Former President Donald Trump ended the Republican National Convention this week with a speech that he said he rewrote after an assassination attempt against him on July 13. If he had stuck to the words feeding through a teleprompter, perhaps it would have encouraged unity for the country as he promised.
However, Trump strayed from what was prepared and delivered a speech with a message likely to appeal only to people who already strongly support him.
“Trump’s speech has two parts,” said Cayce Myers, a public relations expert and director of graduate studies at the School of Communication at Virginia Tech. “The first was a unity message and an emotional piece about his experience of being shot. That story and delivery was the most powerful part.
“The second part was more like a Trump rally with an off-script discussion of his accomplishments and his perceptions of the current state of politics,” Myers said. “That second part appealed to the Republicans in the room but likely did little to sway independent voters.”
While he may have done little to unify the country, he did manage to solidify his conservative base, Myers said.
“The point of his speech and convention was to create a unified Republican Party. The convention accomplished that,” Myers said.
While Trump’s speech ran long, it contained sound bites and imagery that will likely be used in the election on social media and in campaign materials.
“We’re already seeing that on social for Republican Party posts that contain clips on issues such as the economy, trade, immigration and crime. The image of Trump kissing the helmet of Corey Comperatore, the man killed during the assassination attempt, will be replayed on social and in media accounts. It likely will be used throughout the election along with the iconic image of Trump with a raised fist to underscore Trump’s strength and kindness.”
The length of the speech to the RNC may have worked to the former president’s advantage, according to Karen Hult, a professor of political science at Virginia Tech.
“The first 15 minutes or so were much as Trump predicted, outlining a theme of unity and a somewhat calmer, humbler tone — if delivered in a monotone,” Hult said. “A somewhat more combative former president slowly emerged, as at points he seemed to move off script and return to not fully connected lines from his rallies.
“The length and scheduled time of the speech likely meant that many who watched the beginning did not listen to the entire speech which ended as midnight drew near in the Eastern time zone. Those viewers and listeners may have come away with a different impression than those who stayed tuned,” Hult said.
“For many Democrats and Trump opponents, the (RNC) speech may signal that it remains possible to challenge and beat the former president.”
The late start that may have helped Trump at the RNC is what doomed President Joe Biden in the first presidential debate on June 27 leading many to question his ability to lead the country for four more years.
“This strikes me in retrospect as a curious reversal of President Biden’s debate performance, which began quite poorly and became somewhat better as the debate moved forward, and fewer listened and watched,” Hult said.
Donald Trump isn’t the only one struggling to bring the country together. Democrats are also not presenting a unified message as many party leaders are challenging Biden’s decision to run for re-election, and Biden defiantly is pledging to remain in the race, at least for now.
A growing number of Democratic leaders and donors are pressuring Biden to step aside for another candidate who has a better chance to beat Trump in November. Sources say Biden is apparently considering the option.
“The longer that infighting goes on the weaker the campaign will be either for Biden or whoever the eventual nominee will be,” Myers said. “History supports the idea that the longer a campaign waits to select a candidate, the weaker that eventual candidate’s campaign will be in the general election.
“However, the race is not over. A lot can happen before November.”
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Crystal Graham
