The Republican Party has radiated confidence this week in Milwaukee.
Former President Donald Trump has owned the moment on the convention stage, on the floor and in the made-for-television production. He presided over much of it personally and focused nearly all of the time on his push to sell MAGA to a broader audience.
Hispanic and Black mothers have told their communities to give Mr. Trump another look. A labor leader enraged Democrats just by speaking to the Republicans. Families whose children were killed by a suicide bomber in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2021 brought delegates to tears. Mr. Trump’s granddaughter managed to turn a billionaire president into a doting grandfather who sneaks candy to his grandchildren when their parents aren’t looking.
Add in Peter Navarro, who spoke just hours after being released from a federal prison where he served time for refusing to cooperate with congressional Democrats, and Amber Rose, a Black former sex worker with a tattoo across her forehead who told delegates they are right to be “pissed” at President Biden’s inflation.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Charlie Gerow, a veteran of Republican conventions dating back to 1976.
“The people that they’ve put on stage have just been incredible. Just one after another after another,” he said. “Campaigns run on emotion, and every single speaker has been able to bring to the surface deep emotions.”
SEE ALSO: Trump accepts GOP nomination, cementing party’s embrace of populism
Mike McKenna, a top legislative aide in the Trump White House and another veteran of numerous conventions, said this year’s affair is a reflection of a more focused and mature campaign — and free of the internal squabbles of the past.
“This was the convention that they wanted to have in 2016, they wanted to have in 2020. They finally have it. They are ready, the country is ready, their skills are ready,” he said. “It’s the difference between an idea and a fully realized vision.”
The outreach included:
• Families of American troops killed in Kabul during the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. They were particularly appalled that Mr. Biden claimed in last month’s debate that no American troops had died “anywhere in the world” on his watch.
“Joe Biden has refused to recognize their sacrifice,” Christy Shamblin, the mother-in-law of Marine Sgt. Nicole Gee, told the convention. “Donald Trump knew all of our children’s names. He knew all of their stories.”
• Linda Fornos, a mother from Nicaragua who came to the U.S. as a legal immigrant and backed Mr. Biden in 2020 but called that “a mistake.” She said inflation has devastated average families, illegal immigrants have taken jobs from legal immigrants and Democrats have overwoked the education system.
SEE ALSO: Trump lays out stark contrasts with Biden
“Now it’s like our kids are getting a degree in pronoun studies,” she said. “Life was completely different under President Trump. We prospered. To my beloved Latina community, it’s time to wake up and smell the cafecito.”
• Anne Funder, whose teenage son was killed by a fentanyl overdose and who brought the convention to tears.
“We did everything right. I had those conversations with him. And fentanyl still found my son,” she said.
• Nikki Haley, who battled Mr. Trump for the presidential nomination and begged “never Trump” Republicans to follow her lead in reuniting with Mr. Trump.
“You don’t have to agree with Trump 100% of the time to vote for him,” she said, though she told the party faithful to do more to “welcome people into our party who have different backgrounds and experiences.”
• Vivek Ramaswamy, who told young voters to get on the Trump train.
“Our message to Gen Z is this: You’re going to be the generation that actually saves this country,” he said. “You want to be a rebel? You want to be a hippie? You want to stick it to the man? Show up on your college campus and try calling yourself a conservative. Say you want to get married, have kids, teach them to believe in God and pledge allegiance to their country.”
• Sean O’Brien, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, spoke to the convention, upending Mr. Biden’s message that he is the most pro-union president in history.
Mr. O’Brien didn’t endorse Mr. Trump and indeed irked some of the Republican delegates with his criticism of corporate America. Analysts said Republicans’ invitation to Mr. O’Brien showed a remarkable level of self-confidence.
Mr. Trump has presided over much of the convention personally.
Presidential candidates traditionally wait to make an appearance until the end of their running mate’s speech and then address the convention themselves. Mr. Trump, however, has spent hours in his box each night, listening to speeches, welcoming guests and making sure his face is front and center.
Even old Democratic hands have praised the production.
David Axelrod, who was President Obama’s political strategist and is now a CNN commentator, hailed the “stage prep.”
“They’ve done a very good job on it,” he told the network this week, though he said speeches from Donald Trump Jr. and others struck sour notes.
Mr. McKenna said the convention was at its best when it highlighted the victims of Mr. Biden’s policies or, as he put it, “people who are emotionally invested in all this.”
“It can’t be beat,” he said. “It’s much better TV.”
The contrast was stark from 2016, when Mr. Trump was battling other Republicans and the party was struggling to retain its base.
Sen. Ted Cruz, Mr. Trump’s main rival for the Republican Party nomination that year, didn’t even endorse the winner in his campaign speech.
Fast-forward to this year, and Mr. Cruz began his speech by declaring, “God Bless Donald J. Trump.”
Mr. McKenna, who also pens a column for The Washington Times, said that unity has limits. Ronald Reagan presided over a party that was unified on the big issues of trade, defense and the role and size of the federal government, he said, but Mr. Trump presides over a party unified on him.
“This unity is ephemeral. It will not survive its sponsor,” Mr. McKenna said.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.