REPUBLICAN CONVENTION – DAY TWO

A day that began badly and ended pretty well.

The morning news was dominated by Melania Trump's appropriation of a few lines from Michelle Obama's 2008 speech before the Democratic National Convention.  The mainstream (liberal) media was gleeful.  The Trump campaign handled the issue badly, refusing to own up to the obvious plagiarism and offering all kinds of ridiculous excuses.  They forgot the old rule of politics:  It's not the crime, it's the cover-up.

The stonewalling worked to a degree.   Commentators pretty much stopped talking about the incident during the afternoon, but I'm afraid Melania's image has been damaged, at least in the press. 

Donald Trump was formally nominated for president late in the day.  So he's now the official nominee of the Republican Party.  The nomination has thus far produced no move toward party unity.  There is clearly bitterness in some factions of the GOP toward Trump's nomination, and his often heavy-handed tactics toward opponents.   There is also considerable doubt that he's a true conservative.

The evening was devoted to speeches, none of which will be remembered through Saturday.   Trump delivered a live/remote brief speech to the delegates thanking them for his nomination, but no news was made.  The main events were two speeches by his children, Tiffany Trump and Donald Trump Jr.  Tiffany, who is in her early 20s, was poised, dignified and affecting.  Everyone loved her.  Donald Jr. gave a more political speech, and proved remarkably skillful and powerful.  He's a natural political speaker who can go far, even if his father doesn't win.

Tomorrow night (Wednesday) we get Ivanka Trump, the true star of the family. 

Trump's family is his not-so-secret weapon.  Every member is more likable than he is.

It's very hard to read how the convention might affect viewers.  It's an unusual year, and voters have done odd things...like nominate Donald Trump.  The strong unpopularity ratings for both major-party candidates are extraordinary, and make normal political analyses suspect.  As I like to put it, we have a choice between Bonnie and Clyde.  I don't recall any presidential contest in which both candidates were so disliked. 

There is only one event at this convention that might create some kind of serious change in the thinking of the electorate, and that is Trump's acceptance speech.  There are reports that the speech is in chaos, but those reports may not be accurate.  Trump has to nail it.  He has to dispel the notion that he's some kind of shoot-from-the-hip, unsophisticated blowhard from New York.  He must lay out what he would do as president, without losing the sense of citizen indignation that many voters find attractive.  If he blows this speech, and he can, I don't see much chance for recovery.  It is not enough for him to wait for Hillary to defeat herself.  She may not follow her ususual self-destructive script.

July 19,  2016