2024 Republican National Convention | RNC Night 4 | PBS News special coverage

this program was made possible by The Corporation for Public Broadcasting and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you thank you please welcome the next president of the United States as a convention like no other comes to a close former president Donald Trump prepares to address the Republican Party USA us and the nation for the first time since an attempted assassination after 3 days of speeches to Rally voters this November we have a choice including the first from Vice Presidential nominee JD Vance we need president Donald J Trump the party presents its case for why Mr Trump should return to the White [Applause] House It's the final night of the 2024 Republican National [Music] Convention and welcome to PBS news special coverage of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee Wisconsin I'm omna Nas and I'm Jeff Bennett this is the final night of the convention and the theme tonight is a familiar one make America great one once again tonight we'll hear from some big names in the Republican party including media personality Tucker Carlson retired pro wrestler Hulk Hogan and former president Trump's son Eric but the reason this arena is packed tonight is for the headliner moments ago former president Trump entered to huge Applause and later tonight he's expected to formally accept the Republican party's nomination for president for the third convention in a row and of course our panel is once again with us here Amy Walter of the cook political Report with Amy Walter David Brooks of the New York Times Jonathan capart of the Washington Post and with us now for the beginning of our program tonight is Rick grenell the former acting head of National Intelligence under the Trump Administration welcome Ambassador thanks for being here thanks for having me so as omna mentioned you served as the ambassador to Germany under the Trump Administration acting National Intelligence Chief you have as I understand it been charting a foreign policy road map for a a potential Trump term what does that road map include actually I don't think that's true I I think a lot of people in the media been saying oh we're making plans for the second term I think our plans include Michigan Pennsylvania and Wisconsin uh I've been telling my European friends where I travel that uh are concerned what does the second Trump Administration look like I've been pretty blunt to say looks just like the first Administration there's no mystery you're going to see somebody who really cares about the economy uh tries to solve Wars doesn't want to have conflicts and I think he he's been pretty successful at doing just that so that first Administration cast a lot of Doubt on the NATO alliance when you think about where we are now versus that Trump Administration that Alliance has played a key role in supporting Ukraine and their defense against Russia's aggression what would be the Trump Administration policy what would you like to see it be knowing former president Trump scuttled additional aid for Congressional Aid for Ukraine we've seen Senator Vance in the past also say that he doesn't really care what happens in Ukraine one way or another is that the official Republican stance right now well first of all I don't think JD has ever said I don't care what happens in Ukraine I think he what he's talking about is more funding but let's start with your first question you don't mind I think the quote something along the lines of I don't really care what happens in Ukraine one way or the other but please well and you're talking about funding so but not the people I mean he's a very kind person who really cares about the people so my point is of course he cares about the killing and to stop that but in terms of the NATO uh I what I would argue is that the person who goes to an organization an entity like NATO and tries to get it more money and to reform it is the one who actually cares more about it we're frustrated with NATO look I was the ambassador to Germany Germany has a budget surplus 2014 at the Wales NATO conference there was a pledge that we will give ourselves 10 years to get to 2% many countries have ignored that and I just don't know if there's a a club in the whole world where you don't get to pay your dues and continue getting the benefits and so I think NATO has been very successful but we've got to look at NATO and say what are the challenges that we have right now cyber is certainly one of them I don't think that when you look at the capabilities list that NATO puts out that we're uh prepared for a large scale Cyber attack there are things that we have to do to keep up there's no question that NATO has been a very successful organization in the past if we want to continue this great Alliance every member has to pay their 2% I don't believe we should be adding any new members to Nato if the current ones aren't paying their fair share that's not fair to the American taxpayer because we are the ones with a 35 trillion doll national debt that the NATO umbrella keeps expanding for and our people have to keep pain look I love the German people but they got great uh infrastructure they got an opera house on every corner they have a budget surplus I think it's really important that everybody pull their weight and if you're not paying your 2% I think you're you're the one undermining NATO setting aside NATO for a second though do you want to see more aid for Ukraine is my question so in the second part of your question you you started with NATO the the second part for Ukraine look I'm a diplomat I've been at the the state department for 12 years I want to see peaceful resolutions so uh I want to make sure that what we do is solve problems I don't see that we've ever had a peace deal being pushed forward we knew the Russians were coming in we heard the Russians are coming the Russians are coming we have Intel the Russians are coming does that mean more Aid Ambassador and and look I think we've given a lot and I want to see a peace Plan before we talk about more of a war plan well big picture then I mean in the face of a hyper aggressive of Russia and a resurgent China what does an America First foreign policy approach look like if he were to win yeah look American America First foreign policy is really good for the whole world because we're not a conquering Nation we are a nation that really is generous when America puts itself first the rule of law is first human rights are first capitalism is first the world order the world rules are really what's established that's what we do I spent 8 years at the UN 193 countries all put themselves first I've been in tens of thousands of diplomatic meetings I've never been in a one where the other side doesn't ask us to do something I think that it's really important for America to put itself first and to establish the rules and by the way leaders that I talk to around the world privately will say that's amazing when America does set those rules we'd like to see that people privately say they' they'd rather see Donald Trump can you help us understand why Donald Trump has praised and in some instances found common cause with authoritarian leaders around the world whether it's Kim Kim Jong-un whether it's hungary's Orban turkey's erdogan China's shei what accounts for that yeah so I I spoke yesterday on the floor here and I talked about some of this stuff in the past the Republicans have had a really aggressive foreign policy where we go out we certainly know the weapons of mass destruction debacle which wasn't true we've pushed this idea of democracy where sometimes it's not wanted to be found um I believe that it's really important that uh America has uh a mind your own business but be the leader I want to see America be D Washington DC be the capital of America not the capital of the world and so I I'm not sure that that you know we we have a unlimited budget and have enough money to be able to go around and have all of these uh proactive offensive actions so to answer your question I think Donald Trump looks at the world looks at the leaders that we have and says the people voted for these people they voted for them let's deal with the world that we have let's not TR vot for Kim Jong-un well what I would say is all the list that you're talking about Orban people have voted for Orban we have to deal with the people that are there we have to deal with reality so we don't necessarily want to be the one that says Kim Jong-un has to be replaced they have nuclear weapons okay I I think that it's really important that when Donald Trump goes over there walks in and shakes his hand looks him in the eye he's protecting America because the reality is this mad man has nuclear weapons and we have to protect America now look I live in Los Angeles incling my mom the North Korean missiles are able to reach Los Angeles a lot easier than they are to reach Washington DC maybe in Washington DC they haven't paid enough attention to that I want to have a leader that's protecting the West Coast I want to have a leader that really takes this madman and says let's deal with this guy let's try to find a way and and and I think it was successful when he went in and he talked to this guy looked him at looked him in the eye gave a little respect I think that's that's fine I think the success of that worked I also believe that it's important to call out human rights abuses we have to be cleared about that no one's washing that away I think that's really important to do and I think that Donald Trump did that in a very good way if he wins the election and offers you secretary of state would you serve I look I I live in Manhattan Beach California which is probably the greatest City in all of America you don't want to move to Washington spend life DC no look I I love this guy Donald Trump I think he's somebody who didn't need this it's an outsider came in I want him to win I'm working hard for him to win when the president of the United States asks you to do a job you do any job that he asks former acting Director of National Intelligence and former president Trump's ambassador to Germany as well Rick grenell thank you so much for being here appreciate your time thanks for having me let's go down to the convention floor our Lisa de jardan who we've been describing as our eyes on the floor all week is with us now and she has a delegate with her Lisa who are you with well one way you can tell that this is the final night is the way the delegates are dressing and I don't know if you can see next to me Heather sprag of Maine has worn a dress that is fully imprinted with Trump 2024 that you bought specially for this this is your first convention the first Republican convention you told me you a recovering addict and you're running for office what was that moment like last night when JD Vance introduced his mother proudly also his someone who's been in successful recovery it was good to uh see somebody that relates you can relate to we were talking about the political parties didn't always acknowledge the depth of the problem why do you think Donald Trump can help with the substance problem that we have in this country right now and substance abuse disorder cuz he's heard the people and he's seen their problems he's seen JD's issues like the man talking and that lost his son to opioids he's he's not blind to do it he's already he's already he's already got his business and and his Fame and riches he's not seeking that like the political parties are you know what I mean so he can focus on the people he can focus on the problems Maine is a state that uh has a divided Senate delegation uh we talked about Senator Susan Collins she's a republican she's not at this convention what do you think about CER Collins I'm upset that she's not here I'm upset that she's not voting for Trump um I feel like she is overlooking the people her constituents um and voting you know her for National politics when she needs to be paying attention to what's going on in me excuse me sir we're uh we are in an era where Donald Trump really embodies the Republican party I think but Susan Collins has been a republican for a long time if Donald Trump were to say for say let's give this party a different name do you think you would go with him or would you stay with something called the Republican party I'd go with magga party or the Patriot party as you guys can tell it's pretty crowded down this is a classic last night but tell me a little bit more about that so it's it's for now even though you've been a republican for many years before Trump right now if Trump left the Republican party you would go with him yes I would I would tell me how do you know that he cares about more than himself because he's he's gone above and beyond he's actually doesn't he just took took a bullet for the American people he doesn't need in 30 all all these Court charges and stuff he could be home he he could be home playing golf and not getting shot but he's here he keeps fighting every day for the American people when you say fight what do you want to what do you mean by that fighting who and fighting for what well fighting for us fighting for you know our freedom for what's right um for the people Heather sprag of the great state of main I've got to give a shout out to the deard up there back to you guys all right with with us now in our booth here is Asa Hutchinson former governor of Arkansas and onetime Challenger to Donald Trump during the Republican primaries he has also not yet endorsed the GOP nominee Governor it's great to have you here I said not yet endorsed is that something that we should expect an endorsement of Donald Trump no you should not expect that uh I've made it clear that uh I think he would be a a challenge for America's leadership January 6 is a problem uh his uh uh demeanor uh post elction denial all of that character still counts in American politics and so uh I'm here to support the Republican party and to be a voice uh for uh our leadership across the globe I tell you I heard secretary Pompeo tonight the word Ukraine was not mentioned in his speech it's just extraordinary that uh one of the most uh significant National Security issues was not addressed and our European allies are floundering right now saying where's the United States of America and where will it be under Republican leadership but specifically under Trump leadership so Governor you know the ticket now we've seen who he selected as his vice president should we take this to mean you are not voting for the Trump fans ticket this November well I'm not endorsing him I don't expect to vote for him I said I'm not going to support somebody's a convicted felon it was uh right here on this stage and he's done a really an admirable job uh since the uh assassination attempt his uh I'm looking forward to speech tonight he has an opportunity to bring people together uh it's a test not just for tonight but beyond that so I'm watching and I'm looking but no uh I don't think that's going to work for me and I everybody makes their own choices Nikki Haley did but I think it's a matter of principle for me uh that the party demands too much well how's that going for you because to your point it it seem to be a binary choice in this Republican party these days you're either with us or you're against us and as you say you're not on board with endorsing Donald Trump but you're here to support the party what does that look like what does that feel like well first of all I mean it's been extraordinary if you see me going through the Halls here I'm taking pictures of people people are faking me yeah I saw you yesterday in the hallway being a voice of a true conservative and you've got to remember I was a republican during the Reagan years uh when I'm not sure what Donald Trump was doing but I believe in the principle of his party in American leadership uh and a limited form of government and it's not about a personality it's about principles and the future and and that's what I want to speak out for and there's a lot of other Republicans that believe the same way most of them aren't here but there's a lot that are it's a binary choice in the party as Jeff mentioned it's also a binary choice in this election do we take all this to mean I mean some of the policies you're talking about us support for Ukraine and so on those are being supported on by the Democrats would you vote for the Democratic ticket no uh I'm I'm a Republican and I'd think that Joe Biden has not been a strong leader and the Biden Harris ticket so that's problematic in a lot of different directions so yes it's a frustration to many share you got two the two major political parties that are offering two choices that uh are not what America wants you know I'm I'm hopeful and if president if Trump is elected president I wanted to be successful but you know between now and then I've got a voice that matters and I'm going to raise it is there a way back for the Republican party to those Alon Reagan days I guess to use to use your phrase the reason I asked the question is because Donald Trump's selection of JD Vance to serve as his vice president you know back in 2016 he chose Mike Pence because he had to shore up some perceived vulnerabilities with those Evangelical voters and so the selection of Mike Pence was was to say if you have concerns Mike Pence is my vice president the selection of JD Vance suggests that he is looking for someone to promote the magga movement that JD Vance is a more consistent and articulate messenger of the of the magga movement and that if this ticket wins there's really no turning back for for the Republican party is that how you see it well that's a risk and uh JD Vance certainly doubles down and he's young and uh you know there might be some competition down the road but he's in a prime position to carry on uh Maga Double Down and uh that's that's problematic he gave a great speech yesterday of course his personal story is terrific and so there's reasons that Trump selected him I think he can make a difference for him in some of the Midwestern states but I think you'll see him turn to an attack dog uh mentality typically of vice presidential uh candidates and uh you know he is just firm as can be and intellectually supportive of a more isolationist United States of America America that's and that's not the the Republican party uh that has robust leadership I want our party to be the pro America party and not the pro Putin party Governor as you know we're speaking at a time of incredible political tensions of rising political violence and one of the things we heard coming into this week was there was going to be a toning down of rhetoric that I think it's fair to say we have not seen expressed on this stage you mentioned you're looking forward to hearing president Trump's remarks tonight we know he ripped them up and change them or so they say after the assassination attempt what do you want to hear him say tonight well first of all leadership matters and I think President Biden saying let's reduce the harsh rhetoric president Trump mirrored that and it's made a difference uh in the convention even though you've still got some fire breathers that are out there it's still believe it or not toned down for what it could have been this was ton down the last few days exactly that's how you say good to know but uh from president uh Trump tonight I expect him to take the high road it's an opportunity to build a an image that he wants to reach out to America to be introspective and and serious about what happened to him so I I think it's going to be a a really great speech the only thing that I worry about is I understand it's supposed to be over an hour long yes sir and and that moves you into the entertainment venue and when he starts doing that who knows what he'll say can I ask you a question about uh President Biden setting politics aside you've known him for a long time how do you feel about his predicament as you have top Democrats in the House and Senate effectively trying to push him out uh and find a new standard Bearer at top the ticket well first of all as a human as uh somebody who knows that Joe Biden has given his life and Service uh that it's a sad day and of course I look at it and I'm thinking why didn't the family uh address this and encourage not to run he should not he should have decided not to run a long time ago uh with the health concerns and has put the Democrats in a very difficult position obviously uh so you feel for him you want him to recover from this and you want him to go out uh if he does uh step aside with a lot of dignity and I think he'll get a tremendous amount of national respect uh for putting the nation's well-being ahead of his own so uh uh you know I think everybody will feel that way if he makes that decision former Arkansas governor ASA Hutchinson joining us tonight Governor always such a pleasure to have you here thank you so much for making the time we hope to see you again soon thank you you got some smart people here so listen to them that is good advice you're making the segue for us how about that let's listen to some of these smart people around the table then Jonathan and David I'd love to turn to you here and and walk us through uh a little bit of how uh what you're expecting tonight um I'd love for you David to respond and react to the governor's suggestion that former president Trump will take the high road may do so tonight what do you make of that well as usual I'm looking to see what Donald Trump's frontal cortex is doing uh whether he's EG ability to uh do self-control and I have to say I have uh admitted I've underestimated what Trump has done in the last few months he's he's organized a disciplined campaign he's shut up when the Democrats are imploding he's totally transitioned this party 120° maybe it's all kind of impressive and so we'll see if he can continue on a pretty successful campaign I I never thought he'd be as disciplined as he's been over the last 6 months Jonathan what do you make of that to to David's point you have not heard former president Trump weigh in a lot in terms of the democrat's predicament as as Jeff referred to it earlier that's a discipline Trump we haven't seen before right and it's and it's smart I mean it politically and strategically it was smart um I you know I too respect Governor Hutchinson um but when he says he expects Trump to take the high road and be introspective I think that's a lot of Wishful Thinking especially at what's you know noted to be an hour 10 minute long speech um I would love for it to be introspective I would love for it to be the high road but it's just not going to be that and again I'm glad you pointed out that you know there's been a lot of there's been a lot of red meat at this at this convention and the fact that the governor said that this is toned down that's saying something so I look forward to hearing what Donald Trump has to say but my expectations are lower than the seat the the the focus on the fight Amy Walter I think that's uh really telegraphed by the the choice of speakers tonight lots of folks from the world of uh wrestling and Combat Sports yes it's not on accident that th those folks have been chosen I guess what I'm struck by at this moment is the fact that we're going we're at a republican convention where they will nominate the person will be on the ballot in November and we still don't know who is on the ticket on the Democratic side reporting coming out today suggesting that the proverbial dam is broken don't know if it's actually going to happen but that there is the very real possibility that this entire convention that it's focused mostly on Biden but as we've been discussing is also brought in the vice president kamla Harris as you know aiming at her but that that is is quite remarkable and that this speech whatever it is however he sounds whatever uh whether it is uh what what was the word that the governor used not he said it was going to be introspective however introspective it is that it could get quickly overshadowed by what will be Chaos on the other side so we we can't what are they the unknown unknowns we're still in that we're in that realm now we have no idea what's happening and and that's what feels so strange about this moment in time Donald Trump reportedly said on another Network tonight that he is not going to say the word the name Biden once in his speech tonight now that might be because he's trying to have a more measured or reserved approach or to your point he doesn't know who the nominee will be that's right and so you make the case against look with the vice president you make you're making the same case as you would on about Biden about the economy about immigration I just can't believe you can get through an hour speech when you again when you are the Challenger to the president United States without mentioning the president of United States that seems quite remarkable to me it also strikes me on this last night of the Republican National Convention when you have the former president the top of the ticket headlining you have to imagine every single speaker was very int Chosen and Tucker Carlson is speaking tonight ousted from Fox News he's been described as having the most racist show on cable news in history he's echoed white supremacist language praise authoritarian leaders David what message does it send that tuer Carlson has given a prime time speaking spot on the final night of the Republican National Convention yeah I I didn't an interview with Steve Bannon a couple weeks ago and one of the things that was so clear was that he said uh we hate Fox News Fox News are a bunch of squishes and then the other thing that was interesting that he said was Donald Trump is more moderate MAA has moved way to the right of where Donald Trump is and he said you're going to look back on when magga moves on you're going to say I wish for the good old days of Donald Trump and so I think bannon's sort of right about that not about the people in this Hall who are very unrepresentative of mea I would say they're more educated they're more Republican activist types uh and so Tucker Carlson is there for them and so if Maga is moving on its own uh without Trump then Tucker is more the voice of a more whatever you want to call it right-wing populist magot that would seem to assume then that Donald Trump is okay with the movement continuing to go further to his right assuming he signed off on Tu Carlson taking the stage right Donald Trump is a political creature and so he he wants to he wants to win and everything's about winning that's why that's why JD is there for the Midwest and Tucker there for that wing and winning has consequences so yeah you win and the people you're associated with will expect things from you and so to have to give Tucker Carlson this kind of platform you're platforming a guy who went to Hungary to interview Orban who went to Russia and did all sorts of reports about how wonderful Russia is under Vladimir Putin again I go back to what I've been saying since Monday you can say all you want that the the the attempted assassination might make him more introspective might tone things down might um you know have him focus on Unity but when we look at the people who have come across that stage the word the speeches that they've given the words that they've used the Animus that they've hurled out I'm sorry but I'm having a hard time seeing how there's any kind of moderation here he doesn't have to say the president's name but he can use phrases like Invasion illegal aliens the Democratic party doesn't know what a woman is those sorts of things I'm quoting things I've heard while sitting here and so you know that was the one thing about your interview with Steve Bannon that among many things that frightened me about Steve Bannon but where I you know I'm learning from this the fact that Maga has moved to the right of Donald Trump should send a shiver down the spines of every American who has a problem with where the Republican party is and certainly where the Republican party is under Donald Trump and one last thing I know I'm filler bustering here I'm not even in the Senate um I also noticed that this is my sixth Republican convention this is the first time I have rarely heard the words Republican party we as Republicans the rep party as Republicans we believe this more often than not it has been Donald Trump Donald John Trump president trump it is all about him and I think Governor Hutchinson alluded to that but this has been the words he used was I think it was Cult of Personality that is what I been watching for the last 4 days you know you know what's interesting I spoke with uh Dave wigle earlier this week he's a national P reporter for semor he has covered JD Vance since before he was a politician and to your point David about Maga becoming more conservative and moving further to the right than Donald Trump Dave made the point that one of the reasons why Donald Trump Jr and Tucker Carlson and Elon Musk and others uh Lobby Donald Trump to pick JD Vance was because he is more conservative than Donald Trump on abortion on trade policy on foreign policy and that by picking JD Vance that was a signal especially to Young Republican men who live almost exclusive online and who do watch Tucker Carlson and who do listen to Joe Rogan that was a signal to them that Donald Trump was still their guy yeah and I well JD is a lot more just ideological period than Donald Trump and so if you're an ideological person you want JD there because Donald Trump look what happened on abortion y uh and so you know you look what happened at the platform committee the New York Times had a great story in taking us inside that committee where these members of the platform committee thought I'm arriving I'm going to work on and write the platform and there was one delegate who brought a computer and bought a printer cuz they were all going to sit together and Hammer out the platform and they got to the room and they said put your cell phones in your computer in a magnetically protected box somewhere here's the platform eat it so and that was so that that's that's where the party is right now yeah well and it it is so important to appreciate the difference between Donald Trump ideology as you said I don't think he has an ideology it's politics it's transactional and that he also appreciated very quickly the overturning of roie Wade as a political problem that wing of the party the Tucker Carlson Wing maybe it's 30% I don't know maybe 35 it's not big enough to sustain a it's not an electoral Coalition that can win and I think that is you know if for Donald Trump to win he can't just rely on those types of Voters it's clear that he's not trying to woo back Suburban women but he's with his pick I think of JD Vance um there was a report today that you know they're really just about getting men back especially uh some of the men that Biden that voted for Biden in 2020 but regardless this is still um not a sustain that Wing is not sustainable on its own so when the polls show that Donald Trump is up in like seven swing States yeah who are those voters are those are those Biden voters who the disaffected Biden voters like where where is he making up that differential yeah so it it really depends but my sense of where things sit right now if you look at where uh Trump is in the polls he's basically where he was in 2020 in those states where he finished so everybody who voted for him last time's with him it's that it's not necessar that he's gone up although in a couple states where he's over 50 like in Georgia he has so he's winning back some of those voters in other states it's just that Biden's number has gone down so a lot of Biden voters are sitting on the fence and what's really fascinating about this moment as well of having so much tumult and Chaos this would be a good opportunity for I don't know RFK junor you're a third party candidate to be in the mix to be saying something to be and he has been absolutely radio silent so well to that point we've have now been reports you were very wide-eyed like you had something to say right away please go ahead no I wanted to ask Amy given given what you said about Senator Vance and given what you said about Trump's about Trump's ceiling why shouldn't I why shouldn't I be thinking that the selection of Senator Vance is actually a sign of weakness on the part of Donald Trump cuz if you're still trying to shore up your Shore up your base instead of reaching out since you can't win with just those people well you can't win with just you can't win with just the that people who are left to the right of magot the Tucker Carlson crew oh I see what you're saying right can can he win over they're not that's Insider talk his outside message talk will be populist and getting jobs back and and making America great again and getting us out of foreign conflicts it's not going to be the Steve Bannon rhetoric right there are two two axes here there's right moderate or less right but then there's also engaged less engaged and Trump and and JD Vance is about less engaged as well as right we're going to get a whiteboard out here I think that would be super helpful it's actually it is right it was a less safe choice in the sense that if you really wanted a risk-free uh choice you would find somebody who could reach more typical swing voters yeah let's go down to the convention floor because Tucker Carlson who we've been talking about is now addressing the convention oh this is wild thank you I've been good to see you thank you I I feel like I know about half the people in the room this is wild what are you doing Justin Wells thank you guys can I just say Peter Navaro is back welcome to Peter Navaro Suffering The Fate that has happened to so many who are friends with Donald Trump thank you for having me I have a uh I have been to many conventions I have never been to a more fun convention or a convention with better Vibes they literally let novaro out of prison first of all thank you um this feels a lot different from what I thought it was going to feel like I can't hear you but I I know it's something good so I watched I watched the video of what happened in Butler Pennsylvania about 15 50 times I think I was one of about 8 billion people around the world who watched it and the more I watched it the more it struck me that everything was different after that moment everything this convention is different the nation is different the world is different Donald Trump is different when he stood up after being shot in the face bloodied and put his hand up I thought at that moment that was a transformation this was no longer a man well I think that I think it was divine intervention but the effect that it had on Donald Trump he was no longer just a political party's nominee or a former president or a future president this was the leader of a nation and and I think there's a I think there's a difference I think I mean I'm I've spent most of my life in Washington where the you know the president is the at the top of the pyramid every wants to be the president but if you think about in the presidency comes with great power obviously but if you think about it that is a title that is bestowed by a process of some sort that can be subverted and in the end it does not confer by itself as no title does legitimacy just because you call yourself the president doesn't mean that much inherently I can call my dog the CEO of huet Packard it doesn't mean she is you know it's it's true and you hate to say it but it is also true is a fact that you could take I don't know a mannequin a dead person and make him president if you no you could you could I'm just saying theoretically possible with enough with enough cheating that could happen but being a leader is very different it's not a title it's organic you can't name someone a leader a leader is the bravest man that's who the leader is that is true in all human organizations this is a law of Nature and in that moment Donald Trump months before the presidential election became the leader of this nation that was the most obvious to me and I have to say you know I I I think it changed him I I you know reached out to Trump within hours of it that night and what he said to me that night having just been shot in the face he said not a single word about himself he said only how amazed he was and how proud he was of the crowd which didn't run and I thought two things the first thing I thought was well of course they didn't run his courage gave them heart a lead courage gives courage to his people and the second thing I thought was this is the selfish guy I've been hearing about for nine years really not a word about himself about his people period and the second thing I notice which I don't think anyone has remarked upon in public but I'm just going to since I don't have a script like why not is that he turned down the most obvious opportunity in politics to inflame the nation after being shot to inflame the nation which is an opportunity that almost every other politician I've ever met and certainly his opponents would have taken instantly and they would have said well what is this how did he get shot like how did this happen and those are real questions that we have to get to the bottom of but in the moments the days the week after the shooting he did not say that he did his best to bring the country together and I thought this is the divisive figure this is the irresponsible person no this is the most responsible unifying behavior of a leader I think I've ever seen so the question is where is he leading us and I could go on for hours but I let me just sum it up I do think the entire point from the famous escalator ride nine years ago until today of Donald Trump's public life has been to remind us of one fact which is a Leader's duty is to his people to his country and to no other that's the point that's the only point and another word for this is democracy democracy in case you're a little sick of being beaten in the face with democracy on television actual democracy is the proposition that the citizens of a country own that country they're not renters they're not surfs they're not slaves they are the owners of the country and for that to be true their leaders have to represent them which another way of saying they have to do what the people want them to do or a close approximation thereof but if they completely ignore what people want not just one year but generationally say for 50 years then it may be I don't know what it's not a democracy and so I think the entire Trump project paradoxically is attacked as an enemy of democracy is to return democracy to the United States hey let's pay attention to what people actually want and the lack of interest in that question in Washington is something that ultimately drove me out of the city after 35 years lawmakers stepping over the prostrate bodies of their fellow citizens oding on drugs to go cast votes to send money to some foreign country yeah actually we've lost me more Americans from drugs in the past four years that we lost in World War II yeah our bloodiest war more than we lost in World War II does anybody care it is pathetic it is pathetic and do you hear a single word from Washington about doing anything about we know where the drugs are coming from we know the supply routes the US military spent billions bombing the hoian trail you don't see our commander-in chief suggesting that we use our military to protect our country or the lives of its citizens no that's for Ukraine and it's too much actually it's too insulting it's too insulting it's a middle finger in the face of every American it's a very clear statement which is unmistakable and that is we don't care about you and Donald Trump whatever you say about him and I think he's a wonderful person I know him well by the way the the funniest person I've ever met in my life actually you can't be funny without perspective or without empathy which is true but everything else about Trump aside he actually cares because he's interested in the people who lives here live here because that's his job a father's job his duty is to his family an officer's duty is to his men a President's duty is to his citizens and he seems to be the only one who thinks that and in his choice for vice president JD Vance he's made that really clear JD Vance I'll say this about him is a thoroughly decent man and I'll just admit it a friend of mine one of the very few politicians in Washington who actually is very close to his own wife which is wonderful to see and she's wonderful actually but JD Vance has views that are closer to Trump's voters than anyone else in Washington in office therefore he's the vice president that's called democracy so I will stop on just one point and that is what's happened over the past month since the debate and particularly on Saturday in Butler I think a lot of people are wondering what is this this doesn't look like politics something bigger is going on here I think even people who don't believe in God are beginning to think well maybe there's something to this actually and I'm starting to think I'm starting to think it's going to be okay actually I do think that in the day after the mid term elections in 2018 antifa came to my house the Democratic party's militia okay I was at work it was obvious when I was at work because it was public my wife was Home Alone they tried to come in through the front door they terrorized her she hid in her pantry it was on television was horrible actually it was I mean I'm not whining about it wasn't getting shot in the face but it wrecked our day and the next morning we're lying in bed and the phone rings for my wife and it's Donald Trump who's not like a regular text Buddy of Donald Trump's she picks it up hello Susie is Donald Trump and it's coming through I could hear it you know I'm lying in bed whoa and the first thing he says is I'm going to stand guard outside your house and she goes oh that's so nice and he says I'll never forget this as long as I live he says you know there's a lot of hate out there and she said you know there is Mr President and then he says but there's a lot of love there's a lot of love and we are seeing that love I don't think it's human love and I'm I'll just stop with this I'm not always convinced that I'm on the right side I've been on the wrong side many times you'll never hear me say I'm on God's side or God's with me or even I'm with God I want to be not sure I am but I will say this unequivocally and conclusively God is Among Us right now and I think that's enough God bless you ladies and Gentlemen please welcome golf General that was Tucker Carlson ending his remarks here on the final night of the Republican National Convention the alsted former Fox host given a prime time spot here on the stage tonight expressing his support for former president Trump and in particular for the running mate of his choice JD Vance I understand our Lisa dearden has been down on the floor talking to Lisa I'd love to know what folks thought thought about those remarks and what they've heard so far tonight me too I am in the Florida delegation the home state delegation of course of the keynote speaker tonight who happens to be former president Donald Trump Donald Trump I'm with javante teag he's from Dixie County which is in North Florida I know you do a couple of things in life including you run a logging small logging business yes man' my parents um Troy Johnson we were on a small operation um my granddaddy my dad uh Mickey what did you think of Tucker Carlson you know he's a journalist but he's coming out here in favor of one one candidate very clearly well you know when Tucker came out here yeah journalist I don't know what does what does that mean to you when Tucker came out here she can see in the crowd when electrifying the crowd um the aisles got clatter cluttered the crowd went crazy enormous you could have charged one of those electric cars with the energy coming out of this room why do you support president Trump because I know in the primary you voted for someone else who did you vote for and why are you for Trump now um so I originally um you know for the first two terms I I voted for President Trump unequivocally um but when the primary came around I did support our governor governor Ronda santis in the great state of Florida however um afterwards whenever the governor dropped out and he called for unit um he called for us to get behind president Trump that's who I went and pledged my vote for um the reason that I'm supporting president Trump is because we've lived under his administration we've lived under Biden's Administration rarely do you ever see a presidential candidate where you can compare two track records here you can um when we lived up underneath the Trump Administration we had a little bit more Prosperity um how's your business doing now um well you know we're we're barrels of oil barrels of grease and so on so forth it's a lot more than what it was whenever we were in the Trump Administration and that's um you know affecting our bottom line um the timber industry as a whole saying the cost of fuel is too much ma' but how about business itself are is your business doing well overall you're the same profits better worse no we're we're struggling to get along like most Americans are the temperary industry is not something that traditionally um President Biden has supported but it is something that under President Trump we were able to thour and Thrive a little bit more Timber prices were a little bit more more were more negotiable and they favored more so to the land owners unlike R now what do you say to Americans in the middle who may say I'm I'm not sure about President Biden I'm not sure about former president Trump and their doubts about for former president Trump are that he sometimes says that he thinks he is the law meaning he would tell the Department of Justice of Justice if he wanted to potentially to prosecute political opponents he would change our our civil service so that it wasn't necessarily a meritocracy but that he would appoint people loyal to him some people say that makes them nervous that's not the tradition in American democracy and that's where you kind of get cronyism in what how do you respond to that are you worried about that um no ma'am I myself am not worried about that what I look at again as I go back to that track record you know we've had Donald Trump in office for four years we' seen how he led and what he done and I believe that it's going to go back to exactly what he done during those first years how do you know you're not seeing what you want to see in Donald Trump um well you know I just look at um I I look at what he has done in the past and um as somebody who has gotten close to the Trump campaign I just know that what he I know how he's going to go I know you said it's an electric atmosphere here thanks javante and one note for David Brooks David I want to pass on to you the woman I talked to before Heather she has a GED we're talking about education levels here she told me though that she thinks she's the exception and that you're on to something that really most of the delegates here college educated college educated High School yeah college educated or graduate educated but but she herself was not back to you guys all right Lisa de jardan thanks so much Jonathan capart your reaction to some of what we heard from Tucker Carlson specifically his riff about democracy that democracy means people own the government and that politicians must listen to the people for the sake of democracy it was interesting because of course Democrats have have suggested not suggested they' said that that Donald Trump is a threat to the Great American experience that he is an existential threat poses an existential threat to democracy how did you think of the way that what did you make of the way that Tucker Carlson tried to posit this well he's trying to take back the defending democracy argument and listening to and hearing that line it maybe think of Robert kagan's new book which the Name Escapes me but he talks about this this kind of thought that uh the people the people I was going to say own the government but the the politicians are beholden to the people and the way this thinking is going it's that because the the people are the ones who are in the book is called Rebellion yes thank you that's right Rebellion that because the people are the ones in control that where the Trump movement is going is that they will take it to the next extreme we saw January 6 where the people decided that they didn't like the government and so now the next extreme is well if the people don't like who's elected because the people run the government they feel emboldened to then overthrow the government and I encourage everyone to read Bob to read uh Bob kagan's book because it is it is very compelling and puts this moment we're in into incredible perspective which is why as I'm listening to these speeches I'm becoming more alarmed simply because you you have these very extreme views wrapped up in really kind of pretty packages if you didn't know who Tucker Carlson was and you're just listening to him you're like oh he's like a little pleasant voice and you know looks like a little preppy kid how wonderful but when you dive into the words that he's saying they're very it's they're very pernicious and his sneering at um at um uh election denialism the big lie you know oh you could just put a dead person and call them the president the depending on how you know whether the election was fair I'm paraphrasing here but that was a nod to the big lie and that could just fly over the heads of a lot of people he if this is going to be a unifying convention that was not it David yeah the the there's a lot of foundational differences between this Republican party and the former Republican party one of them is attitudes about republic versus de direct democracy the former Republican party believed that we're a republic we have all sorts of breaks separating direct democracy from governance we have a senate we have an electoral college we have a civil service magot doesn't really believe in that they want direct democracy that the people directly control the second is what is America JD Vance yesterday spent a fair chunk of his speech on America is not an idea why well that seems kind of abstract because for Reagan Republicans America was a shining idea and it was an an idea that you could spread around the world of democracy and uh freedom and Democratic capitalism JD takes a different view which is that democracy is blood and soil it's a land and it's a people and that's the way a lot of other countries Define themselves rightly but it's not how the old Republican democracy did the third point I'd make is that the Reagan Republican party was based on an abundance mindset we're a great country we got a lot of abundance if people come in here as immigrants they're coming in to create more abundance the Trump Republican party is a scarcity mindset a zero some mindset if people are coming in here it's cuz they're going to take our jobs and so these are I could go on there are so many Foundation I've never heard anyone break it down that way thank you for doing that I mean it's it's brilliant thank you I get a shout out from Lisa and I get called brilliant by you it's a good night next column we're surrounded by brilliant in in in the way that you know the rubber has to meet the road at some point on what we're hearing on the stage and what's resonating with voters what gets people off the couch what gets them to change their minds one way or the other we've heard a lot of overt messaging about expanding the party and everyone is welcome there's not what are you hearing in the way of messaging that actually backs that up that says they're speaking to these particular groups because so far tonight there been a lot of doubling down on this kind of populist Maga messaging though as we've noticed most of the doubling down is before we get to prime time before the networks carry it and that the images of the people uh and the messages of the people who are coming on at that moment are for the broader audience now I realize we live in a time where the network audience whatever that means there was a time when uh that was separate but uh uh where that was all we had as opposed to lots of separate channels but I you know again I think fundamentally what has helped Trump even before we got to the debates the assassination attempt this conversation about what's happening at the top of the democratic ticket was that voters who did not support Donald Trump in 2020 who had voted for Joe Biden in 2020 many of them decided that they didn't know if they were going to stick with this time around they were looking at Biden and thinking I don't know if he has it in him a lot of them were younger voters of color what's remarkable to me too for all the talk of how Macho this ticket is and how Macho tonight's going to be with literally people whose job it is to like smash people around Hulk Hogan hul Hogan the UFC guy um where where Biden is really struggling at least in the polling is with women and it is where Harris does do in the polls does do better with uh with women but what we heard when we talked to Trump's pollster is you know so many of these women they're not going to they're not necessarily voting for Donald Trump they're they're voting for RFK Juniors getting a lot of support from women um maybe some of the other third party candidates or saying I'm just not going to vote at all and so that to me is the real fundamental question here is are we really going to see this big shift because I don't think we have our system as it is right now is so calcified that very few people are truly persuadable but if they are persuadable it's not by this it's it is the economy that is the persuadable and it is this idea that uh when Trump was in office things were better economically and they're not now and we're going to give him the opportunity but I uh this time around that we didn't last time and what they're doing here by by putting a diversity of faces and voices into the mix um is trying to say yes we can win some new voters over but mostly what they're trying to do is is to sort of Rebrand Donald Trump he's softer he's we've had people come on and talk about his children and his grandchildren that's a very different image that they're trying to sell to give that permission structure for those voters who didn't like him in 2020 and we'll be hearing from Trump himself later tonight for right now though we're going to take a short break for our PBS stations we'll be right back with continued live coverage of the Republican National Convention please stay with us I'm Dr panil Joseph author and professor at the University of Texas at Austin the 2020 Republican National Convention held virtually at the White House is historically significant as the first party convention to be televised at the White House by a sitting American president gathered here at our beautiful and Majestic White House known all over the world as the people's house we cannot help but Marvel at the miracle that is our Great American story this convention is historically significant for really casting in sharp relief the crisis that America was facing in that moment everything we have achieved is now in danger a crisis of a health pandemic a crisis that was resolving around racial Injustice and police brutality and really a crisis of Faith in American institutions and welcome back you are watching PBS news live coverage of the Republican National Convention I'm omna Nas and I'm Jeff Bennett we have a couple of more hours this evening with Eric Trump and the former president still to come but let's return now to our panel here in the booth that includes Amy Walter Jonathan capart and David Brooks let's let's sort of reset the table here uh uh David what are you expecting to hear what do you want to hear from former president Donald Trump as he accepts his party's nomination tonight well this is so old school but I'd love to know what he's going to what he would do in the second term like like that would be interesting like he is running and like policy like it's been so interesting to me how they've elided so many policies like the budget like Republicans talk about $35 trillion do in debt what are you going to do about that Ukraine I mean it's a pretty important issue we're going to Sol Ukraine that's not an answer that's like a balloon and and so you know you go down issue after issue JD Vance talks about uh struggling uh people in the midwest in the industrial Midwest well in fact frankly under Joe Biden there's investment after investment into Ohio and in uh I was just in appalachin Ohio they've got a chip plant going in I was in Syracuse New York they got a chip plant going in there's a manufacturing boom it's not all federal spunding but but it's private investment caused by decoupling with China and so what does Biden what does Trump think about any of that I mean this has seemed boring stuff but in normal times major policies major issues you talk about that kind of stuff but we've moved on frankly into Tucker's world where tell a story about God you tell a story about bravery and you know Character Matters believe me I wrote a book about this but but um I would love to hear policy to your point earlier that you've made a few times though this is this is a convention this is a rally right we shouldn't expect too many of those policy details necessarily to be hashed out though we've tried to kind of seek them out in the interviews and the folks we've had access to here but there's real daylight in the Republican party on a lot of issues right Ukraine you mentioned as one I'm how do you see those getting sorted out with this ticket in particular it's it's hard I mean even like um the the the FED chairman Powell like there was an assumption that if Trump wins C is gone but but then Trump told Bloomberg no keep him around like it kind of matters the said chairman is a serious job and so there are all sorts of things where you're never quite sure what Donald Trump is about to say and so I I would love to go back I should go back and look at Reagan's acceptance speech and did he have policies I bet he had he had a certain kind of suppli side ideology there you sort of knew where he was going I bet he had Star Wars I know he had Star Wars at least to the second term he sort of knew where he was going these were policies you don't have if to go into brooking's Institute details with all respect but mention something and I've just been it's been a a desert David or excuse me Jonathan to what degree have the Democrats been undercut and undermined in in responding to all of this because of all of the tumult yes no I'm agreeing with you I'm sorry Jeff no I'm totally agreeing with you because this should have been the week when Democrats were going Toe to Toe with what's coming out of this Hall remember when President Biden called into Morning Joe a week ago Monday or weeko Friday was one of those days and he gave this very strong interview he was on the phone for a half hour and they said you know come back any time and he said sure and my the bulb went off my head and said pres I thought President Biden should go on Morning Joe every morning after the night of the convention or the PBS newsour every evening just as an idea put to call to call would you take a we take the call All right but the point I'm making is counter program but instead Democrats are spending their entire time trying to push out the nominee of their own party when when Saturday happened I thought everything is scrambled um this race has changed maybe this will be the thing the smelling salts for the party to say you know what we need to cut it out we need to Circle everything around the nominee and move and then judge Cannon throws out the documents case and I thought oh my God here you go this will get the Democrats to focus nope and then one other thing happened oh the selection of JD Vance as the not as the Vice Presidential nominee so many things in his background that the that Democrats could be talking about and instead they're not and so I think for the first time at least since I've been going to these things the Republican party or this Donald Trump party has had a free Lane to say what it wants to say without very effective push back the Democrats are here the Biden Harris campaign is here every morning doing press conferences but that can't compete with a unified party pushing hard on multiple fronts against the stuff that's coming out of this Hall Jonathan the fact that they're not doing that doesn't that speak to the level of concern among Democrats about their ticket and the ticket's ability to beat Trump in vance well sure I'm not downplaying the concern what I've been railing against is the usual Democratic hysteria over one piece of bad news this has been Go I mean how many Democrats and disarray stories have we read over the last four years I'm not downplaying the disaster of the June 27th debate but the Democrats are in this crisis they are in one because of the the president's performance but more importantly and I think more substantially because Democrats got scared we're in July this is not September there is time to pull things back but the it seems like the party has made up its mind they want him out a question about that because the reporting is that Mike donellan President Biden's longtime adviser is showing him data that suggests this race is still competitive even as we reported today uh Chuck Schumer hakee Jeff have had separate private meetings with the president where they conveyed their concerns about the party's fate come November what is President Biden's team seeing that everybody else isn't seeing they're not oh okay I mean I don't think so I don't know I'm not I don't get those briefings but there's nothing that's a private data or public data that's going to look any different when you start seeing polls and hearing about polls in New Mexico a state that Biden carried by Double Dead jits Virginia how many polls have we seen come out of Virginia another State won by double digits that's now on the margin and when you see the lack of enthusiasm only go down the reason we are at this point though Jonathan I think is because no one had the conversation way back in 2023 to say should this be our nominee given what voters are already telling us they're worried about that he's too old even Democratic voters were saying that I'd like another choice is oh wait till they wait till they see the contrast they're going to stick with our guy CU they have they maybe they're not excited but they don't like Trump so much and he's going to remind them every day of why they don't like him to David's point he hasn't been reminding them every day because he's been incredibly disciplined he didn't go and do the debates so we haven't gotten him on record on anything we know this from his time as president he can set a policy agenda and then just do a whole different thing the next day right there is nothing if you're going to make your entire campaign about the other guy then that other guy has to be the center of attention all the time and the messenger has to be credible on this and here's to me that just the polling numbers that I think are really devastating for the for Biden back in 2020 what was Biden's argument this is chaos Trump's chaos let's get things back to normal and when when NBC passed voters in June of 2020 who do you think would be a more competent and effective President Biden was ahead on that question by nine points today um Trump is leading that question who's more competent and effective by 18 points so that is a 27o shift on who could do the job that is the that is the fundamental problem because if voters think you can't do the job no matter what you say no matter how hard you campaign no matter how close it is because I do think given how calcified we are it's true a landslide isn't going to be 45 States it's not going to be that the bottom falls out and he's only getting 32% but whether you lose Minnesota by a point or win it by a point doesn't matter by that PO by if we're talking about Minnesota we're Way Beyond 270 votes for Donald Trump and we also may be at a place where so many other voters in states that Democrats need to pick back control of the House New York California if they stay home you can't get the house either can I ask you another polling question yes maybe I was speaking with a Biden supporter this morning who suggested that Trump is peeking too early is that a thing to peek too early yeah I don't think uh I don't know if that's a thing I mean he's doing re I mean let's put it in let's be really clear he's had an unbelievable few weeks between surviving an assassination temp the cases against him have all been thrown out um this convention has gone really really well and yeah there's time for him to not do well but the problem for Biden is can he do better and I think that's why you're seeing this Panic among Democrats you mentioned earlier someone we haven't talked about a lot but who absolutely factors into all of this and that is RFK Jr and I wonder David and Jonathan how you think he could potentially impact this race and there is a lot of time left but he could say something or do something we know and we've seen recordings right in which Donald Trump has reached out to him and seems to seek his endorsement in terms of the people who could make the difference in this race expanding the base or expanding their reach on either side on the margins would an RFK junr endorsement of former president Trump make a difference here yeah I think so I the norm for third party candidates is their support goes down the closer it gets to election day Amy would know this better than I I've looked at the poing of RFK it's not clear to me who he draws from more but nonetheless even if it's 50/50 if he throws his support for Donald Trump that's half of RFK support probably going to Trump and that would be that might be two or three percentage points that would be significant yeah yeah clearly Trump thinks um RFK is a factor which is why he called him I mean Donald Trump if anything is a transactional figure so if he's calling someone on the phone it's for a reason other than that I haven't thought about RFK J what RFK Jr does though is he lowers the ceiling for we've been talking a lot about ceilings polling ceilings if you are the um the Trump campaign it means that you can win with 47 or 48% because those anti-trump voters are going third party what Trump pollster believes is that and we seen this in our own polling that um a lot of those RFK junr voters are disaffected Biden supporters or their traditional democratic voters and so yeah it probably it helps Biden a more for RFK to drop out but to David's point if then the rest of those voters end up going to Trump then it's not as helpful or if they stay home that's also not helpful just a note for our Audi you're watching PBS news live coverage of course the final night of the Republican National Convention thanks for staying with us as this band continues to play on in the background we believe we are waiting for the arrival of JD Vance of course we'll bring that to you live as it happens when it does in the meantime Amy you mentioned earlier some of the folks we've been hearing from this effort David as you've talked about the narrative building around former president Trump we've been hearing from family members we heard from Donald Trump Jr we he heard from his daughter Kai as well from Laura Trump his daughter-in-law we expect to hear from Eric Trump tonight Jonathan I'm struck by the fact that we haven't seen or heard from Ivanka Trump or Jared Kushner who played such crucial roles in the first Trump Administration what do you make of that well they're they're keeping um Donald Trump at arms length at least publicly I mean she put out uh something on on X uh the day that uh of the attempted assassination but other than that they're they're they're staying away there are reasons I don't know um but it is telling what's also what's also telling and interesting is that the former first lady is going to be here and she's been totally missing from this campaign uh I saw something written where it says that you know she's you know she's not a recluse but she keeps to herself she doesn't do a whole lot of things she doesn't say a lot mindful of of now the power that she has which is when she does say something people will pay attention to what she's saying so the fact that we haven't seen a lot of her the fact that we haven't heard a lot from her will make her arrival in this Hall Electric you know as we wait for uh JD Vance to to walk out it strikes me that his walk out song is Merl Haggard's America First that is an anti-iraq War song and to return to his view his his foreign policy View and the reason why one of the reasons why he says he's against uh us continued us support for Ukraine is because he has this anti-interventionist view that is rooted in his military service his Service uh serving in the serving in Iraq during the Iraq War and his view is that nation building exercises and NeverEnding Wars are not good for this country and they're not good for the men and women who fight them and that really resonates with I think it does a wide demographic of the Republican party and even really Beyond the Republican party I was um last night talking to uh some folks one of whom is a former Hill staffer Democratic Hill staffer but that song he said that was the song that got me into politics because I felt similarly right that uh really struck a chord to me so I understand how many how many people whether they're going to identify as Democratic or republican saw the Iraq War as a symptom of a bigger problem and that you do have right when we hear all these stories of PTSD and suicide among service members um you can't but help and think we uh we are at sort of a Tipping Point when it comes to this conversation about what America's role in the world is and I'm no historian but it seems like that's been part of the American story for as long as we've been America about how much we should go out how much we should come in and um it makes perfect sense that after Iraq in in Afghanistan that we would be pulling back um but you also have to like so at that moment that's important but what it says more broadly about our foreign policy because the conversation that Donald Trump seems to o be having as you asked Rick reell about is who are we going to partner with in the world we still need to have Partners we still need to do business and um where if are we going to be hueing more closely to those Nations that have leaders that are more authoritarian and have regimes and and administrations that are less Democratic David that sense of frustration with the Forever War right that that's a very generational thing too I can say you know I remember coming out of school in that post 911 World there was such a sense of so many more of our colleagues and friends and Par enlisting serving in some way recognizing that this was something we needed to do as you know young people coming out into the world and the sense of frustration that built over the years that followed when we saw the way those Wars unfolded but this is really to Amy's point that sense of isolationism a growing isolationism is something we've seen both on the right and the left in a lot of ways right yeah so I was born 16 years after the end of World War II but the effect of World War II was still very much the way I was raised we used American power to defeat tyranny and to spread democracy then I covered the end of the Cold War we used American power to deter Soviet aggression and ultimately to spread democracy not to Russia but to Central Europe and around the world and so I was raised with this direct experience JD who's 39 well I'm I'm struck by the power of historical events to shape his thinking and a lot of people's thinking first don't underestimate the long-term power of the de-industrialization of the Midwest which was really a story that was from the 7s to the 9s but when JD would have been a kid then you have the financial crisis uh I'm getting the dates wrong the 2008 but then you have Iraq and and then you have and the financial crisis really delegitimizes the leadership class then you have and I would say for some people here the Biden inflation I think the Biden economic policies did enormous good for a lot of the places that JD is talking about but on the other hand the Biden staff overstimulated the economy the economy was running white hot gas prices and everything else was shooting up the FED had to raise borrowing costs and so that further delegitimizes the people who are supposed to know what they're doing and so the these big historical events are the Cradle in which we're now living and JD comes more out of that culture and ASA Hutchinson who was here comes he's a little older than me probably he comes out of the World War II the Cold War this sense of of of expertise is something we've talked about before too this is something President Biden leans into so heavily right that you know with age comes wisdom comes expertise that's a reason that you should be supporting me this is almost exactly the opposite message we're getting here right it's Junior senator from Ohio is the one who going to be setting foreign policy for this country well to to David's Point earlier there have been no policy prescriptions none we have no idea what what they want to do with a second Trump tour in the white house now you can glean some of the things that they want to do from past um uh campaign rallies or you can pick up project 2025 in the 900 Pages there you can be guaranteed that a lot of the things in there will be will be policy but it would be nice to hear specifics as David said about what it is they want to do and Amy you mentioned earlier that that voters often say that the economy under Donald Trump was better than it it currently is under Joe Biden voters memory hold Co and everything that that was connected to it I mean in many ways I do think they have but at the same time you know think about what was happening as we were going through Co in 2020 people were also getting checks we were getting a PPP check you were getting a direct stimulus check so uh right we had record amount of savings people obviously also weren't going out and spending money so uh this idea of like wow we're flush even though we're in the midst of an unbelievable one pandemic was sitting there right so that I think makes it even more to D David's point about the corrosive impact of inflation to on the one hand feel like I've got all this money I can't wait to spend it we're going to go on vacations now and we're going to add on to the house and we're going to do all this and then the next day you're buying eggs and you're like what what happened um and uh the other thing about growing where you grew up is important too so so the last time we had inflation at anywhere close to this level you had to be around in the Carter era and those of us who were I was alive okay but uh at 8 I wasn't like buying groceries I was a very shelter I was a very sheltered very sheltered child that I wasn't responsible for the families um you know groceries and and gas but so I've never lived in a time of any inflation that looks like this and I'm not a very young person so that is the other thing I think we really have to appreciate it's not just like okay prices went up a little bit and then you know I remember my parents talking about the loan they took out to buy their first house with you know a [Applause] 15% interest rate and like great right and for all these right I can't even I was alive and conscious then I remember you know seeing interest rates in 20s something per when my mom was looking to purchase our condo 20 something per right right so we just but now but over the last 20 years if you had a an interest rate that was like higher than 5% you were a sucker like how did why are you at 2% I got to tell you I am dying to hear more about 8-year-old a-year-old Jonathan better pull out some good childhood memories David but in the meantime I think our Lisa dearden is still with us down on the convention floor where it looks like the delegates have just been hanging out listening to this music we've been talking through in the background Lisa who are you with I am with Alton Russell of the Georgia delegation I think you would agree with me not to not to undermine the seriousness of this moment in American culture but this is a party down here right now absolutely sure is yeah fun everybody's everybody is ready to go now you told me you're 89 years old is that you're 85 years old 85 years old 85 years old and you what do you do for a living what do you tell me I'm a toilet paper salesman I really and I asked you I said is that you're not kidding with me no I'm that's true you work on Distributing paper products yeah I work for a distributor in Columbus Georgia and we sell Towers tissue all kind of paper products Industrial Supplies Safety Supply we sell everything and you've been to how many republican conventions uh this is number six I think all right now the Republican Party nominated Mitt Romney not that long ago right did you support Mitt Romney if he had an R by his name in the general election yes you know he he was nominated um in the year that we had a we had our we had our state convention in Columbus Georgia do you think the party has has changed too much is that or do you like where it is now oh I think it's changed a lot I think it's changed a lot where we're more ser serious with the issues that we have facing us today I'm being told that Vice Presidential nominee JD Vance is coming in and I'll send it back to you guys but I also say your wife said we oh I'm sorry she said the best former president Trump is nowbody best said what did y'all are the best coverage of this convention period Well I had to get that in I'll send it back to you guys well we appreciate that very much thank you so much to that gentleman as you can see now that is the Trump family being welcomed into the family box there by former president Donald Trump for the first time in this convention we are seeing both Ivanka Trump and his her husband Jared Kushner we know played such crucial roles in the first Trump Administration and they are here tonight for this final night of the convention you see his daughter Tiffany as well other members of the family all filing in looks like the whole family is here tonight for the first time and there of course is former president Trump Trump himself we understand that Melania Trump will be joining a little bit later this evening just to note we're still waiting for the arrival of JD Vance and his family we do expect that at some point the family walks in as the music continues to play and just a programming note for those of you staying with us thanks for joining us you're watching PBS news live coverage of the final night of the Republican National Convention there's been some 15 to 20 minutes of straight music being played for this last stretch of time which we weren't to be perfectly honest expecting to happen so we are watching this unfold along with all of you at home of course among the featured speakers tonight as we noted earlier some particularly pugilistic voices among them former wrestler Hulk Hogan we expect to take the stage at some point and it looks like this video is introducing him right now let's take a look at the stage well let me tell you something brother you know something when I came here tonight there was so much energy in this room I felt maybe I was in Madison Square Garden getting ready to win another world title or maybe I thought the was so intense the energy was so crazy it felt like maybe I was going to press that no good stinky giant over my head and slam him through the mat [Music] brother but what I found out was I was in a room full of Real Americans brother and at the end of the day with our leader up there my hero that gladiator we're going to bring a America back together one real American at a time brother you know something I've seen some great tag teams in my time Hulk Hogan and oo yeah the Macho Man Randy Savage but you know something I see the greatest tag team of my life standing up on us getting ready to straighten this country out for all the Real Americans you know even though you guys are Real Americans you better get ready because when Donald J Trump becomes the president of the United States All The Real Americans are going to be nicknamed [Applause] Trump ites are going to be running wild for four years so with the power of Donald J Trump and all the Trump ites Running Wild America is going to get back on track and like Donald J Trump said America is going to be great again you know I when I look out and I see all the Real Americans I think about how Donald Trump his family was compromised when I look out there and I see Donald Trump I think about how his business was compromised but what happened last week when they took a shot at my hero and they tried to kill the next president of the United States enough was enough and I said let Trump Amia run wild brother let Trump arm Mania rule again let Trump armania make America great [Applause] again us us us [Applause] us you know something Trump ites I didn't come here as Hulk Hogan but I just had to give you a little taste you know my name my name my name is Terry blea and as an Entertainer I love you too and as an Entertainer I tried to stay out of politics but after everything that's happened to our country over the past four years and everything that happened last weekend I can no longer stay silent I'm here tonight because I want the world to know that Donald Trump is a real American hero and I'm proud to support my hero as the next president of this United States you know guys I've known Donald Trump for over 35 years you know hold on a second hold on I just had a flashback I just had a flashback man this is really tripping you know the last time I was up on stage Donald Trump was sitting at Ringside at the Trump Plaza I was bleeding like a pig and I won the world title right in front of Donald J Trump and you know something he's going to win in November and we're all GNA be champions again when he wins and like I said I've known that man for over 35 years and he's always been the biggest Patriot and he's still is he's always told you exactly what he thought and he still does brother and no matter the odds he always finds a way to win and when he's back in our White House America is going to start winning [Applause] again you know guys over my career I've been in the ring with some of the biggest some of the baddest dudes on the planet and I've squared off against Warriors oh yeah Savages and I've even like I said body slammed Giants in the middle of the ring and I know tough guys but let me tell you something brother Donald Trump is the toughest of them all they've thrown everything at Donald Trump all the investigations the impeachments the court cases and he's still standing and kicking their butts you know we never had it better than the Trump years back then we had a thriving economy we had strong borders we had Safe Streets we had peace and respect around the world but then we lost it all in a blink of an eye crime is out of control the border is out of control the price of food and gas and housing is out of control and the only person who can clean this up is Donald [Applause] Trump you know guys I really really love this country and I've lived the American dream and I want my kids your kids and all those little teeny hulkamaniacs out there to live the American dream too this November guys we can save the American dream for everyone and Donald Trump is the president who will get the job done so all you criminals all you lives all you scumbags all you drug dealers and all you crooked politicians need to answer one question brother what you GNA do when Donald Trump and all the Trump Maniacs run wild on you brother God bless you and thank you ladies and Gentlemen please welcome the president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and president of Samaritans purse the Reverend Franklin Graham [Applause] good evening I've got the hardest job tonight I have to follow Hulk Hogan but I stand here tonight as a private citizen who loves this country I've been asked to say a few words and then to pray and we're going to do that last Saturday in Butler Pennsylvania president Trump had a near death experience no question but God spared his life and when we go through those experiences it changes us it can cause us to examine our lives and re-evaluate our priorities as you should when President Trump Rose from that platform he rose with his fist raised in strength showing America his unshakable resolve to fight for them in this nation I cannot explain why God would save one life and allow another one to be taken I don't have the answer for that but one thing I do know is that God loves us and he wants us to be with him in heaven one day and that's through faith in his son Jesus Christ you see the Bible says that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him shouldn't perish but should have everlasting life for as long for as long as I've known the president Trump I found him to be a man of his word things that he said he'll do he did when he told me and our country in 2016 that he was going to appoint conservative justices guess what he did in 2016 he said he would defend religious liberty and guess what he did in 2019 I was with him at the United Nations when the first president of history of this country stood there to advocate for religious liberty worldwide when American citizen and Pastor Andrew Brunson was being held in a Turkish jail on false accusations president Trump demanded that he be released and he applied economic pressure and sanctions until the did that I'm grateful and thankful for what he did as a 45th president of the United States and I know that as the 47th president he will keep his word to the American people to make America great once again it's an honor for me to be asked to pray for Donald Trump this evening and so what I'd like to do I'd like us to pray but I'd like us all to stand as we call upon the name of the god of Heaven our heavenly father we come before you this evening with gra grateful Hearts thank you for saving the life of President Donald J Trump in his own words it was you and you alone who saved him we pray for the others that were injured on Saturday for the family who lost their loved one put your loving arms around them Comfort them and may they sense your presence we stand before you tonight we say thank you for the provisions you have given to the United States of America you have blessed this country more than any country in the world sadly as a nation we have forgotten who is responsible of all the freedoms the Liberties and the Bounty that we enjoy it has all come for you thank you this evening our nation is in trouble we're divided politically racially economically with millions of people seeking refuge and hope in our dry and thirsty land you're the only one who can fix the complexity of the problems that we face today we pray for president Trump that you would give him wisdom strength and a Clear Vision for the future of this nation and the task that is at hand continue to protect him from his enemies I pray that you would surround him with men and women who will give him sound counsel and guidance we pray for Melania for Baron and for all the president Trump's children and grandchildren we pray for Senator JD Vance his wife USA along with their young family we're thankful for his strong stand for defending life as your word instructs we also pray for the leaders of our nation whether they're Republican Democrat or independent we know that all authority comes from you you are a great God and we ask that if it be thy will that you will make America great once again and we ask that you'll unite our hearts bring us together one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all and we pray this in the mighty name of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the King of Kings and the Lord of lords amen [Music] ladies and Gentlemen please welcome businessman and Executive Vice President of the Trump organization Eric Trump [Applause] good evening [Applause] America eight years ago my father sat our family down he spoke of a nation in decline of dreams slipping away of a future endangered by failed leadership and broken promises it was in that moment I knew my father had made a decision that would forever change our lives we realized he had chosen to step into the arena to fight for the soul of America he decided to leave behind the Comforts of an unbelievable business Empire to leave behind everything he had ever built to answer the call to serve our nation unlike his predecessor it was not a decision born out of necessity unlike the current president it was not a decision that would enrich his family rather was decision made out of love for this country and a deep concern for America's future [Music] my father was clear it would not be easy that there would be a huge price to pay and that the attacks would be vicious looking back that was an understatement the madeup Russia hoax the Sham impeachments the efforts to destroy an unbelievable company a company that I run today the efforts to cancel us to silence him to gag his free speech and to drag him through every radical left courthouse in America to take his life yet through it all he shown unwavering courage and determination not just in public but in every private conversation with me and our family he stood tall fueled not by personal ambition but by a profound love for this country and a love for all of you the American people that man is my father that man is the 45th president and soon to be 47th president of the United States that man is Donald J Trump [Applause] each time I've stood on the stage America has been a dire Crossroads in 2016 many people began to doubt the promise of America our economy was struggling jobs were scarce our standing on the world stage was weak at best veterans were forgotten our military was in shambles our educational system was broken ranked 30th in the world he could no longer tolerate an inep Administration that handed $150 billion to Iran a country that chance death to America or witness a continue to tax on our Constitution and our religious liberty or see the disrespect respect sh to our unbelievable law enforcement officers who are being disarmed defunded and persecuted each and every day he could no longer stand to see words like Christmas stripped from public use or the Pledge of Allegiance removed from our schools but my father saw potential where others saw despair Donald Trump built the New York City skyline he did so during a Time he did so during a time when businesses were turning away from the city he loved crime was rampant the streets were dirty but he had the mightest touch and he turned those streets and neighborhoods into gold he faced every challenge with tremendous vision and grit as he did during the 2016 election he rolled up his sleeves he remained Unapologetic he did not care to be politically correct [Applause] He restored hope he restored a voice to millions of Americans who had been ignored He restored the American dream under my father's leadership the economy climbed to record Heights jobs were created at an unthinkable Pace unemployment reached historic lows across all demographics wage growth sword he cut taxes for hardworking families and businesses he slashed regulations we saw the greatest 401K increase in American history people bought their first homes in an environment that Saw 2 to 3% interest rates they started their families my father made the United States energy independent with the lowest gas prices in decades my father made the United States safe our borders were closed there was peace in the Middle East Soloman Al baghdaddy the terrorists were dead my father made the United States respected again with the courage to walk into countries like North Korea with the courage to impose tariffs on China and with a courage to tear up trade deals that cost Americans their [Applause] jobs he brought manufacturing back to America small businesses flourished he did what he promised he put America first we were winning Donald Trump made America great again [Applause] but he also created a movement a movement that thresh threatened the special interest in the political Elites a movement that cast a bright light on the institutions weaponized against the American people you see it in our schools God blessed the moms who fought back you see in your workplace you you see it on every news station in every newspaper you see it in the military the most iconic military installations on planet Earth are stripped of their identity and renamed Fort Bragg Benning Fort Hood you see it in Hollywood you see it in our two-tier Judicial System they don't even hide it anymore my father has been censored the former president ripped off to Twitter Instagram and Facebook while terrorists organizations remain intact my father has been persecuted targeted by far-left democrats funded by special interest groups and handpicked judges my father has been pulled off the ballot of States radical justices attempting to defy the will of millions of Americans who adore who he is and what he stands for my father even became the target of an assassin who almost killed America's single greatest hope for our future the swamp is terrified of this incredible M movement they're terrified of it they're terrified of you and the tens of millions of people watching us on TV right now they've tried everything to keep him from you everything to destroy his legacy to destroy his family they have failed and they will not win I love my Florida delegation right [Applause] here thank you my father stands before you with the most votes of any Republican candidate in the history of our nation he has defied the predictions of every political pundit he fills stadiums across our country he energizes Americans to the issues facing this nation and does so with unvarnished honesty he is not a threat to democracy he is a threat to those who despise our Republic many whom are bought and sold bried and coerced people who have never signed the front of a check and who have been dependent on the government their entire adult lives today as it was in 2016 America's at that crossroads again Energy prices are soaring interest rates are crippling everything is unaffordable the US dollar has been diminished inflation has made it impossible for Americans to live to save for their future our infrastructure is crumbling our border is out of control millions are dead and displaced in Russia and Ukraine a war that has no end and a war that we are funding the Middle East has become a horn its nest our greatest Ally Israel totally Under Siege fentol is killing Our Youth and destroying families while the current Administration stands idly by hoping their inaction will import illegal votes crime ter terzes our cities and our suburbs as far-left policies handcuff police male athletes guys my height 6'5 are swimming in women's sports destroying the dreams of young girls who have trained every minute of their lives we no longer trust our elections we no longer trust our judicial system and we no longer believe that our government is working in in our best interest in spite of where we are today as a nation I'd like to speak to every American to the homeless veteran sleeping under a bridge as illegal immigrants are housed in the most expensive hotels in New York I'm sorry we know it's wrong and we will fix it to the single mother who can no longer afford her rent afford groceries and has been forced to work three jobs I'm sorry it does not have to be this way to the parents who lost a son or daughter to to fenel in Crazy including the incredible woman that spoke the other night while an Administration does absolutely nothing I'm sorry your government can do so much better and it will to the children who are being brainwashed instead of learning the fundamentals in school I'm sorry there are teachers who care and my father will Empower them to the law enforcement officers our brave board Patrol Secret Service agents who work every single day to protect our communities Knowing damn well that the system will throw you under the bus I'm sorry we will stand behind you to commuters often petrified to take a bus take a train or walk the streets in cities across our nation I'm sorry that man right there will fix this to the construction workers to the middle class families to the families with children with disabilities families who can no longer afford medical benefits or to take a vacation I'm sorry we will make America great again and to my father who has been ruthlessly silenced slandered and attacked by a corrupt Administration I'm sorry we know and America knows that they're not just after you they're after all of us and you just happen to be standing in their way to all Americans watching tonight the greatest retribution will be our success success not just for ourselves but for our grandchildren and our children under President Donald J Trump the swamp will be drained America will be respected our cities will be safe our streets will be clean and our border will once again be secure we will have peace we will have Prosperity your hard-earned tax dollars will enrich a better America not be squandered in corrupt for foreign Nations education will be handed back to the States we will no longer be 30th in the world we will be [Applause] first US USA [Applause] USA our children will understand family our children will have values and our children will love God our country will prioritize Free Speech respect freedom of religion and honor our constitution [Applause] as his son I've never been more proud of a person in my life a man who has defied All Odds more than once a man who believed in the promise of America when others turned away a man who saw a nation in need of a champion and answer that call with unwavering determination and courage a man who survived a bullet that was intended to eliminate him permanently from our future and from our family never have I been more proud to be a trump never have I been more proud to stand by my father's side I remain incredibly honored to be part of this journey a journey with all all of you a journey to save the greatest country on earth a journey with the most incredible people I have ever met dad 5 days ago Laura Luke Carolina and I held our breath as we saw blood pour across your face by the grace of God divine intervention and your Guardian Angels Above you survived [Applause] [Applause] you are the greatest fighter I have ever seen you are strong you are full of life and you are Unapologetic your optimism is contagious your backbone is unbreakable your conviction to fight for what is right and against all that is wrong is truly Next Level the whole world saw your strength as you stood up you wiped the blood off your your face and you put your fist in the air in a moment that will be remembered as one of the most courageous acts in the history of American politics you shouted but fight fight I'm honored to be your son I'm honored to speak to our great nation tonight you are a true leader you epitomize strength our country loves you our country appreciates you our country misses you and on November 5th our country will reelect you as a 47th president of the United States of America good night [Music] Milwaukee God bless you all [Applause] Eric Trump with a full-throated defense of his father on the final night of the Republican National Convention Judy Woodruff joins our our gathering here in the booth Judy you've been talking to delegates all day what have they been telling you about what they've heard this past week and and uh I'd love to get your Reflections on what we just heard there from Eric Trump well I'm glad to share what the delegates are saying although I have to say we're all sitting here thinking about what we just heard from Eric Trump he painted I think the rosiest of Rosy pictures about his father's four years in the white house I think he used a term he had the mest touch he said the streets were gold uh when his father was President um he tried to knock down or I don't know deal with uh so many of the challenges to his father that are we're hearing from the Democratic party that he's going to destroy democracy he said we are going to uphold democracy um almost it ticked off one by one what the criticisms are that we're hearing from Democrats um I think you know frankly he glossed over some of the many controversies from his father's Administration I guess you could say we could expect that um but he had the crowd pumping those Fists in the air it finished again as so many of the speakers have with that image of former president Trump after he was shot last Saturday raising his raising his fist uh we heard him say that that's going to be the iconic image maybe the most courageous picture ever of an American president um don't know about that but uh but it's certainly a theme that has this crowd had this crowd on its feet and Jonathan you were taking Furious notes as Eric Trump was addressing this this convention yeah how did all of that strike you not Unity not unifying um a sort of Cliff Notes version of his father's stump speech um lots of Illusions to our cities will be safe and yet the crime numbers are down across the country in in record numbers um I also picked up on something when he made a a talked about um not sending money and are something about corrupt foreign Nations that's shorthand for Ukraine um there's a lot in this he used Witch Hunt he used all the buzzword words that his father's been using on the campaign Trail and again I know I keep coming back to this and I'm sort of stuck on the unity word and how everyone thought that this convention was going to be different it's not different it just isn't and if it were going to be different especially tonight if tonight we going to be different we wouldn't have heard from Tucker Carlson we wouldn't have heard from from Hulk Hogan we wouldn't have heard at least this kind of speech from from Eric Trump I mean there's just so much so much wrong from my perspective about this speech and again this is not a Republican party convention this is a Donald Trump convention um and one other thing all week I've been hearing references to God and divine intervention and guardian angels this is not the Republican party and I've seen stories about this being a coronation of Donald Trump I think for the people in this room it goes beyond the coronation he's being deified he is being deified and I noted when um the crowd started chanting we love Trump I understand where where it comes from probably comes from a good place but there's a part of me that's terrified by that champ given everything that I heard from Eric Trump and bunch of other speakers we've been listening to since Monday Judy to that point I know this is an issue you've dug into into a lot in your reporting meeting with people across the country as part of America at a Crossroads when we made that transition from Hulk Hogan to Franklin Graham which is not a sentence I ever thought I I would say no but uh Mr Graham took the stage and said God spared his life suggesting divine intervention there and we're hearing that from we've heard it from other speakers most notably as you say tonight Franklin Graham the son of the great Billy Graham the great evangelist who was close friends with a number of presidents it's not uh insignificant that Donald Trump wanted Franklin Graham uh to be here tonight and to carry on that message it's it's it's again the blood on the ear the you're seeing a lot of these images invoked this week you're it's being written about um and you know we'll see how far they're going to carry that but um but I I I wonder if there aren't limits uh to how far they can they can carry this image d what about that I mean Americans have for decades used a language of providentialism about political figures hold that thought because Here Comes former first lady Melania Trump we don't expect her to speak at this convention really breaking a tradition that goes back to 1992 when Barbara Bush was the uh first spouse the first former first lady to to speak on behalf of her husband but Bania Trump has largely been detached from Donald Trump's campaign from his rally she was absent from the primary process except for Florida where she happened to vote uh she skipped his hush money trial she skipped that June 28th debate where he debated President Biden and unlike 2016 and 2020 she's not expected to deliver [Applause] remarks but David we were speaking earlier about as Jonathan raised the ways in which as he views it as he said Donald Trump is is deified by many in the Republican Party how do you see it yeah I mean the Franklin Graham's an interesting case so his dad Billy Graham was uh friends with Richard nion but he was also counselor to Democrats he he was a an Evangelical leader at a time really from the 50s to maybe the '90s uh where the sense that you were Billy Graham you were in the center of American life that the church was a respected and acceptable part of the establishment and also the non-establishment uh Franklin Graham is a very different political animal and a very different theological animal he comes up in a time when the church feels Under Siege when people feel assaulted when it seems a lot uglier now I should say he runs an organization called Samaritan's Purse which is an International Rescue or help humanitarian organ that is truly a fine organization so I don't want cast dispersion but it's a temp the temperature temperature of the time is such that Franklin Grahams feel scorned by much of America and as a result he's a lot angrier a lot more aggressive his public protestations of Faith are a lot more militant and so that's happened in the Evangelical world but it's sort of happened all around the world and I'm really struck by today how tough it must be to be in the political Arena and I don't care what party you're in and I don't care whether you like the person or not uh Tucker Carlson talked about his house being attacked by antifa uh Eric Trump just talked about his family being assaulted I think a lot of these people feel that they're in the midst of something truly horrific and they're really angry about it and that anger spills forth and I think that's just the nature of being in public life today I just want to point out on the stage there now showing a sort of extended video ver of what essentially a narrative truncated Narrative of the life of Donald Trump which is Judy I think it's fair to say a little surprising given the fact that this is a man who served as president for four years who's one of the most famous people in the world the fact that they felt the need to have a set narrative like this what does that say to you I think that's F I think it's fascinating because we've for the last eight nine years we've heard a lot about Donald Trump um from I you know yes he's a he's New York developer but he's also a successful reality TV show star we know him from television we know him being a celebrity and I from over your shoulder you're and Jeff shoulders I'm seeing they're showing more of more of the same so I think it says that yes they're trying to you know it's all about Donald Trump at this convention he is the nominee of the party um there are edges to be softened I think about him so no doubt that's part of what they're trying to do and we know a big part of the narrative we've heard from a number of speakers Amy has been that the media has been lying to you about who this man is that the story that you've heard is not who he is right there seems to be some sort of narrative resetting here a rewriting of the history yeah of course and these are the people who are most likely to believe that the the media RIT large is not telling the full story and they've believed that for a long time I I'm want to pick up on David's point about the anger and the fighting that's really been the theme of tonight it's not just the strong piece of having a guy rip his shirt open and we're going to soon get a u the head of the UFC but um you know this idea that we have been wronged not just as a he uh Donald Trump has been wronged he Donald Trump has been maligned um and then we people in this room and people who support Donald Trump have also been uh wronged and Eric Trump went through the list of things right we're going to fix all these things children who are being brainwashed uh corrupt the corrupt Nations getting our money our children are going to love God um this goes to this the grievance and the Defiance um that you heard I was just going through Trump's 2016 um RNC acceptance speech and it sounds almost obviously a lot longer but it's basically in the same frame as as the Eric Trump speech so this will always be a part of trumpism which is the sense of of of the anger of the we've been wronged and even I mean I'm thinking of his inauguration oh American Carnage and he was coming to frankly save us from what he how he found America when he was elected president in 2016 you get the sense of that that message of America is a big mess uh it's in terrible shape um I wrote down what Eric Eric described Eric Trump said um and now of course I can't find it but he but it was but Amy is you're saying exactly what I'm thinking that he he's saying the country is you know has gone to hell and and my father is here to bring make everything right again but despite the rebranding to your point not only is Donald Trump a known quantity he was also president he has a record by which he can be judged so when Eric Trump is promising this campaign promise of a manufacturing Resurgence Donald Trump promised a manufacturing boom not too far from here by way of foxcon 13,000 jobs that that were supposed to be connected to that and that never material well so now you can appreciate how frustrated why President Biden is saying I can't what is that Saturday Night Live skit I can't believe I'm losing to this guy even immigration even immigration when he was when he was elected Republicans had a trifecta they had the house the Senate and the White House and there was no comprehensive immigration reform yeah well they're not interested to be clear I don't think he's looking for immigration reform he is looking for a secure the border and the talk of Deep portation at a mass scale um but that's a very that's a very different conversation all right let's go back to the convention floor for Kid Rock the opening act here this evening what up America if you're ready for president Trump to take the stage I need everybody to stand up I need everybody to put a fist up in the air everybody get a fist up in the air yeah now follow me say fight fight say fight fight say fight fight fbody [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Scream the Devil Without CS I'm back with the Bieber hats and bet David SLS 30 pack of stroll straight Rock BR no Ro gain in the proit flow the chosen one I'm the living Pro in the gift to G from the city of Truth you know stab and not critics back and I did not start when I said that I'm going Platinum selling bmes I went Plum seven times still the and want to see us F I guess because only God knows why why why why why oh they call me Cowboy I'm a singer rep black throw a fist in the air let me see where you at say fight fight say fight fight say fight fight say Dr [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Dr I like AC DC time see this Beast he in the Kings up Rock Skinner Seager lip corn Stone David in no show Jo yeah pass that bottle BR got the rock from Detroit the soul from mown be under straight Detroit p with TR and slap back the black never G I don't play with ass watch Meck with the bar flash boy B are trash I like Johnny and Grand Master Flash slash flash slash Flash oh they call me Cowboy I'm the singer rep black th F in the let me see where you got say fight fight say fight fight say fight fight [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] say American B ass watch me kick you can gr you get I'm the ultimate I'm like amazing crazy I'm on to rock this place Super Fly living dou big sh bring flash FL got the long hair s middle fig 65 R and hit a rebel yeah I'm going live the town so if you do rock for freedom and rock for truth who new I blow like Oklahoma Florida Georgia Arizona smell BL and check my head I know it stins in here cuz trumps [Music] the they call me Cowboy I'm a singer black throw a fist in the air let me see where you're at say drum sayum sayum drum say Trum I need to hear you louder than that one more time I'm a cowboy badass and black and see Trump trump side and side from front to back more Dr Dr Dr I put Detroit City back on the map we s it drug Dr Rock in the house this is where I'm at ladies and gentlemen get ready for the most patriotic americ badass on Earth president Donald J Trump first another American Badass my brother Dana White God Bless [Applause] [Music] America that was Kid Rock performing an up updated version of a song called American can I say the word no I'm just going to leave it there go ahead yeah leave it I'm really glad I checked uh some updated uh lyrics there and also worth noting Judy Woodruff as I Turn to You for a question about Kid Rock um was that he changed some of the lyrics in there there's a a call and response moment in which he says yeah yeah he changed that to fight fight echoing of course the words that Donald Trump uh said when he put his fist in the air after the shooting in Butler County this whole night is clearly a pitch for the Suburban housewife right I mean you know the gentle Outreach you know um gent wom the women of America you know who are into UFC Ultimate Fighting who are into professional wrestling who were into the Kid Rock lyrics uh and we won't talk about some of the uh backgrounds of these gentlemen who've been invited to introduce the next uh nominee of the Republican party for president of the United States let's go back to the convention stage this is the UFC chairman Dana White good evening ladies and gentlemen I am Dana White I am the CEO and president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship so two weeks ago I got a call from president Trump asking me if I'd be willing to speak tonight as usual there was no pressure no demands he asked me as a friend and of course I said yes then after I accepted his offer he sent me a text message and I just want to read to you a little piece of what president Trump wrote to me Dana I'm so honored that you will be doing the introduction at the national Republican convention think of it as the biggest fight you ever had a fight for our country and even the world I only wish you didn't have to interrupt your family trip but I hope they understand they love you and they know how important this is now think about this this man's running for president of the United States he's fighting for the future of this country and he's concerned about interrupting my family trip that's the president Trump that I know a man who truly cares about people the mainstream media likes to push the narrative that he doesn't care about anyone but himself I absolutely know that's not the truth because I've been friends with this guy for 25 years and for the people who know me they'll know this is true I just want to make something very clear nobody in the Trump campaign has ever told me what to say nobody tells me what to say and I'm nobody's puppet and I'm not telling you what to think I'm telling you what I know and I know president Trump I know president Trump is a fighter I've been saying this since 2015 now look at what's happened over the last 10 years we have all seen it with our own eyes I'm in the tough guy business and this man is the toughest most resilient human being that I have ever met in my life life the higher the stakes the harder he fights and this guy never ever gives up so what's at stake here the answer is in president Trump's uh text and I quote a fight for our country I know why he's running for president again why else would he put himself through everything he's dealt with just to get back here we all know he doesn't need this this guy's got a great life he has a beautiful family and he has achieved everything that you could possibly achieve in life I know president Trump is literally putting his life on the line for something bigger than himself and he's willing to risk it all because he loves this country and I know he wants what's best for the American people All American people I know he's running for president to save our American dream I'm living the American dream and I know the American dream is very real whether you were born in this country or came here from someplace else this is the last real land of [Music] opportunity President Reagan once said government's first duty is to protect the people not run their lives and if you're buried in government red tape how will you ever start your own business if you're struggling to pay your bills how can you ever afford to start a family and if you don't feel safe in your own town why would you ever buy a house I know that President Trump is fighting to save the American dream and that's what's at stake in this [Music] election we are choosing who we want to lead us in this fight I know president Trump is a proven leader a fearless leader and this country was in a much better place when he was in the Oval Office in my mind the choice the choice is clear but this election we all get to choose I know I'm going to choose strength and security I know I'm going to choose opportunity and prosperity I know I'm going to choose real American leadership ship and a real American Badass and I'm not telling you what choice to make and I'm not telling you what to think I'm telling you what I know I know America needs a strong leader and the world needs a strong America I know Donald J Trump is the best choice for president of the United States my fellow Americans it is my honor to introduce the 45th and soon to be 47th president of the United States Donald J Trump [Music] tomorrow all the things were gone i' work for all my life and I had to start again just my children and my wife thank my lucky stars to be living here today cuz our flag still stands for freedom and they can't take that away and I'm proud to be an American where in least I know I'm free and I won't forget the men who died who gave that right to me I stand up next to you and defend her still today there ain't no doubt I love this land sing it God BL [Music] us from the L Minnesota to the hills of Tennessee across the plains of Texas see shine SE Detroit to Houston and New York to LA there's briide in every American Heart and it's time we stand [Music] and to be Amer where I know I'm free and I won't forget the men who died who gave that to me and I glad up you and still today there is no doubt I love this God bless [Music] you proud be americ know I'm fre and I won't forg [Music] the [Music] I love God bless you [Music] he [Applause] [Music] [Applause] thank you very much thank you very very much wow and thank you Dana thank you Kid Rock sometimes referred to as Bob and thank you Lee right from the beginning thank you very much what a talent what a beautiful beautiful s thank you friends delegates and fellow citizens I stand before you this evening with a message of confidence strength and hope four months from now we will have an incredible Victory and we will begin the four greatest years in in the history of our country together we will launch a new era of safety prosperity and freedom for citizens of every race religion color and Creed the Discord and Division in our society must be healed we must heal it quickly as Americans we are bound together by a single fate and a shared Destiny We rise together or we fall apart I am running to be president for all of America not half of America because there is no victory in winning for half of America so tonight with faith and devotion I proudly accept your nomination for president of the United States thank you thank you very much [Music] [Applause] thank you very much and we will do it right going to do it right let me begin this evening by expressing my gratitude to the American people for your outpouring of love and support following the assassination attempt at my rally on Saturday [Music] love you as you already know the Assassins bullet came within a quarter of an inch of taking my life so many people have asked me what happened tell us what happened please and therefore I will tell you exactly what happened and you'll never hear it from me a second time because it's actually too painful to tell it was was a warm beautiful day in the early evening in Butler Township in the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania music was loudly playing and the campaign was doing really well I went to the stage and the crowd was cheering wildly everybody was happy I began speaking very strongly powerfully and happily because I was discussing the great job my Administration did on immigration at the southern border we were very proud of it behind me and to the right was a large screen that was displaying a chart of border crossings under my leadership the numbers were absolutely amazing in order to see the chart I started to like this turn to my right and was ready to begin a little bit further turn which I'm very lucky I didn't do when I heard a loud whizzing sound and felt something hit me really really hard on my right ear I said to myself wow what was that it can only be a bullet and moved my right hand to my ear brought it down my hand was covered with blood just absolutely blood all over the place I immediately knew it was very serious that we were under attack and in one movement proceeded to drop to the ground bullets were continuing to fly as very brave Secret Service agents rushed to the stage and they really did they rushed to the St these are great people at Great risk I will tell you and pounced on top of me so that I would be protected there was blood pouring everywhere and yet in a certain way I felt very safe because I had God on my side I felt that the amazing thing is that prior to the shot if I had not moved my head at that very last instant the Assassin's bullet would have perfectly hit its Mark and I would not be here tonight we would not be together the most incredible aspect of what took place on that terrible evening in the fading sun was actually seen later in almost all cases as you probably know and when even a single bullet is fired just a single bullet and we had many bullets that were being fired crowds Run for the exits or Stampede but not in this case it's very unusual this massive crowd of tens of thousands of people stood by and didn't move an inch in fact many of them bravely but automatically stood up looking for where the sniper would be they knew immediately it was a sniper and then began pointing at him you can see that if you look at the group behind me that was just a small group compared to what was in front nobody ran and by not stampeding many lives were saved but that isn't the reason that they didn't move the reason is that they knew I was in very serious trouble they saw it they saw me go down they saw the blood and thought actually most did that I was dead they knew it was a shot to the Head they saw the blood and there's an interesting statistic the ears are the bloodiest part if something happens with the ears they bleed more than any other the part of the body for whatever reason the doctors told me that I said why is there so much blood he said it's the ears they bleed more so we learned something but they just they just as beautiful crowd they didn't want to leave me they knew I was in trouble they didn't want to leave me and you can see that love written all over their faces incredible people they're incredible people bullets were flying over us yet I felt Serene but now the Secret Service agents were putting themselves in Peril they were in very dangerous territory bullets were flying right over them missing them by a very small amount of inches and then it all stopped our secret service sniper from a much greater distance and with only one bullet used took the Assassin's life took him out I'm not supposed to be here tonight not supposed to be here yes you are yes you are [Applause] thank you but I'm not and I'll tell you I stand before you in this Arena only by the grace of almighty God in watching the reports over the last few days many people say it was a providential moment probably was when I Rose surrounded by Secret Service the crowd was confused because they thought I was dead and there was great great sorrow I could see that on their faces as I looked out they didn't know I was looking out they thought it was over but I could see it and I wanted to do something to let him know I was okay I raised my right arm looked at the thousands and thousands of people that were breathlessly waiting and started shouting fight fight fight thank [Applause] you once my clenched fist went up and it was high into the air you've all seen that the crowd realized I was okay and roared with pride for our country like no crowd I have ever heard before never heard anything like that for the rest of my life I will be grateful for the love shown by that giant audience of Patriots that stood bravely on that fateful evening in Pennsylvania tragically the shooter claimed the life of one of our fellow Americans Corey comparator unbelievable person everybody tells me unbelievable and seriously wounded two other great warriors spoke to them today David Dutch and James copenhaver who great people I also spoke to all three families of these tremendous people our love and prayers are with them and always will be we're never going to forget them they came for a Great Rally they were serious trumpsters I want to tell you there were serious trumpsters and still are but Corey unfortunately we have to use the p last tense he was incredible he was a highly respected former fire chief respected by everybody was accompanied by his wife Helen incredible woman I spoke to her today devastated and two precious daughters he lost his life selflessly acting as a human shield to protect them from flying bullets he went right over the top of them and was hit What a fine man he was GL [Applause] I want to thank the fire department and the family for sending his helmet his outfit and uh it was just something and they're going to do something very special when they get it but we did something which cannot match what happened not even close but I am very proud to say that over the past few days we've raised 6.3 million for the families of David James and Corey including from a friend of mine just called up he sent me a check right here I just got it $1 million from Dan nulan thank you Dan and again when speaking to the family I told them I said well I'm going to be sending you a lot of money but it can't compensate they all said the same thing you're right sir we appreciate so much what you're doing but nothing can take the place in the case of Corey and the other two by the way they were very very seriously injured but now they're doing very well they're going to be okay they're going to be doing very well the Warriors so now I ask that we observe a moment of silence in honor of our friend Corey there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for others this is the spirit that forged America in her Darkest Hours and this is the love that will lead America back to the summit of human achievement and greatness this is what we need despite such a heinous attack we unite this evening more determined than ever I am more determined than ever and so are you so is everybody in [Applause] [Music] [Applause] your thank you thank you very much [Applause] [Applause] our resolve is unbroken and our purpose is unchanged to deliver a government that serves the American people better than ever before nothing will stop me in this Mission because our vision is righteous and our cause is pure no matter what obstacle comes our way we will not break we will not Bend we will not back down and I will never stop fighting for you your family and our magnificent country never and everything I have to give with all of the energy and fight in my heart and soul I pledge to our nation tonight thank you very much I pledge that to our nation going to turn our nation around and we're going to do it very quickly thank you 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 and we must not criminalize descent or demonize political disagreement which is what's been happening in our country lately at a level that nobody has ever seen before in that Spirit the Democrat Party should immediately stop weaponizing the justice system and labeling their political opponent as an enemy of democracy especially since that is not true in fact I am the one saving democracy for the people of our country and very big news as you probably just read on Monday a major ruling was handed down from a highly respected federal judge in Florida Eileen Cannon finding that the prosecutor and the fake documents case against me were totally unconstitutional and the entire case was thrown out of court with all of that publicity thrown out of cour if Democrats want to unify our country they should drop these partisan witch hunts which I have been going through for approximately 8 years and they should do that without delay and allow an election to proceed that is worthy of our people we're going to win it anyway but worthy of our people on this journey I am deeply honored to be joined by my amazing wife Melania and Melania thank you very much you also did something really beautiful a letter to America calling for National unity and it really took the Republican Party by surprise I will tell you it was beautiful in fact some very serious people said that we should take that letter and put it as part of the Republican platform that would be an honor wouldn't it right Mr Congressman but it captivates ated so many so I also want to thank my entire family for being here Don Kimberly Ivanka and Jared Eric and Lara Tiffany and Michael Baron we love our Baron and of course my 10 wonderful grandchildren you saw a few of them up there on my lap before and how good was Dana was Dana good mean you was he good you know he was on probably the only vacation he's had in about uh maybe ever cuz he works but about 10 years with his wife very far away I won't tell you where but very very far away beautiful place and my people called and he said yeah I won't be able to do it this is many many years I promised my wife I can't do it and they came in they said Dana won't be able to do it cuz he was my first second and third choice I said well you know that's too bad but I understand he's away and it's good it's good for him and that was it about 30 minutes later she came back in sir Dana just called he's going to do it and his wife she said you can't turn him down you just can't can't do it you have to go that's a good wife so he got on a plane he got here a little while ago now he's going to get on the plane in a little while and he's going to go back home to his wife but they're great and I just want to thank her and him and their whole family because that's not easy and Kid Rock same thing called he said he said I want to be a part of it I want to be a part CU you know kid does his great song big big monster song I had no idea you know he became a friend of mine over the last 10 years and uh he's amazing everyone loves him I didn't even know how big he was you know he has rallies 35 40,000 people he gets every time he goes out I think he's making so much money he doesn't know what the hell to do with it you want to [Applause] know and then we have my other friend and I've known him so long and we took that song and it was a big success but we made that I saw a chart of great songs to America that was number one on the chart recently number one so that's Lee Greenwood very special beautiful person he's a beautiful man but they all wanted to be here they called and how about the hulkster how good was he is he where is he boy oh boy you know they may call it they may call that entertainment I know about entertainment but when he used to lift a 350 pound man over his shoulders and then bench press him two rows into the audience I said may be entertainment but he is one strong son of a gun I going tell you I watched it many times there aren't a lot of entertainers that can do that right you were fantastic thank you very much followed by Eric what was that all about boy that was good I didn't want to really come up here but he was so great and he's such a good young man he went through a lot of trouble and Don last night was incredible they went through so much trouble they got suben more than any people probably in the history of the United States every week they get another subpoena from the Democrats crazy Nancy Pelosi the whole thing just boom boom boom they've got to stop that because they're destroying our country we have to work on making America great again not on beating people and we won we beat them in all we beat them on the impeachments we beat them on indictment we beat him but the time that you have to spend the time that you have to spend if they would devote that genius to helping our country we'd have a much stronger and better country and Jason the biggest star in Country music Jason thank you for being here Jason thank you very much Jason Alin he's good I like his I like his wife even better by the way she's here thank you Jason but I'm thrilled to have a new friend and partner Fighting by my side the next Vice President of the United States the current senator from Ohio J D Vance and his incredible wife Usha he's going to be a great vice president he's going to be great he be with this country and with his movement greatest movement in the history of our country make America great again when they criticized it they said we're going to try and stop mag I said mag is making America a GD again what are you going to stop there's nothing to stop then they say oh that's right it's very tough to find it and all of the people that did try and fight have failed but he's going to be with us for a long time and it was an honor to select him great great student at Yale his wife was a great student at Yale they met at Yale these are two smart people so J D you're going to be doing this for a long time enjoy the ride and a very special thank you to the Extraordinary People of Milwaukee and the great state of oh there they are there they are that's you are so easy to [Applause] spot and Green Bay is going to have a good team this year right they're going to have a good team they're going to have a good table most of the audience doesn't like it but it's true you're going to have a very good table this year and by the way Wisconsin we are spending over $250 million here creating jobs and other Economic Development all over the place so I hope you will remember this in November and give us your vote I am trying to buy your vote I'll be honest about that and I promise we will make Wisconsin great again we're going to make it thank you Mr Governor thank you very much thank you I'm here tonight to lay out a vision for the whole nation to every citizen whether you're a young or old man or woman Democrat Republican or independent black or white asian Or Hispanic I extend to you a hand of loyalty and of friendship together we will lead America to new heights of greatness like the world has never seen before we were right there in the first term we got hit with Co we did a great job nobody knew what it was but nobody's ever seen an economy pre-o and then we handed over a stock market that was substantially higher than just prior to co coming in did a great job never got credit for that we got credit for the war and defeating Isis and so many things the great economy the biggest tax cuts ever the biggest regulation cuts ever the creation of space force the rebuilding of our military we did so much we did so much right to try right to try is a big deal we got right to try they were trying to get that for 52 years somebody body's terminally ill and hopefully there's nobody in this audience but it does happen a lot they're terminally ill and they can't use our new space age drugs and other things that we wear ahead we have the greatest doctors in the world the greatest Laboratories in the world and you can't do it they've been trying to get that approved for 52 years was it that easy the insurance companies didn't want to do it they didn't want the risk the labs didn't want to do it because if it didn't work people are pretty far down the line toward death they didn't want to do it the doctor didn't want to have it on their record so I got everybody into an office 52 years they tried sounds simple but it's not and I got them to agree that somebody that needs it will instead of going to Asia Europe or someplace or if you have no money going home and dying just die we got them to sign an agreement agree to it where they're not going to sue anybody they're going to get all of this stuff they're going to get it really fast and what's happened is we're saving thousands and thousands of lives it's incredible right to try that's great feeling under our leadership the United States will be respected again no Nation will question our power no enemy will doubt our might our borders will be Totally Secure our economy will soar we will return Law and Order to our streets patriotism to our schools and importantly we will restore peace stability and Harmony all all throughout the world but to achieve this future we must first rescue our nation from failed and even incompetent leadership we have totally incompetent leadership this will be the most important election in the history of our country under the current Administration we are indeed a nation in Decline we have an inflation crisis that is making life unaffordable r aaging the incomes of working and lowincome families and crushing just simply crushing our people like never before they've never seen anything like it we also have an illegal immigration crisis and it's taking place right now as we sit here in this beautiful Arena it's a massive Invasion at our Southern border that is spread misery crime poverty disease and destruction to communities all across our land nobody's ever seen anything like it then there is an international crisis the likes of which the world has seldom been part of nobody can believe what's happening war is now raging in Europe in the Middle East a growing Spectre of conflict hangs over Taiwan Korea the Philippines and all of Asia and our planet is teetering on the edge of World War I and this will be a war like no other War because of Weaponry the weapons are no longer army tanks going back and forth shooting at each other these weapons are obliteration it's time for a change this Administration can't come close to solving the problems we're dealing with very tough very Fierce People they're fierce people and we don't have Fierce People we have people that are a lot less than Fierce except when it comes to cheating elections and a couple of other things then they Fierce then they're fierce so tonight I make this pledge to the great people of America I will end the devastating inflation crisis immediately bring down interest rates and lower the cost of energy we will drill baby drill [Applause] can you believe what they're doing but by doing that we will lead a large scale decline in prices prices will start to come down energy raised it they took our energy policies and destroyed them then they immediately went back to them but by that time so much was lost but we will do it at levels that nobody's ever seen before and we'll end lots of different things we'll start paying off debt and start lowering taxes even further we gave you the largest tax cut we'll do it more you know people don't realize I brought taxes way down way way down and yet we took in more revenues the following year than we did when the tax rate was much higher most people said how did you do that because it was incentive everybody was coming to the country they were bringing back billions and billions of dollars into our country the companies made it impossible to bring it back the tax rate was too high and the legal complications were far too great I changed both of them and hundreds of billions of dollars by Apple and so many other companies were brought back into our nation and we had an economy the likes of which nobody no Nation had ever seen China we were beating them at levels that were incredible and they know it they know it we'll do it again but we'll do it even better I will end the illegal immigration crisis by closing our border and finishing the wall most of which I've already built on the wall we were dealing with a very difficult Congress and I said oh that's okay we won't go to Congress I call it an invasion we gave our military almost $800 billion doll I said I'm going to take a little of that money because this is an invasion and we built most of the wall is already built and we built it through using the funds because what's more what's better than that we have to stop The Invasion into our country that's killing hundreds of thousands of people a year we're not going to let that happen 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 have never happened If I Was President Iran was broke Iran had no money now Iran has $250 billion they made it all over the last two and a half years they were broke I watched the other day on a show called deface the nation has anyone seen it and they had a congressman who was a Democrat say well whether you like them or not Iran was broke dealing with Trump I told China and other countries if you buy from Iran we will not let you do any business in this country and we will put tariffs on every product you do send in of 100% or more and they said to me well I think that's about it they weren't going to buy any oil and they were ready to make a deal Iran was going to make a deal with us and then we had that horrible horrible result that we'll never let happen again the election result we're never going to let that happen again they used covid to cheat you're never going to let it happen again and they took off all the sanctions and they did everything possible for Iran and now Iran is very close to having a nuclear weapon which would have never happened this is a shame what what this Administration the damage that this Administration has done and I say it often if you took the 10 worst Presidents in the history of the United States think of it the 10 worst added them up they will not have done the damage that Biden has done only going to use the term once Biden I'm not going to use the name anymore just one time the damage that he's done to this country is Unthinkable it's Unthinkable together we will restore Vision strength confidence and we're going to have a thing called common sense making most of our decisions actually it's all common sense just a few short years ago under my presidency we had the most secure border and best economy in the history of our country country in the history of the world we had the greatest economy in the history of the world we had never done anything like it we were beating every country including China by Leaps and Bounds nobody had seen anything like it we had no inflation soaring incomes were going nobody's nobody can believe it you can't believe what happened four years ago is happening now in reverse and the world was at peace inflation has been a killer for our country no matter what you make it it doesn't matter because inflation is eating you alive people that were putting away money they were making great wages the highest they've ever made but they were putting away a lot of money now they are just being destroyed they're not putting away anything they're barely living they're going into savings accounts they're taking out their money to live because of inflation inflation remember it's called a country Buster you can go back to Germany from a hundred years ago you can go back to any country that suffered great inflation we've suffered the worst inflation we've ever had but go back and see what's happened to those countries we've had the worst inflation we've ever had under this person but in less than four years our opponents have turned incredible success into unparalleled tragedy and failure it's been a tremendous failure today our cities are flooded with illegal aliens Americans are being squeezed out of the labor force force and their jobs are taken by the way you know who's taking the jobs the jobs that are created 107% of those jobs are taken by illegal aliens and you know who's being hurt the most by millions of people pouring into our country the black population and the Hispanic population because they're taking the jobs from our black population our Hispanic population and they're also taking them from unions the unions are suffering because of it thank you thank you I like you too thank you very much inflation has wiped out the life savings of our citizens and forced the middle class into a state of depression and despair that's what it is it's Despair and depression we cannot and will not let this continue less than four years ago we were a great nation and we will soon be a great nation again we're going to be a great nation again thank you with proper leadership every disaster we are now enduring will be fixed and it will be fixed very very quickly so tonight 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 that's what we're going to do you don't even hear about the American dream anymore with great humility I am asking you to be excited about the future of our country be excited be excited and by the way the news reports all look at all of those big networks look at them they're all here but every one of them has said this could be the most organized best run and most enthusiastic Convention of either party that they have ever seen every single one and it's true it's true and there's love in the room there's great love in the room so I better finish strong otherwise we'll blow it and we can't let that happen now this was great all of the great people that spoke and everybody hit a home run I mean there's not one that I can think of where I said oh gee that wasn't great every single person I refused to be the only one don't do that to me they're already getting ready see I gave him an idea now we had a this was a great convention this was uh I think we're actually going to go home and miss it you know usually with a con first of all look at these crowds you'd never have this at a convention look at these crowds love it's about love this week the entire Republican party has formerly adopted an agenda for America's renewal and you saw that agenda and it's very short compared to the long boring meaningless agendas of the past including the Democrats they write these things that are hundreds of pages long and they never read them after they're done in their case fortunately they don't read them because they're pretty bad it's a series of bold promises that we will swiftly Implement when you give us a republican house and Mr speaker thank you very much we have our great speaker of the house with us tonight Mr speaker thank you very much thank you a Republican Senate we have many senators here and send me back to our beautiful white house just a few short months from now we're talking about just months it can't come fast enough we have to get it done first we must get get economic relief to our citizens starting on day one we will drive down prices and make America affordable again we have to make it affordable it's not affordable people can't live like this under this Administration our current Administration groceries are up 57% gasoline is up 60 and 70% mortgage rates have quadrupled and the fact is it doesn't matter what they are because you can't get the money anywhere can't buy houses young people can't get any financing to buy a house the total household costs have increased an average of $28,000 per family under this Administration Republicans have a plan to bring down prices and bring them down very very rapidly by slashing energy costs we will in turn reduce the cost of Transportation manufacturing and all household goods so much starts with energy and remember we have more Liquid Gold under our feet than any other country by far we are a nation that has the opportunity to make an absolute Fortune with its energy we have it and China does it under the Trump Administration just three and a half years ago we were energy independent but soon we will actually be better than that we will be energy dominant in Supply not only our ourselves but we will supply the rest of the world with numbers that nobody has ever seen and we will reduce our debt $36 trillion we will start reducing that and we will also reduce your taxes still further next and by the way they want to raise your taxes four times think of it and all my life I grew up watching politicians I always love politics I guess I was on the other side I'd watch Pol and they were always talking about we will give you a tax cut we will give you a tax cut we my whole life I was watching I will give you a tax cut right Mr Congressman that's all they talked about this is the only Administration that said we're going to raise your taxes by four times what you're paying now and people are supposed to vote for them I've never heard it you're paying too much we're going to reduce your taxes still further we gave you the biggest one as I said we're going to give you more and it's going to lead to tremendous growth we want growth in our country that's what's going to pay off our debt and next we will end the ridiculous and actually incredible waste of taxpayer dollars that is fueling the inflation crisis they spent trillions of dollars on things having to do with the green new scam it's a scam and that's caused tremendous inflationary pressures in addition to the cost of energy and all of of the trillions of dollars that are sitting there not yet spent we will redirect that money for important projects like roads Bridges dams and we will not allow it to be spent on meaningless green new scam ideas and I will end the electric vehicle mandate on day one thereby saving the US Auto industry from complete obliteration which is happening right now and saving us customers thousands and thousands of dollars per car and right now as we speak large factories just started are being built across the border in Mexico so with all the other things happening our border and they being built by China to make cars and to sell them into our country no tax no anything the United Auto Workers ought to be ashamed for allowing this to happen and the leader of the United Auto Workers should be fired immediately and every single order worker Union and non union should be voting for Donald Trump because we're going to bring back car manufacturing and we're going to bring it back fast they're building some of the largest Auto plants anywhere in the world think of it in the world and we're going to bring it back we're going to make them we don't mind the we don't mind that happening but those plants are going to be built in the United States and our people are going to man those plants and if they don't agree with us we'll put a tariff of approximately 100 to 200% on each car and they will be inable in the United States we have long been taken advantage of by other countries and think of it often times these other countries are considered so-called allies they've taken advantage of us for years we lose jobs we lose revenue and they gain everything and wipe out our businesses wipe out our people I stopped it for four years I stopped it and we really ready to make changes like nobody had seen before and remember usmca I got rid of NAFTA the worst trade deal ever made and replaced it with usmca which is they say the best trade deal ever made actually probably the best trade deal was the deal I made with China where they buy 50 billion worth of our product they were buying nothing they buy $50 billion worth they had to but I don't even talk about it because of Co I don't even mention it frankly because of what happened with the China virus we will not let countries come in take our jobs and plunder our nation they come and do that they plunder our nation the way they will sell their product in America is to build it in America very simple Build It in America and only in America us [Applause] us and this very simple formula in Congress has to go along with us and they will this very simple formula will create massive numbers of jobs we will take over the Auto industry again and many many hundreds of thousands of jobs we lost so many jobs over the years if you go back 20 25 years they've stolen going to China and Mexico about 68% of our Auto industry manufacturing jobs we're going to get them all back we're going to get them all back every one of them at the center of our plan for economic relief are massive tax cuts for workers that include something else that's turned out to be very popular actually here it's very popular in this building and all those hotels that I saw that are so nice I'm staying in a nice one it's called no tax on tips no tax on tips no tax on [Music] tips I got that by having dinner recently in Nevada where we leading by about 14 points hello I'll see you there very soon everybody and we're having dinner at a beautiful restaurant in the Trump building on the strip and it's a great building and the waitress comes over how's everything going really nice person how's everything oh Sarah it's so tough the government's after me all the time on tips tip tips I said well they give you cash would they be able to find them she said actually and I didn't know this she said very little cash is given it's all put right on the check and they come in and they take so much of our money it's just ridiculous and they don't believe anything we say and they've just hired as you know 88,000 agents to go after them even [Music] more and I said this shows the level of my you know most people go out they hire Consultants they pay millions of dollars but I said to her let me just ask you a question would you be happy if you had no tax C tips he said what a great idea I got my information from a very smart waitress that's better than spending millions of dollars and everybody everybody loves it waitresses and caddies and drivers and everybody it's a large large group of people that are being really hurt badly they make money let them keep their money I'm going to protect Social Security and Medicare Democrats are going to destroy Social Security and Medicare because all of these people by the millions they're coming in they're going to be on Social Security and Medicare and other things and you're not able to afford it they are destroying your Social Security and your Medicare under my plan incomes will Skyrocket inflation will vanish completely jobs will come roaring back and the middle class will prosper like never ever before and we're going to do it very rapidly but no hope or dream we have for America can succeed unless we stop the illegal immigrant Invasion the worst that's ever been seen anywhere in the world there's never been an invasion like this anywhere third world countries would fight with sticks and stones not to let this happen The Invasion at our Southern border we will stop it and we will stop it quickly you heard Tom hman yesterday Tom homman put him in charge and just sit back and watch Brandon Jud the border patrol he's incredible these guys you know they they really their job is a lot easier if they don't have to do anything but they want to their Patriots Brandon Jud border patrol ice ice goes out you have to see what ice does with MS13 you have these These are probably the worst gang and Ice goes in there and I know a lot of people in these rows here and they very tough people but they don't want to do this job they'll go into a pack of MS13 Killers they're the worst probably the worst gangs in the world we have thousands of them I moved thousands and thousands out in my four years we moved them out and it was a pleasure but ice would go right into a pack of these killers and you see fists flying you see everything flying and then they take them they put them in a Patty wagon they take him back and they get them out of our country and the other countries weren't except in them back and I called up and I said tell them that we're not giving them economic aid anymore and the next day I got calls from all of these countries that were terminated billions of dollars we spend on economic aid to countries that does US frankly no good and the next day I was called by everybody I couldn't take all the call sir sir what's the problem I said you won't take your Killers back that you sent in Caravans into America you won't take them back well sir uh if you'd like us to we would give very serious serious consideration to doing that and within 24 hours they were being taken back for years and years when I first came in they said President Obama tried to get him to go back and they wouldn't accept him they put planes on the runway so you couldn't lead the plane they closed the road so you couldn't take the buses it all have to turn back as soon as I said no more economic aid of any kind to any country that does that they called back and they said sir it would be our great honor to take ms3 team we love them very much we love them very much sir we'll take a back at the heart of the Republican platform is our pledge to end this border Nightmare and fully restore the sacred and Sovereign borders of the United States of America and we're going to do that on day one that means two things in day one right drill baby drill and close our borders and by the way and I think everybody as a republican as a patriot in this room and most Democrats we want people to come into our country but they have to come into our country legally Legally less than four years ago I handed this Administration the strongest Border in American history but you can see on the chart that saved my life that was the chart that saved my life I said look it I'm so proud of it I think it's one of the greatest it was done by the border patrol one of the greatest charts I've ever seen it showed everything just like that you know the chart oh there it is that's pretty good wow last time I put up that chart I never never really got to look at it but without that chart I would not be here today never got to look at it I said you got to see this chart I was so proud of it by the time I got to there I never got to see it that day but I'm seeing it now and I was very proud if you look at the arrow on the bottom that's the lowest level the one on the bottom heavy red arrow that's the lowest level of illegal immigrants ever to come into our country in recorded history right there right there and that was my last week in office and then you see what happened after I left look at the rest and if you go out out a little bit further it's getting to be a little bit old but I love it anyway right but you can go much higher with those numbers look what happened right after that The Invasion began we had the opposite we stopped The Invasion but the invasion that we stopped was peanuts by comparison to what happened after I left look at what happened after I left they took over our country we ended all catch and release we shut down Asylum fraud we stopped human trafficking and Forge historic agreements to keep illegal aliens on foreign soil we want them to stay on their soil under the Trump Administration if you came in illegally you were apprehended immediately and you were deported you went right back the current Administration terminated every single one of those great Trump policies that I put in place to seal the Border I wanted a seal border again come in but come in Legally you know how unfair it is so many people people hundreds of thousands of people have been working for years to come into our country and now they see these people pour into our country at levels that are unprecedented it's so unfair and we're not going to do it we're not going to stand for it they suspended wall construction ended remain in Mexico we had a policy remain in Mexico you think that was easy to get from the Mexican Government but I said you must give it to us if you don't give it to us there will be repercussions and they gave it to us but not easy cancelled our safe third agreements demolished title 42 implemented Nationwide Catch and Release that's Catch and Release where we catch them and release them into our country I had we catch them and release them into Mexico there's a slight difference and took 93 this is the previous administration 93 executive actions to throw open our border to the world the entire world is pouring into our country because of this very foolish Administration the greatest invasion in history is taking place right here in our country they are coming in from every corner of the earth not just from South America but from Africa Asia the Middle East they're coming from everywhere they're coming at levels that we've never seen before it is an invasion indeed and this Administration does absolutely nothing to stop them they're coming from prisons they're coming from jails they're coming from mental institutions and insane asylums I you know the Press is always on me because I say this has anyone seen Silence of the Lambs the late great Hannibal lecta he'd love to have you for dinner that's insan asylums they're emptying out their inane asylums and terrorists are coming in at numbers that we've never seen before bad things are going to happen meanwhile our crime rate is going up while crime statistics all over the world are going down because they're taking their criminals and they're putting them into our country a certain country and I happen to like the president of that country very much but he's been getting great publicity because he's a wonderful Shepherd of the country he says how well the country is doing because their crime rate is down and he said he's training all of these rough people they're rough rough rough he's training them and I've been reading about this for two years I think oh that's wonderful let's take a look at it but then I realized he's not training them he's sending all of his criminals his drug dealers his people that are in jails he's sending them all to the United States and he's different and that he doesn't say that he's trying to convince everybody what a wonderful job he does in running the country well he doesn't do a wonderful job and by the way if I ran one of the countries many countries many many countries from all over I would be worse than any of them I would have had the place totally emptied out already but we become a Dumping Ground for the rest of the world which is laughing at us they think we're stupid and they can't believe that they're getting away with what they're getting away with but they're not going to be getting away with it for long that's what I can tell you in Venezuela karacus high crime high crime karacus Venezuela really dangerous place but not anymore because in Venezuela crime is down 72% in fact if they would ever win this election I hate to even say that we will have our next Republican convention in Venezuela because it will be safe our cities our cities will be so unsafe we won't be able we will not be able to have it there and El Salvador burds are down by 70% why are they down now he would have you convinced that because he's trained murderers to be wonderful people no they're down because they're sending their murderers to the United States of America this is going to be very bad and bad things are going to happen and you're seeing it happen all the time that's why to keep our family safe the Republican platform promises to launch the largest deportation operation in the history of our country even larger than that of President Dwight D Eisenhower from many years ago you know he was a moderate but he believe very strongly in borders he had the largest deportation operation we've ever had just recent recently I spoke to The Grieving mother of Joselyn Nary a wonderful woman a precious 12-year-old girl from Houston who last month was tied up assaulted and strangled to death after walk into the convenience store just a block away from her house her body was dumped near the side of the road in a shallow Creek found by some onlookers who couldn't believe what they had witnessed charged with joselyn's heinous murder or two illegal aliens from Venezuela who came across our border were in custody and were then released into the country by this horrible horrible Administration that we have right now I also met recently with the heartbroken mother and sister of Rachel Moren Rachel was a 37-year-old mom of five beautiful children who was brutally raped and murdered while out on a run she wanted to keep herself in good shape it was very important to she was murdered the monster responsible first killed another woman in El Salvador before he was led into America by the White House this White House let them in he then attacked a 9-year-old girl and her mother in a home invasion in Los Angeles before murdering Rachel in Maryland traveled all throughout the country doing tremendous damage Rachel's mother will never be the same I spent time with her she will never be the same I I've also met with the wonderful family of lake and Riley the brilliant 22-year-old nursing student she was so proud of being first in her class who was out for a jog on the campus of the University of Georgia when she was assaulted beaten and horrifically killed yet another American life was stolen by a criminal aliens set free by this Administration these were incredible people we're talking about these were incredible people who died tonight America This Is My Vow I will not let these killers and criminals into our country I will keep our sons and daughters safe as we bring security to our streets we will help bring stability to the world I was the first president in modern times to start no new Wars you know we were the toughest we were the most respectful and you you saw this hungry strong country run by a very powerful tough leader tough guy press doesn't like him because he's tough and uh he came out recently they were asking him at an interview the whole world is exploding what's happening what's going on Victor Orban prime minister of hungry very tough man he said I don't want people coming into my country and blowing up our shopping centers and killing people but they said to him tell us what's going wrong what's happening what is it he said there's only one way you're going to solve it you got to bring president Trump back to the United States because he kept everybody at [Music] Bay he used a word I wouldn't use because I can't use that word because you'd say it was bradus the Press would say he was a bragard I'm not a bragard but Victor Orban said it he said Russia was afraid of him China was afraid of him everybody was afraid of him nothing was going to happen the whole world was at peace and now the world is blowing up around us all of these things that you read about were not going to happen under President B Bush Russia invaded Georgia under President Obama Russia took Crimea under the current Administration Russia is after all of Ukraine under President Trump Russia took nothing we defeated 100% of Isis in Syria and Iraq something that was said to take five years sir it'll take five years sir we did it in a matter of a couple of months we have a great military our military is not woke it's just some of the fools on top that are woke I got along very well North Korea Kim Jong-un I got along very well with him the Press hated when I said that how could you get along with him well you know it's nice to get along with somebody has a lot of nuclear weapons or otherwise is it see in the old days they say that's a wonderful thing now they say how can you possibly do that but now I got along with them and we stopped the missile launches from North Korea now North Korea is acting up again but when we get back I get along with them he'd like to see me back too I think he misses me if you want to know the truth our opponents inherited a world at peace and turned it into a planet of War we're a planet of war look at that attack on Israel look at what's happening with Ukraine the cities are just bombed out how can people live like that where buildings massive buildings are falling to the ground it began to unravel with the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan the worst humiliation in the history of our country we have never had a humiliation like that 13 heroic US service members were tragically and needlessly killed 45 others were horrifically wounded nobody ever talks about them no arms no legs face explosions horrifically horrifically wounded and by the way we have a man in this room who's running for the US Senate from a great state Nevada Named Sam Brown who paid the ultimate price thank you Sam thank you Sam thank you he paid the biggest price probably ever paid by anybody that is running for office and I think he's going to do great he's running against a person that is not good not respected a total lightweight but Sam I think paid really we were talking about it with some of the Senators that are working so hard for Sam but he paid the biggest price of any Senator ever to run for the Senate I don't think anybody's everever what he did he was a real hero a really great person and he's running and I hope that everybody gets out and votes for Sam Brown and we also left behind $85 billion worth of military equipment along with many American citizens were left behind many many American citizen emboldened by that disaster Russia invaded Ukraine they saw this group of people that were in competent we took the soldiers out first no no we're going to take the soldiers out second if they would have followed my plan we had a great plan but the plan only kicked in if they did everything perfectly and they weren't doing things perfectly so we said it doesn't kick in you know 18 months in Afghanistan we didn't have one s they were killing them left and right snipers and I spoke to the head of the Taliban you've heard this story Abdul still there still the head of the Taliban the presscot on me why would you speak to him I said cuzz that's where the killing is I don't have to speak to somebody that has nothing to do with it and I told him don't ever do that don't ever do that again don't ever ever do that again you got to stop because during the Obama Administration many great people and soldiers a lot of soldiers were being killed from long distance I said if you keep doing that you're going to be hit harder than anybody's ever been hit by a country before and he said I understand your Excellency call me your Excellency I wonder if he calls the other guy your Excellency I doubt it the other guy gave him everything I mean what kind of a deal was that he walked out gave him everything do you know that right now Afghanistan is one of the largest sellers of weapons in the world they're selling the brand new beautiful weapons that we gave them but think of it he actually said to me but why but why do you show me a picture of my home I said you'll have to ask your people or one of your wives but he could figure it out and for 18 months we had not one attack on an American Soldier by the Taliban 18 and then we had that horrible day where soldiers were killed I was not there because of a ridiculous election but we had that horrible attack and uh they also gave up bogram one of the biggest bases anywhere in the world air bases anywhere in the world the longest runways most powerful hardened thickened runways we gave it up and I liked it not because of Afghanistan I like to because because of China it's one hour away from where China makes their nuclear weapons and you you know who has it now China has it now we were keeping that and now China is likewise circling Taiwan and Russian warships and nuclear submarines are operating 60 miles off the coast in Cuba do you know that no the Press refuses to write about it if that were me running this country and we had nuclear submarines in Cuba I will tell you that headlines every day would be what's wrong with with our president you don't even hear this you're not hearing about this Russia has nuclear submarines and warships 60 miles away Mr congressman from Miami by the way happens to be here correct in Cuba and that would not be stood for if it were somebody else they don't even me they don't want to mention it but now maybe they will and the entire world I tell you this we want our hosit is back and they better be back before I assume office or you will be paying a very big price with our victory in November the years of war weakness and chaos will be over I don't have wars I had no Wars other than Isis which I defeated but that was a war that was started we had no Wars I could stop Wars with a telephone call I could stop Wars with just a telephone call if properly stated it would never start we will replenish our military and build an iron Dome missile defense system to ensure that no enemy can strike our homeland and this great iron Dome will be built entirely in the USA we're going to build it the USA and Wisconsin Wisconsin just like I gave you that massive ship contract and you're doing a very nice job Governor right thank you governor and they're doing a great job in fact I had a little design change we gave him a tremendous for essentially what we used to call destroyers these are now the most beautiful they look like Yachts they said we have to take the bow and we have to make it a little nicer and a little point at the top instead of a flat nose and the people at the shipyard said this guy sort of knows what he's doing we most beautiful ships right governor and everybody sitting over there and it was a big contract that everybody wanted I gave it to Wisconsin but we're going to have a lot of that built right here and the state of Wisconsin and all other states Israel has an Iron Dome they have a missile defense system 342 missiles were shot into Israel and only one got through a little bit it was badly wounded it fell to the ground but most of them are and Ronald Reagan wanted this many years ago but we really didn't have the technology many years ago remember they called it Starship spaceship anything to mock him but he was a very good president very very good but now we have unbelievable technology and why should other countries have this and we don't no no we're going to build an iron Dome over our country and we're going to be sure that nothing can come and harm our people and again from an economic development standpoint we're going to make it all right here no more sending it out to other countries in order to help it's America First America first we will Unleash the Power of American innovation and as we do we will soon be on the verge of finding the cures to cancer Alzheimer's disease and many other diseases we're going to get to the bottom of it you remember this gentleman that I don't want to mention other than one time I had to because when you say the 10 worst I had to do it I didn't want anybody to be confused but this man said we're going to find the cure to cancer nothing happened we're going to get to the cure for cancer and Alzheimer's and so many other things we're so close to doing something great but we need a leader that will let it be done we will not have men playing in women's sports that will end [Music] immediately and we will restore and renovate our nation's once great cities making them safe clean and beautiful again and that includes our nation's capital which which is a horrible killing field so many things they leave from Wisconsin they go to look at the Washington Monument they end up getting stabbed killed or shot we will be very soon very proud of our Capital again Washington DC America is on the cusp of a new golden age but we will have the courage to seize it we're going to take it going to make it a current I mean we're going to bring this into a golden age like never seen before remember this China wants to do it Japan wants to do it all of these countries want to do it we have to produce massive amounts of energy if we're going to produce the new if you look at some of the things that have been done and some of the things that we're going to do but AI needs tremendous Tre literally twice the electricity that's available now in our country can you imagine but instead we're spending places where they recharge electric cars they built eight chargers at a certain location toward the Midwest eight charges for 9 billion think of them as a tank for filling up your gas think of it they spent 9 billion on eight charges three of which didn't work and if you are going to do this all over our country this crazy electric mandate if you're going to do this all and by the way I'm all for electric they have their application but if somebody wants to buy a gas powerered car gasoline powered car or a hybrid they're going to be able to do it and we're going to make that change on day one so to conclude just a few short days ago my journey with you nearly ended we know that and yet here we are tonight all gathered together talking about the future promise and a total renewal of a thing we love very much it's called America we live in a world of Miracles none of us knows God's plan or where life's Adventure will take us I want to thank Franklin gra for being here tonight he's an outstanding man he wrote me a note recently I have a lot of respect for him sir I love your storytelling I think it's great in front of these big rallies but sir please do me one favor it won't make any difference please don't use any foul language I was a little embarrassed I said he said it won't make any difference actually it the story is not quite as good but I've been very good the story is not quite as good to be honest I've got to have a little talk with Franklin but he was great he's a great gentleman his father was so incredible Billy Graham my father used to love taking me to see Billy grah my father would take me to see Billy Graham at Yankee Stadium he had the biggest rallies you've ever seen he was a good rally guy too but he get up and he was a fantastic guy my father loved Billy Graham but I love Franklin Graham I think Franklin's been fantastic and I'm trying I'm working so hard to adhere to his note to me I'm working hard on it Franklin but if the events of last Saturday make anything clear it is that every single moment we have on Earth is a gift from God we have to make the most of every day for the people and for the country that we love the attacker in Pennsylvania wanted to stop our movement but the truth is the movement has never been about me it has always been about you it's your movement it's the biggest movement in the history of our country by far can't be stopped it can't be stopped it has always been about the hardworking patriotic citizens of America for too long our nation has settled for too little we settled for too little we've given everything to other nations to other people You' have been told to lower your expectations and to accept less for your families I am here tonight with the opposite message your expectations are not big enough they not big [Music] enough it is time to start expecting and demanding the best leadership in the world leadership that is bold Dynamic Relentless and fearless we can do that we are Americans ambition is our heritage greatness is our Birthright but as long as our energies are spent fighting each other our destiny will remain Out Of Reach and that's not acceptable we must instead take that energy and use it to realize our country's true potential and write our own thrilling chapter of of the American story we can do it together we will unite we are going to come together and success will bring us together it is a story of love sacrifice and so many other things and remember the word devotion it's unmatched devotion our American ancestors cross the Delaware survived the icy winter at Valley Forge and defeated a mighty Empire to establish our cherished Republic they fought so hard they lost so many they pushed thousands and thousands of miles across a dangerous Frontier taming the Wilderness to build a life and a magnificent home for their family they packed their families into covered wagons treed across hazardous Trails scaled towering mountains and and braved rivers and Rapids to stake their claim on the wide openen new and very beautiful Frontier when our way of life was threatened American Patriots marched onto the battlefield raced into enemy strongholds and stared down death and stared down those enemies to keep alive the flame of Freedom at Yorktown Gettysburg and Midway they joined the roll call of immortal Heroes so many h just so many Heroes so many great great people and we have to cherish those people we can't forget those people we have to cherish those people and building monuments to those great people is a good thing not a bad thing they saved our country no challenge was too much no hardship was too great no enemy was too Fierce together these Patriots Soldier on and endured and they prevailed because they had faith in each other faith in their country and above all they had faith in their God just like our ancestors we must now come together rise above past differences any disagreements have to be put aside and go forward United as one people one nation pledging allegiance to one great beautiful I think it's so beautiful American flag tonight I ask for your partnership for your support and I am humbly asking for your vote want your vote going to make our country great again every day I will strive to honor the trust you you have placed in me and I will never ever let you down I promise that I will never let you down to all of the Forgotten men and women who have been neglected abandoned and left behind you will be forgotten no longer we will press forward and together we will win win win [Applause] win win win win win win nothing will sway us nothing will slow us and no one will ever stop [Applause] us no matter what dangers come our way no matter what obstacles lie in our path we will keep striving toward our shared and glorious Destiny and we will not fail we will not fail together we will save this country we will restore the Republic and we will usher in the rich and wonderful tomorrows that our people so truly deserve America's future will be bigger better Bolder brighter happier stronger Freer greater and more united than ever before and quite simply put we will very quickly make America great again thank you very much thank you very much Wisconsin God bless you God bless you Wisconsin and God bless the United States of America our great country thank you very much everybody thank you that is former president Donald J Trump delivering his acceptance speech for the nomination of his party their Presidential nominee began reflecting quite somberly on the day on which he had been shot just a few days ago as you see the former president there being joined on stage by former first lady Melania Trump that is a speech we should note that quickly veered into familiar themes of grievance and politics and partisan issues of the past frequently going off script and stretching about nine pages of prepared remarks well over 90 minutes here in the arena yeah that's right omna I mean the the initial calls for Unity quickly gave way to attacks on Democrats to a Litany of falsehoods to a string of insults let's go to Lisa de jardan who is on the floor there getting instant reaction from delegates as we see the former president joined by his adult children Ivanka Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner his son Eric Trump his wife Lara Trump and others Lisa I'm next to the stage and I can see the crowd on its feet as it has been from the beginning of the spee the crowd was a little Restless during the middle this was a long speech as you all said this was the longest convention acceptance speech in the modern era as you see the balloons come down on top of us right now uh this is the longest speech according to my research since at least 1972 perhaps longer it was weary on the crowd at some points uh you could see he was just riffing I want to tell you omn and Jeff I counted at least 20 two times that the president went off his script and I'm sure it was more than that but the crowd stuck with him I saw very few people moving around they didn't look away from the stage they were here for this and they got the long speech that I think they wanted Amy Walter as the former president was speaking you tweeted that Trump 2.0 is Trump 1.0 there's no pivot there's there is not a pivot as you all noted really quite correct it started off in a very different place it was somber it was reflective he did he paid homage to the Fire battalion chief who lost his life on Saturday night but then it felt very much like a trump rally speech that we have heard many many times before he talked a lot about his previous time as president he did go off on uh attack as you said about crazy Nancy Pelosi about the election that was stolen he I think he said it was uh the cheating that uh uh uh in 2020 and it is this it is basically a it's a reminder that he wants to run the Playbook that he's always run which is for despite the calls for un Unity uh he made a a point about you know for forget about our past differences um that he really wants to rehash the ways in which he was right and those who opposed him were wrong and we should mention that the PBS newsour has partnered with PolitiFact that is doing realtime factchecking of the many things that the former president said in his speech and and folks can go to our website pbs.org/newshour I'm Judy Woodruff you've seen a number of convention acceptance speeches over your career how are you looking at this one well first of all it was long as Lisa said it was over an hour and a half at least I I think that's right um it was dark it was dark I was thinking back to the line uh uh in his inaugural speech I mean we know the kind of campaign he ran in 2016 he was inaugurated as president and talked about American Carnage and that was the picture he painted tonight A P of America in Decline uh he said we're on the verge of World War II um he he praised um the Hungarian autocrat Victor orbon and cited uh his compliment uh of Donald Trump um it was it was Remar I mean I started trying to keep track of his his um statements criticisms of of the Biden Administration that I know for a fact for example he talked about drilling he said on day one we're going to you know drill baby drill today the United States is producing more crude oil than any country ever has in the history in history and that's we've looked that up that's been that's a fact but you would not know that from hearing this this speech he also lied a few times about crime rates being record highs we know those numbers have been coming down he talked about uh border numbers which actually been coming down under the Biden Administration are on historically high for uh you know over the last 20 years or so but David and Jonathan please weigh in with your thoughts as well David yeah I thought if he'd given the first 20 minutes the discussion of the what happened in Butler Pennsylvania and then done like 10 or 15 minutes of policy he'd be cruising a victory uh the remaining 70 minutes of the speech was mindboggling to me all he had to do is give a b performance but there is no cure for narcissism and the it's not just boring I I'm fine with being bored I went to college but uh but it was a a reflection of the character flaw that marred his presidency which that he's self-indulgent he's self-absorbed he's narcissistic and he's undisciplined well I had thought I think I said earlier today that you know he's run a very disciplined campaign maybe he's professional throw that out the window so what we have now are two parties is competing to lose the election yeah and they're doing an outstanding job and but somebody's going to win and the final thing I'll say is I have to believe that Joe Biden whether he watched this speech or not will know about it will watch bits of it and if I were Joe Biden would I think oh I've got to I'm afraid of that I've got to drop out of this race I don't think that's how normal you being think so I think Biden is more likely to be in johnan we got about a minute or so left oh really that's it did well of all the people around this table I am the least I'm probably the least surprised by what we saw tonight I go back to congresswoman Maria Salazar Florida people she's talked to says Trump is a new person internally thinks he's more interest more contemplative he understands that God has given him another chance no that's not what we saw do you think this changes the thinking of the Biden Harris campaign in any way um I think it should but I think it should make Democrats reconsider what's going on because I don't understand and I have not heard from anyone what happens if they succeed in getting President Biden to step away from the ticket when I used to cover the Trump White House we had a running joke that being his teleprompter operator was the hardest job in all of Washington and and Jonathan you know what do you make of this this asymmetry where where Joe Biden has this disastrous debate performance and there are calls for him to exit the race Donald Trump gives a I think it's fair to say in many ways rambling more than 90minut speech mhm and that's accepted it's accepted by the Republican base it's accepted by the Republican base but it's also accepted by us in the media quite frankly I would I would love it if folks in our profession would treat this speech the way they treated Joe Biden's debate this speech was not presidential this speech was not Unity this speech speech was hateful it was not unifying and quite quite honestly if Democrats don't get their act together um they're going to prove David right both campaigns are out to lose the campaign the balloon drop is over the music is playing the Trump family is on stage our panel is ready to call it a night Amy Walter Judy Woodruff Jonathan Kart and David Brooke thank you so very much for being with Jeff and I this entire week covering this Republican National Convention for you at home that concludes our broadcast coverage of this final night of the Republican National Convention if you're watching on YouTube don't go anywhere our coverage continues with Lisa de jardan unpacking the evening's event we'll have full analysis of the convention and the others Day news on tomorrow's PBS NewsHour for now I'm omna Nas and I'm Jeff Bennett and we will also be in Chicago for the Democratic National Convention starting on August 19th for all of us here at PBS news thank you for joining us we'll see you tomorrow on the NewsHour this program was made possible by The Corporation for Public Broadcasting and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you thank you [Music] you're watching PBS