Republicans are euphoric. Can it last?

This episode discusses the mood and implications of the Republican National Convention following an assassination attempt on former President Trump.

1. Republicans display a sense of euphoria and unity at the convention, particularly following Trump's dramatic entrance.
2. Trump's early appearance and the reaction to it highlight his central role and evolving iconography within the party.
3. The episode captures a mix of traditional and unconventional elements at the convention, reflecting Trump's influence on party practices.
4. Key speeches, including those by Trump and VP nominee JD Vance, are anticipated to be defining moments for the Republican campaign.
5. The assassination attempt on Trump adds a complex layer to the political landscape, affecting both public perception and campaign strategies.

1: Convention Atmosphere

The hosts describe the convention's vibrant and occasionally surreal atmosphere, including offbeat moments like a vegan barbecue booth and a petition for Trump as poet laureate. Charles Lane: "The most offbeat thing I saw was a booth selling vegan barbecue."

2: Trump's Impact and Presence

Discussion on Trump's unexpected early appearance at the convention, which breaks from traditional protocol, highlighting his desire to be at the center of attention. Karen Tumulty: "He cannot keep away from a stage."

3: Political Dynamics and Speeches

The hosts anticipate key speeches, particularly by Trump and JD Vance, discussing how these could influence the Republican narrative moving forward. Jim Garrity: "The only thing people are really gonna remember from this convention is Trump's speech."

4: Reflections on Unity and Division

The episode explores the tension between calls for unity and the divisive rhetoric from some speakers, questioning the lasting impact of the convention's themes. Jonathan Capart: "You cannot say, let's have Kumbaya and then go out there and say, there are only two genders and target trans kids."

5: Assessing the Political Landscape

In-depth analysis of the potential electoral implications of the convention and the assassination attempt, with predictions about the campaign's direction. Charles Lane: "So I'm curious what you guys think, how that ultimate balance is gonna play out, whether there's any real chance of unity becoming a lasting theme."

1. Engage in informed discussions about political events to better understand their broader implications.
2. Critically evaluate media coverage and political speeches to discern underlying messages and strategies.
3. Participate in civic activities to contribute to a balanced and informed community discourse.
4. Encourage open dialogues that bridge political divides, fostering a more unified societal approach.
5. Stay updated with political developments to make well-informed decisions at the polls.

After a truly wild few weeks in politics, our columnists huddle up at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. They discuss the mood on the ground in the aftermath of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, how the unity message seems to be fraying and what recent events mean for the presidential campaign – and the country – going forward. Plus, humorist Alexandra Petri serves up an imagined J.D. Vance infomercial using his own words about Trump.

People

Donald Trump, JD Vance

Content Warnings:

None

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Charles Lane
So this is day two of the Republican National Convention. Who or what is the most offbeat or unusual thing you've seen at the convention so far?

Karen Tumulty
I thought the most offbeat moment was Ron Johnson claiming the wrong speech had been loaded into the teleprompter.

Jonathan Capart
I was right there when he said it on PBS last night.

Charles Lane
I was gonna go in a different direction. The most offbeat thing I saw was a booth selling vegan barbecue, actually. But then what topped that was somebody has a sign up that says Trump for poet laureate. Signed the petition here. Did not know he was running for that office. But that is definitely the most offbeat thing I have seen.

Jonathan Capart
Oh, you win.

Karen Tumulty
By the way, the vegan barbecue booth, I'm told, sells an amazing lavender lemonade as well.

Charles Lane
I'm not saying it's bad. I'm just saying it's highly unusual, especially in a state like this, known for slaughtering cattle.

Jim Garrity
So even at the republican convention, even the vegans are eating barbecue?

Charles Lane
Yeah, even in Wisconsin, there are vegans.

Jonathan Capart
I don't know. You would say that liberals have taken over the culture.

Charles Lane
So between the teamsters, the unions, and the vegans, I think we did wander into the Democratic National Convention.

Jonathan Capart
Don't take it too far, Chuck.

Charles Lane
This is impromptu from Washington Post opinions. It's a show where we bring you conversations about the stories that we just can't stop thinking about. I'm Charles Lane, deputy opinion editor. And today we are recording at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It's been a truly wild, historic week. After an attempt on former President Trump's life last Saturday, there's now this huge pre planned celebration to nominate him officially and to celebrate all that the Republican Party stands for. It's a lot to process for everyone. Fortunately, I'm here with my colleagues to talk through it. Could you all introduce yourselves?

Jonathan Capart
Jonathan Capart.

Jim Garrity
Jim Garrity.

Karen Tumulty
Karen Tumulty.

Charles Lane
So let's just start with the mood on the ground. I got in very late last night. There were some weather issues at the airport. But, Karen, you've been here for a few days. What is your sense of how republicans are feeling?

Karen Tumulty
Euphoric. I think that they believe that they have victory in hand here. And also the moment on Monday night, when Trump entered the hall, it was when I realized he has gone from being beloved in this party to being deified, Jonathan.

Jonathan Capart
Yeah. And also, correct me if I'm wrong, Karen, but it is highly unusual for the presidential nominee to come into the hall on the very first night. Isn't that the thing that they do on Wednesday night after the vice presidential nominee has spoken and they wave and then the nominee comes in on Thursday?

Karen Tumulty
We're talking about Donald Trump here.

Jonathan Capart
Yeah, and that's the point I'm making.

Karen Tumulty
He cannot keep away from a stage. And in fact, in the 2016 convention, he came out on the night Melania spoke, which I believe also was the first night of the convention. If there's a stage, he wants to be near it.

Charles Lane
Jim Garrity, what were your impressions of the former president saying that this is.

Jim Garrity
The most ecstatic republicans have been? The moment they saw former President Trump entering the arena was clearly like, it's not a high bar to clear. 2020. They didn't have conventions because of COVID 2016, the party was still very divided over Trump. In Cleveland, you know, Ted Cruz ends his speech saying, vote your conscience. When everybody expected to endorse him. 2012, it was cut short by a hurricane because, you know, who could have foreseen hurricanes in Florida in summer? Never happens. 2008, we could argue. But like 2004 remembers in New York City, and it's right, it's 911 fears that this is a huge terrorist target. So when you say this is the happiest and most optimistic republicans have been in years, not a high bar to clear, you know, they're usually having something hanging over their head, whether it's a cloud or pessimism or bad polls when they head into convention season.

Charles Lane
So in the days following this, I think it bears emphasis. Horrific and despicable assassination attempt. Former President Trump has been mouthing the words unity, but his immediate instinct in the moment was to raise his fist and shout the word fight three times. So I'm curious, they're chanting that at the convention now. So I'm curious what you guys think, how that ultimate balance is gonna play out, whether there's any real chance of unity becoming a lasting theme. Jonathan, you're shaking your head no.

Jonathan Capart
And we saw it starting last night with Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. If the nominee of the party says we mouths the words unity, and I've torn up my speech and I have a different view, well, then that should be reflected in the speakers, the people who are speaking and what they are saying. And so you cannot say, let's have Kumbaya and then go out there and say, there are only two genders and target trans kids. I just don't see how you do. Or the lieutenant governor of North Carolina, who in a June 30 sermon said that some people need to be killed. That's hard to. How do you square that circle and they're not doing it?

Karen Tumulty
Well, Karen, I agree. I mean, you do get, I was on the convention floor yesterday as they were doing the roll call of the states to nominate him, and there were at least two states that, you know, again, they cast their ballots and then break into chants of fight, fight, fight. So this message, it's perhaps getting through to some of the speakers from the stage, but it has nothing gotten through to the delegates.

Jim Garrity
Well, I was gonna say asking Marjorie Taylor Greene to give a uniting Kumbaya speech, it's kind of like asking a duck to juggle. I'm not sure she's equipped for that. It's just completely against her nature. But the only thing I think people are really gonna remember from this convention, knocking on wood, that there's no further incidents or anything, is it Trump's speech. And if Trump's speech is, to borrow a phrase from 1988, a Kindler and gentler Trump, that is much less, we're gonna destroy these guys. Everybody who opposes me is terrible and wrong and is more of a, I want to unite all of us. That may have an effect. I'm not counting on it. And again, it's Trump. It's very hard to believe this, but then again, he's never been shot before. It's very hard to believe you'd go through that and not be changed in some way. So we'll see what happens when we deal with that.

Karen Tumulty
I might argue, though, that one other thing that is likely to be remembered from this convention is the speech by JD Vance, because we do now have a vice presidential nominee. I think he may be the third youngest in american history. And as soon as word was getting out on the floor yesterday, I sort of hot footed over to the Ohio delegation and spoke with Governor DeWine, who said, this guy is the future of our party. Now, weve seen running mates make a big splash with their speeches. I was there for Sarah Palin, but I think people will be watching him very closely. And its interesting that Trump really picked among the finalists, the most magga y finalist that that was in the running.

Charles Lane
So if I could just add one point about that. We've been talking about all the traditions and protocols that Trump throws out. One standard practice in political conventions has always been that the vice presidential nominee gives a really partisan, hard hitting attack speech. Right. And it's the presidential nominee who supposedly rises to a higher level. So actually, I'm very curious to see if that's going to be the way they use JD Vance. I mean, that would be the traditional way to play it. If, in fact, there's some directive from Trump to, like, be unifying and stuff, he might depart from that. Jonathan.

Jonathan Capart
I just don't see it happening. And when we talk about unity and unite us all, who's the US and who's the all? Cause sometimes I wonder. They're so used to talking to each other, there's not been much reaching out other than sort of the visual genuflection to african Americans by putting on multiple people in speaking roles yesterday or, you know, the nominal things he's doing to reach out to african american voters. But does Senator Vance have another gear other than attack? I mean, he would be going, he.

Charles Lane
Used to use it on Trump.

Jonathan Capart
He used to. Now he uses it on democrats.

Charles Lane
We might find out.

Jim Garrity
I kind of wonder if you even need a partisan attack speech because, you know, Biden's approval rating is around 38%. Turned in a terrible debate. Democrats at each other's throats over whether he should still be the nominee. The case against Biden is self evident. You could even trust Amber rose to make it on a convention. Yeah. So, you know, we got the case against Biden. All right, Trump, what's the case for you? What's the case for what you're going to do? What's your agenda? What do you want? You know, give us something. Give us reasons to vote for you as opposed to voting against the other guy, and it'll be, as I said, I think it's been a long time since, you know, JD Vance has had to exercise those muscles. Now he's got a very interesting life story coming up from poverty and the absolute worst of circumstances. And there's, you know, there's potential there. You could see a much less partisan red meat than you expected speech from JD Vance. But it remains to be seen.

Charles Lane
Donald Trump walked into the arena last night, and I wonder if you guys perceived anything different about his bearing, his demeanor, his look, even the way he was walking.

Jonathan Capart
I mean, it seemed to me he was somber, more somber than we have ever seen him. I also noted the stagecraft it all, because this is a man who is of television. And it felt like a very, like the opening of a UFC fight where you see the fighters in the wings waiting to go on stage, like his visage was on the screens, so for everyone to see. And then Lee Greenwood sings, and then he finally walks out like a fighter heading into the ring. But still he gets there to the. The booth or wherever the family was, and, you know, he sits down, he's a little slumped. He's a little. There are moments when he looked reflective, depending on who. Certainly when Amber Rose was speaking, noticed he was elbows on knees, looking forward with a little smile on his face. But I think as we get closer to his time, maybe that somberness will go back to rage.

Karen Tumulty
Well, I was struck by there were times where he looked like he was very close to tears.

Jim Garrity
To summarize, I think he looked like a guy had been shot. In other words, like that. This was not the usual grinning, high fiving, rah rah, Trump. And maybe he kind of recognized. Maybe you're just not gonna get that.

Karen Tumulty
He did some fist bumping.

Jim Garrity
I think. Look, it turned into a funny cliche of, today was the day Donald Trump became president. We always kept waiting. He was gonna be a more responsible guy or something. And again, tomorrow, he could go out and froth at the mouth and go on tirades on true social. It's possible. Again, I do think that going through a near death experience, the weight of the moment, the weight of the responsibility that he's stepping into, and also the recognition, this may not be the last attempt on Donald Trump's life. So everything that might have seemed like kind of. I don't want to say a lark, but, like, remember for a while, he wanted to continue running the Trump Organization while being president and all that stuff, I think Donald Trump completely understands the gravity of the moment that he's in and the position he's stepping into. I think to the extent Trump can be humbled, which is really hard to imagine, I think this experience may have humbled him at least one iota.

Jonathan Capart
I'm looking forward to see, I mean, as a human being. I hope you're right, Jim. I hope he has sort of a George Wallace moment. When George Wallace got shot, he took a complete 180. In terms of his, in terms of his politics. I don't know if Donald Trump is capable of that 180, 45, ten. I just doubt it may not be.

Jim Garrity
The same Trump we're used to after this experience.

Charles Lane
Well, I want to get more into all of these points and what they mean for the campaign and the country, but first we have to take a quick break.

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Charles Lane
Welcome back. I'm Charles Lane, and this is impromptu. Immediately following the shooting at Trump in Pennsylvania Saturday, President Biden pulled his anti Trump ads off the airwaves, although I should add, I saw an anti Trump billboard on the way in from the airport and put a temporary pause on campaigning. So from here on out, how will this event affect the course of the campaign? Let's start with you, Jim.

Jim Garrity
Sure. I think you saw some of those inherent tensions in the interview with Lester Holt last night.

Charles Lane
That Democrats, Joe Biden's interview.

Jim Garrity
That's correct. That, you know, it is a article of faith to a good portion of Democrats that Donald Trump genuinely is a threat to democracy and that if you reelect him, he will become a dictator and he will end America. All this kind of stuff. And yet in the back of mind, there's a recognition that you generally, that sounds a little uncharitable to a guy who just got shot. And I think they said they're holding up the ads until today, Tuesday. That all seems perfectly appropriate. I don't think Biden has said anything really wildly inappropriate. There's been nothing really all that bad. He's hit all the right notes since then. I just don't know if that's going to have, you know, don't shoot people, don't assassinate people. It's a pretty straightforward message that I think, you know, you won't get too many objections to.

Karen Tumulty
I think what you're immediately going to see is a bump up in Trump's approval ratings. And when Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981, his numbers, according to the Washington Post poll, immediately went up eleven percentage points. Post wrote at the time that it was as sharp as any. Yet recorded. But interestingly enough, and you guys, I wonder if you agree with me. It feels to me like the talk of replacing Biden on the ticket is dying down.

Jonathan Capart
I just saw an alert that Democrats are still democrating. I would hope that they would see the attempted assassination of Donald Trump as a moment to step back and circle the wagons around the guy around President Biden. Focus. Just focus. In the week before last week, all the talk in democratic circles. Second, you know, below, gee, can we get rid of Joe Biden was Project 2025. And I think if Democrats can stop sniping at each other and stop trying to push the president off to take it and start really hammering away at Project 2025, especially with JD Vance now as the number two on the ticket, things will change. What drives me nuts about all of this, everyone's talking about the polls, the polls, the polls and the Biden Harris ticket is being destroyed. But there are now three national polls that have been conducted since the disaster of June 27. And there's no change in the race. It's still within the margin of error. Our poll, the NPR PBS poll, the NBC poll, all the same, you would think that if it was that disastrous that you mentioned earlier about Ronald Reagan spiking in the polls after being shot, you would expect that President Biden would have tanked by now. And he hasn't. And we shouldn't ignore that.

Charles Lane
So I just want to weigh in on the effect this last week has had on what would have been the issue that was dominating our conversation, namely President Biden's age, his difficulties communicating, and the democratic internal quarrel over that. The stuff Jonathan's talking about, two things are clear. First, trumps sort of in the moment response to being shot really weakened the Democratic Partys argument that like hes 78, too, because he responded with physical vigor. He stood up, he pumped his fist. He didnt look like a week old, 78 year old. Thats .1 and .2 is President Bidens interview with Lester Holt Monday night did not go very well. Again, somewhat haltingly, somewhat confusingly, he sort of tried to argue with Lester Holt about this or that and blame the media for his problems. And so I think you put those two things together. And notwithstanding the poll data you're talking about, Jonathan, this net effect of this week, I think, has been to compound Biden's problems.

Jim Garrity
Actually, I'm going to do a rare thing and jump in and defend Jonathan and just got to observe.

Charles Lane
He could have defended himself. But go ahead.

Jonathan Capart
I'll take reinforcements anytime.

Jim Garrity
The best news for Democrats is that they have had just about as bad a three week stretch as you could possibly imagine in politics. Bad debate. Then a long, slow period of Biden getting back, doing another interview, doing another live press conference, lots of infighting and Biden still in it. I think he's behind. I think we went into the debate behind and he's still behind. But it indicates that Trump probably has a hard ceiling. And if getting shot doesn't alter that hard ceiling, then it's a kind of sign that, okay, that there is a really tough limit on that for Trump. Now, that having been said, you look at the electoral map, you look at the state level polling. Arizona, it's been a long while since we've Biden ahead in any poll there. They keep saying North Carolina is a swing state. I don't think North Carolina is a swing state. Georgia, not looking great. Nevada, really not looking great. The trend is not Democrats friend on that.

Charles Lane
In a strange way, do Republicans feel even stronger because of what in sort of in real life is a disaster, namely having somebody be shot, having their candidate be shot at?

Jonathan Capart
Jonathan, I think that overstates it. I mean, I think that the attack on reproductive rights, the decisions out of the Supreme Court, people are looking at these things through the eyes of their lived experience or what they hope will be their lived experience or not be their lived experience, having rights taken away, having rights restricted. And again, as more people focus on project 2025, and I'm seeing it on my social media feeds, whatever that means. But people, you know, when they suggest to you, you go and you look and you're like, oh, folks are talking about these things. When people zero in on what it would mean to have another Trump presidency, I think then real life pops in and whatever strength and euphoria we're seeing here in Milwaukee, I wouldn't be surprised if it dissipated once we leave Milwaukee, once we leave Chicago, and the presidential campaign gets underway in earnest after Labor.

Karen Tumulty
Day, which you bring up an interesting issue, because one of the other things they did on the first day of the convention was adopt their platform. And their platform jettisoned a lot of the old language on abortion. Clearly, the Republicans understand the challenge. At least Donald Trump understands the challenge ahead for them on the abortion issue.

Jonathan Capart
They stripped the abortion language, but they kept the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants in there, which is something that is also another flashpoint that doesn't get a lot of attention.

Jim Garrity
You asked, do Republicans feel even stronger? First of all, God forbid, that bullet had been one inch over. Who is this convention? Nominating, there is no, he hadn't named Vance yet. There was no clear error apparent. Technically, Nikki Haley came in second, but she had about 2020, 5%. Like you would have genuine chaos, I suspect, as a fight over who the proper successor would be. I think the mood in the country would be terrible. I think the mood in the party would be terrible. I think you'd see paranoid conspiracy theories even more than you're seeing them right now.

Charles Lane
You're already seeing them.

Jim Garrity
Yes. So, yeah, the other kind of question from that is that, look, would any candidate running for president ever want to have an image of themselves with blood on their face, but not too much blood, with the american flag behind them being rushed off the stage by secret service agents while pumping their like? That is cinematic. That is, you know, that's Teddy Roosevelt, that's Lincoln, that's, you know, Trump's campaign.

Karen Tumulty
Manager, Chris Lacveda compared it to the Iwo GMO.

Jim Garrity
And the alternative is, up until now, like, it's going to be a real effort for Democrats to replace the image Americans have in their heads of Biden up on that debate stage, mouth hanging open, blank stare, looking bad. They can do it. I'm not saying there's four months to do this, but it's not gonna be an easy task. So, yeah, they feel stronger. They have the most perfect visual contrast that they could ever hope for in.

Jonathan Capart
A million years with a showman as a nominee.

Charles Lane
So let's wrap this up. Karen, final thoughts.

Karen Tumulty
I am still wondering, as Jonathan raised the point, you know, how long this new calibration of the republican party, this unified message, is gonna last. It's a. What's the phrase about your plans last until you get punched in the face?

Jonathan Capart
Right. I just don't see, I see this convention devolving the closer we get to Donald Trump's acceptance speech. I wish I could say something different, but I just don't, I just don't see it any other way, Jim.

Jim Garrity
So I've covered every convention since the Republicans in Philadelphia in 2000, and I was like, do I really want to go to this one? Is it going to matter? Is it going to be all that important? Most people forget about these things fairly quickly. I'm glad I'm here. This is going to be weirdly, the mood is totally different. The mood is weird. It's very odd to have it a couple days after. I think the Vance selection was something of a surprise to some people. So I think this is going to be a bigger and more consequential convention than anybody expected, considering how people say, oh, you know, they're just four day televised showcases for the party. Yeah, okay. That's what they're supposed to be. And I think this one's going to be a lot more interesting because of the events of the past few days and the past few weeks.

Charles Lane
Okay, we're out of time. Thank you all for being a part of this episode of Impromptu.

Karen Tumulty
Great to be here.

Jim Garrity
Always a pleasure.

Jonathan Capart
Thanks.

Charles Lane
And before you go, here's a quick word from our humor columnist, Alexandra Petry.

Alexandra Petry
Hi there. Alexandra Petry here, party national conventions have by and large stopped being places where things happen. And James Garfield is chosen on a 36th ballot in a large smoke filled room and started being places where each party presents a four day long infomercial for its ticket. But why do in four days what you can do in two minutes or less? The highlight? Well, for a given value of highlight of the first day of convening was the selection of JD Vance as Donald Trumps vice president. Was something wrong with the one he had successfully certified the election results in 2020? Upholding the constitution comes from the great state of Indiana. Loves Garfield the cat, whom he once called a large orange american tradition. Why would you replace a guy like that? Well, he must have his reasons. Anyway, JD Vance is the pick now bidding to become the first fully bearded vp since grants Schuyler Colfax and the first with any facial hair at all since Coolidges Charles Curtis I think if im wrong Beardstans, email me. And if he had to do an infomercial for Donald Trump, heres how I think it would go based on his years of prior remarks. Hi im JD Vance. Vote for me and the man ive called and these are all actual quotes. Cultural heroine unfit for our nations highest office. A total fraud, a moral disaster. Noxious and reprehensible. People can change. Donald Trump hasnt but I have. Before I saw him as America's Hitler. My real words. But more recently I told Sean Hannity that I see him as a great president who delivered that peace and prosperity and changed my mind. I love big brother. I haven't said that yet, but I might soon. And if that doesn't convince you I have a beard like Skyler Colfax.

Charles Lane
This episode was produced by Hadley Robinson, edited by Dominican Marusik, Chris Sullentrop and Alison Michaels, and mix by Emma Munger. Chris Rukan designed our art. Special thanks to Millie Mitra, Nick Safin and Travis Meyer. Thanks for tuning in. Don't forget to follow impromptu wherever you get your podcasts. And we always love hearing from you. Email a voice memo to impromptuashpost.com dot.

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