William Stroock, author of military fiction, commentator
Last week Joe Biden concluded the Democrat convention with a competent, error free address approximately twenty minutes in length. Biden spoke in platitudes, he used powerful soaring rhetoric, he talked of ‘unity’ and of course he slammed Trump. Biden blamed the president for the Wuhan Virus outbreak, his response the pandemic and the economic calamity afterwards, ‘A president who takes no responsibility, refuses to lead, blames others, cozies up to dictators, and fans the flames of hate and division,’ Biden said. In doing so Biden positions himself as the man who’ll fix Trump’s mistakes and reunite a divided nation.
This week, police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, shot and paralyzed a man named Jacob Bates after he resisted arrest and fought them. Bates was wanted for rape and assault. Predictably riots followed. During the next few nights more than 30 buildings in Kenosha were damaged or destroyed. Several small businesses burned to the ground. On Tuesday night dozens of armed citizens gathered to defend businesses in Kenosha. Three rioters were shot by a teenaged boy in self-defense, two of them fatally. Meanwhile nightly riots continue in Portland. In Seattle rioters attacked a police station, set it afire and tried to seal the doors with quick drying cement. Looters ransacked downtown Minneapolis after a murder suspect pursued by police shot himself.
The Trump campaign still occupies YouTube’s banner, where visitors will see one of several ads. These attack Biden on many fronts. Campaign ads call out Biden’s racist comments about African Americans, his previous praise for and his son’s ties with communist China, his lifetime in politics, his embracing of the radical left, Black Lives Matter and Antifa. In this way Trump’s campaign strategy becomes clear. Biden is a career politician, a member of ‘the swamp’, part of the elite who has benefited from globalization at the expense of everyday Americans. A new slate of Trump ads features personal stories from everyday Americans.
Indeed, much of the GOP convention has been dedicated to civilians and non-politicians. A Cuban/American businessman spoke movingly of fleeing Castro’s Cuba. Exiled Chinese human rights activist Cheng Guangcheng talked about Hong Kong’s plight. A mother named Tera Myers spoke of trying to get proper schooling for her special needs son and the importance of School Choice. Young Nick Sandmann, recounted being slandered as racist by the media, a mistake for which several news organizations have paid him handsomely.
But the GOP has brought out its stars. Richard Grenell, former ambassador to Germany and acting Director of National Intelligence, slammed the Obama-Biden administration’s Globalist foreign policy and said Trump’s foreign policy was ‘America First’. Trump he said, renegotiated trade deals, rebuilt the military and brought American troops home. Grenell pointed out that Trump was the first president in decades not to start a war. The convention’s keynote speaker was Vice President Pence, who in a speech from Fort McHenry touted the administration’s record and hit all of the campaign’s talking points about Joe Biden, but in a Midwestern nice sort of way.
The convention has seen much of the Trump family. On the first night Don Jr. gave an impassioned and sometimes angry speech for his father and against Biden and Democrats. He should run for Mayor of New York City. Don Junior can’t do worse than Bill de Blasio. On night two First Lady Melania Trump spoke from the White House Rose Garden about the Wuhan Virus and its victims. Daughter-in-law Lara Trump talked about meeting the Trumps for the first time and finding a warm, welcoming ‘down to earth’ family. Daughter Ivanka spoke on the 4th night, introducing her father in an upbeat and flamboyant speech. And then the president took the podium. In a stemwinder of a speech Trump touted his record and relentlessly hammered Biden and the Democrats.
The Democrat’s convention was conducted largely by remote and often had the feel of a school board meeting. This is odd since Hollywood overwhelmingly supports the Democrats. People should remember that Trump produced and starred one of the most popular reality TV shows of the 2000s. The GOP convention had much better production values. Each night of the GOP convention had a theme, Land of Heroes, Promise, Opportunity and on the last night, Land of Greatness. Most speeches were given from the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington DC, and impressive backdrop with excellent acoustics. Speeches have also been delivered from a variety of patriotic locations like Fort McHenry and the USS Texas battleship museum, before small crowds. At the end of Trump’s acceptance speech, a great fireworks display lit up the Mall and the Washington Monument. Does anyone think Trump doesn’t know how to make great television?
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