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Trump’s RNC Speech: Same Story or Pivot
Plus, swift savior.
Good morning and Happy Monday! Yesterday afternoon, President Joseph R. Biden withdrew his candidacy for the 2024 election and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor. As this story is still developing, we’re taking the time to let the media learn and process this historic moment. We’ll bring you a full breakdown from both sides tomorrow. In the meantime, here are the Flag’s Top Five stories that should be on your radar to start the day:
US: Biden withdraws from presidential race: 5 things to know (The Hill) + ActBlue rakes in nearly $50 million in 7 hours after Harris campaign launch (The Hill)
World: Top UN court says Israel’s presence in occupied Palestinian territories is illegal and should end (AP)
Business: Boeing ‘disappointed’ customers but is on the path to ‘transformational change,’ commercial jet CEO says (CNBC)
Technology: Global tech outage hits airlines, banks, health care and public transit (USA Today)
Sports: Xander Schauffele wins Open Championship after final-round 65 (ESPN)
And of course, some good news: ‘It’s a miracle’: Nurse credited with saving man’s life after heart attack at CLT airport.
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TRENDING
Right: Why Did the Secret Service Allow Trump on Stage? Elizabeth Stauffer, Washing Examiner
Right: Media Setting Vance Up for Success With Deranged Attacks Isaac Schorr, New York Post
Right: How To Break Ranks and Escape Democrats' Plantation, Guy Shepherd, Blaze Media
Left: Inside the Democrats' Doom Loop, Edward-Isaac Dovere, CNN
Left: Is There Anything That J.D. Vance Actually Believes? Moira Donegan, The Guardian
Left: ‘Unity’ had eroded ahead of Trump’s RNC speech, Amanda Marcotte, Salon
RNC 2024
Trump’s RNC Speech: Same Story or Pivot?
Today’s Top Story in One Sentence: On Thursday, Former President Trump's RNC speech, the first since the attempt on his life, presented an opportunity for him to pivot from his usual self and win undecided voters.
Reporting from the Left: Trump urges unity after assassination attempt while proposing sweeping populist agenda in RNC finale (AP)
Reporting from the Right: Donald Trump officially accepts GOP nomination for POTUS, recounts assassination attempt (Fox News)
LEFT-LEANING SENTIMENT
This Was Not a “Changed” Man
The Top Argument From The Left: Trump Derailed His Own Convention Speech, Jeff Greenfield, Politico: “It began with as intensely personal an account as any presidential nominee has ever delivered — a step-by-step retelling of his near-death experience. And as soon as that narrative ended, it became… a Trump rally speech, with the prepared text delivered in a monotone worthy of a bus driver’s announcement, interrupted by lengthy ad lib riffs, jokes, shout-outs and a litany of ‘never seen anything like it’ and ‘like never before.’ Even after what for anyone would be a life-changing experience, Trump remained Trump. … that shooting had no impact at all on the remainder of his meandering and occasionally bizarre speech. Except for one statement that “we must not demonize political disagreements” — a hilarious assertion coming from someone who has urged a military tribunal for one critic and an execution for another, and for whom terms like “vermin” for his enemies are par for the course — the rest of his speech did not reflect a single authentic note of reflection, not a hint that he had given a moment’s thought to a wider, more profound message for the American people. He blasted Biden by name, if just once, and called former Speaker Nancy Pelosi ‘crazy.’”
Honorable Mention #1: Trump acceptance speech at RNC tried to show voters a changed man. It didn't last long., Opinion Staff, USA Today.
Honorable Mention #2: Trump's speech veered from somber to maudlin to unhinged, Michael Steele, MSNBC.
RIGHT-LEANING SENTIMENT
Not Bad, Not Great
The Top Argument From The Right: Trump Meets Half the Moment in His RNC Speech, The Editorial Board, The Wall Street Journal: “[Trump] gave the impression that perhaps the shooting might really cause him to approach a second term differently than he did the first. This is a Donald Trump who would have won re-election in 2020. But Mr. Trump can’t help himself, and before too long he was on a discursive tour of his greatest first-term hits and whatever seemed to pop into his head. … He couldn’t resist complaining that Democrats “cheat” in elections and cost him the election in 2020, as well as indulging his grievances over the court cases against him. He said the Biden Administration should drop the cases if it wants to improve the tone of our politics. That was a perfect opportunity for Mr. Trump to pledge that if re-elected he wouldn’t prosecute President Biden or his family. But he missed that moment to put action behind his rhetorical promise of “unity.” Mr. Trump’s great advantage over Mr. Biden is that he projects strength, and he did so with a pledge to gain the release of Americans held hostage. … But Mr. Trump also rambled on about his good relationship with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, and he boasted that “I could stop wars with just a telephone call.” How he would do that he didn’t say, as he never does. The implication is that he will do it with the force of his personality. There were also promises to lower prices and interest rates, though without any explanation of how he would do that.”
Honorable Mention #1: A Tale of Two Trump Speeches, The Editors, National Review.
Honorable Mention #2: ‘I’m Not Supposed To Be Here’: Transformed Trump Delivers Poignant Convention Address, M.D. Kittle, The Federalist.
FLAG THIS
Worsening Odds for Trump, Post-Speech
Trump's odds of winning weakened after his 90-minute speech at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. According to the gambling company William Hill, the odds for a Trump victory shifted from 71.4% to 65.2%. Meanwhile, Joe Biden's reelection odds worsened to 7.7% amid pressure from within his party to withdraw from the race. (Newsweek)
Trump's RNC speech... |
WATERCOOLER
Prince George, Dead Butt Syndrome, Glabella
On This Day in 2013, weighing in at a healthy 8 pounds, 6 ounces, the first child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (more informally known as Prince William and Kate Middleton) is born at St. Mary’s Hospital in London, England.
Vulture: Bob Barker’s Back on Daytime TV
Today I learned the space between your eyebrows is called the “glabella.”
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Why? Partly because it’s tiny. Like James Bond-device tiny. Partly because it boasts the world’s first-ever dual processing system. And with double the power comes double the clarity.
In non-science-y talk, it just means you get maximum speech clarity with minimal background noise and, as a result, effortless conversation wherever you go.
If you like, you can also stream music, adjust settings via app, and enjoy ultra HD sound all day, every day.
Ready to join the 385k+ who can hear with crystal clarity thanks to hear.com? Sign up for a 45-day no-risk trial to test drive the best-selling Horizon hearing aids.
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