Former President Donald Trump accepted his party’s nomination for November 2024 in a wide-ranging address at the Republican National Convention Thursday evening. As 45 spoke of unity and of reversing the nation’s downward trend, the other side of the political aisle scrambled to determine whether Joe Biden would even be on the ticket. The speech highlighted a contrast in status that could become the defining theme of the presidential election.

Red Meat for the MAGA Base

In what was the longest televised acceptance speech in history (breaking his own record), Donald Trump delivered his recently re-written address to an enthusiastic audience. He spoke of the July 13 assassination attempt and how it impacted him personally, and he spoke of plans for the future under a new Trump presidency. But most of all, he detailed how a unified nation – under his leadership – could reverse what he termed the “destruction” of the country.

“I will end the devastating inflation crisis immediately, bring down interest rates and lower the cost of energy. We will drill, baby, drill,” he said. Naturally, his address turned to the “illegal immigration crisis,” which he vowed to end by “closing our border and finishing the wall.” And then Trump spoke of the present international turmoil, saying: “I will end every single international crisis that the current administration has created, including the horrible war with Russia and Ukraine, which would have never happened if I was president. And the war caused by the attack on Israel, which would never have happened if I was president. Iran was broke. Iran had no money.”

The former president delivered further remarks on tax cuts, fixing inflation, dealing with illegal immigration, and bringing down the national debt.

Reports suggest that this iteration of his speech was written by Trump after narrowly escaping death. And while there were – of course – swipes at his political opponents, both foreign and domestic, the overall tone was one of outreach. He said:

“This election should be about the issues facing our country and how to make America successful, safe, free and great again.

“In an age when our politics too often divide us, now is the time to remember that we are all fellow citizens – we are one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

A United Party?

On Wednesday, July 17, former Obama advisor and current CNN pundit Van Jones lamented the contrast between the parties and the need for the sitting president to defer his campaign activities due to a case of COVID. “Today is a terrible day. If you pull back and look at this thing, strength versus weakness, a bullet couldn’t stop Trump. A virus just stopped Biden,” Jones said. He continued:

“You’ve got nominees of this party getting their butts kissed. Biden’s getting his butt kicked by his own party. The Democrats are coming apart. The Republicans are coming together. That’s what’s happening. And at some point, this party has to look at the reality of that.”

That contrast has been evident throughout the GOP convention. From Nikki Haley pledging her support to The Donald to a toning down of rhetoric from the man himself, all the forces of the political right appear to be coalescing around the Trump-Vance ticket – a scenario that would have seemed unthinkable in the days following the 2020 loss and the subsequent riot at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

The evident unity is made more apparent by the dysfunction and distress currently besetting the Democratic Party. As Liberty Nation News’ Jim Fite writes:

“House Democrats Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, and Jim Costa, all of California, as well as Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) and even former President Barack Obama, now reportedly believe it’s time for Biden to step down. There are nearly two dozen members of Congress, in fact, who have called for the president to end his campaign or, at least, indicated they think he should.

“Between all the lawmakers, party officials, donors, and even left-wing celebrities leaving him behind, Biden finds himself more alone in his quest for a second term each day.”

A Foundational Focus

President Biden’s 2021 inaugural speech focused on one thing: Unity. If that was the intended goal of his administration, it appears to have failed. Donald Trump was – just three years ago – regarded as one of the most divisive figures in modern political history, yet he managed to pull his party (with a few notable exceptions) back together.

Polling for the 2024 election is all headed in one direction; whether it be national surveys or battleground polls, the pendulum momentum is all swinging towards a Trump win. “Whether you’ve supported me in the past or not, I hope you will support me in the future, because I will bring back the American dream,” Trump told the RNC attendees.

“With great humility, I am asking you to be excited about the future of our country … There’s great love in the room,” he declared. “Love, it’s about love.”

His address was of the type that can shape an election. Those watching via TV or the internet may have been surprised at the softer tone taken by the former president, or they may think it is merely a strategy calculated to sway undecided voters. But it seems that, after his brush with death less than one week ago, Donald Trump is a more subdued figure, more open to de-escalating the divide that has defined the political arena of late.

With just over 100 days to go until the election, both Donald Trump and Joe Biden (assuming he remains the contender) have an opportunity to exemplify their promises of unity. But a week is a long time in politics, and three months is practically eternity. Whether either man can suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune without defaulting to the recrimination and negative rhetoric from before the July 13 assassination attempt will be a test of character. And success or failure could well determine who occupies the White House next year.