwhelm our social safety net. He would insure public safety, rebuild the military and destroy global terrorism. And he forcefully and repeatedly cemented the image of the GOP as the pro-police party, a strong contrast with Democrats, who are recklessly becoming the anti-police party.
Trump laid out such a huge undertaking, sweeping in its goals and potential impacts, that achieving even half of it would lead to an economic revival and end the nation’s crisis of confidence. If he focused on just what he outlined last night, and he should, Trump would be a very busy man every minute for the next four years.
In that context, he addressed the inevitable sense that little change can come in a nation so polarized and gridlocked by reminding the raucous convention that he wasn’t even supposed to be standing before them. And in a line that captured his remarkable attack on the political status quo, he said, “The politicians have talked about this for years, but I’m going to do it.”
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He was blistering on Hillary Clinton, saying her legacy as secretary of state was “death, destruction and weakness.” Nor did he spare President Obama, accusing him of using “the pulpit of the presidency to divide us by race and color” and said he “has made America a more dangerous environment for everyone.”
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If he wins, and can deliver on his vision, remember this speech. Like Ronald Reagan’s in 1976, Trump’s 2016 address could mark the start of a desperately-needed American revival. As he said near the end, “America is back.”
Trump offers vision of unyielding leadership in a lawless, dangerous time (Washington Post, 7/21/16)
CLEVELAND — Trump’s speech proved once again that he would continue to throw out the traditional campaign rulebook that might dictate softer language and broader appeals. He offered his grim portrait of the country and a law-and-order message in the hope of summoning an army of disaffected and forgotten voters large enough to topple the political status quo in November.
Throughout this election year, it has been evident that the forces of change are in control, which puts Trump’s Democratic rival Hillary Clinton at an obvious disadvantage.
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“Every day I wake up determined to deliver for the people I have met all across this nation that have been neglected, ignored and abandoned,” he said.
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He offered himself as a singular leader uniquely equipped to lead the country through the turmoil he described. His self-portrait was not that of someone eager to join forces with Republican majorities in Congress but that of a strong, even autocratic, leader who by sheer force of personality could deliver a dramatic national turnaround.
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Running through a litany of problems in the Middle East that have happened over the past seven-plus years, Trump said of his rival: “The legacy of Hillary Clinton is death, destruction, terrorism and weakness.”
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On Thursday, Trump embraced that message in the opening minutes of his speech, asserting that this is a “moment of crisis” for the country that threatens “our very way of life.” He painted a picture of an America out of control, with rising crime in big cities, police being shot and illegal immigrants streaming across the border.
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Trump said the answer to the problems he outlined is a policy of putting America first. “Americanism, not globalism, will be our credo,” he said. Government would be run not for elites but for those left out or left behind who no longer have a voice. To them he declared, “I am your voice.”
Trump proved during the primaries that there is a sizable audience for his harsh critique of the status quo and receptivity to a candidate who pledges strength and firmness above all else. That was enough to win the nomination. His Thursday night speech significantly raised the volume on that message.
Donald Trump Accepts GOP Nomination, Promises to Fix America (Wall Street Journal, 7/21/16)
Donald Trump ended his party’s convention Thursday the way he began his history-making campaign: attacking the political establishment...
“I have joined the political arena so that the powerful can no longer beat up on people who cannot defend themselves,” the first-time politician whose populist message helped him defeat more than a dozen more experienced lawmakers and capture the Republican presidential nomination said.
The speech painted a grim view of the U.S. economy and world affairs under President Barack Obama, and Mr. Trump presented himself as uniquely equipped to lead the nation in a “moment of crisis.”
“Nobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it,” he said.
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He intensified his attack on Mrs. Clinton, the one issue that is guaranteed to galvanize the Republican Party in November. Arguing that her tenure as secretary of state under President Barack Obama fomented instability abroad, including the expansion of Islamic State, he said, “This is the legacy of Hillary Clinton: death, destruction, terrorism and weakness.”
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“America is far less safe—and the world is far less stable—than when Obama made the decision to put Hillary Clinton in charge of America’s foreign policy,” he said, to chants of “lock her up” from the audience. “I am certain it is a decision President Barack Obama truly regrets.”
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He returned to familiar campaign themes of opposing international-trade deals and cracking down on illegal immigration. But, citing recent episodes of gun violence and attacks on police officers, he put fresh emphasis on law and order.
“Beginning on January 20th of 2017, safety will be restored,” he said. “The first task for our new administration will be to liberate our citizens from the crime and terrorism and lawlessness that threatens our communities.”
Donald Trump calls for an 'America First' approach as he accepts Republican presidential nomination (Cleveland.com, 7/21/16)
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The themes of Donald Trump's improbable takeover of the Republican Party rang loudly here Thursday as he accepted the GOP's nomination for president.
Painting a dreadful picture of affairs at home and abroad, Trump outlined an "America First" movement that would dramatically reshape the country's relationships across the globe.
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"America is a nation of believers, dreamers and strivers that is being led by a group of censors, critics and cynics," Trump said from the Republican National Convention stage at Quicken Loans Arena. "Remember: All of the people telling you you can't have the country you want, are the same people saying, 'Trump doesn't have a chance of being here tonight.' ... No longer can we rely on those elites in the media and politics who will say anything to keep a rigged system in place.
"Instead, we must choose to believe in America. History is watching us now."
Trump, introduced by his daughter Ivanka, as the "people's champion," spent considerable time on trade, his signature issue. He promised to overhaul existing pacts, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, with foreign countries.
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"Hillary Clinton's legacy does not have to be America's legacy," Trump continued. "The problems we face now – poverty and violence at home, war and destruction abroad – will last only as long as we continue relying on the same politicians who created them."
