RNC convention opens with Trump’s stamp on the party on full display

On Jul 16, 2024

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MILWAUKEE — The Republican National Convention opened Monday in the shadow of an assassination attempt against Donald Trump and amid growing hopes among united delegates and others in a remade GOP that the November election will restore the former president to the White House.

Monday had begun with one major unanswered question, which was the name of Trump’s running mate. But early in the afternoon, Trump ended the suspense, posting on Truth Social that he had selected first-term Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), a onetime Trump critic who has emerged as one of the most outspoken voices on behalf of the former president’s populist, “America First” agenda.

Trump appeared in the convention hall in the final hour of the evening, his right ear bandaged, to an enormous ovation from the delegates, who chanted “Fight! Fight! Fight!” and “We love Trump!”

Former president Donald Trump made his first public appearance at the RNC on July 15 following a failed assassination attempt days earlier. (Video: The Washington Post)

Joining members of his family in their box in the Fiserv Forum, Trump stood next to his newly nominated running mate, whose selection after weeks of intense speculation created the biggest news of the day.

Monday’s prime-time programming began a planned critique on the record and policies of President Biden’s administration, with an opening night focus on the economy and inflation. A series of everyday Americans recounted their struggles with higher gasoline and grocery prices while a succession of elected officials asserted that a second Trump presidency will bring greater prosperity to working families.

The evening’s final speaker was Sean O’Brien, general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. His lengthy speech in the hour that was broadcast by major networks and cable news channels, included attacks on major corporations, long a key constituency of the GOP, highlighted the Trump campaign’s focus on expanding support and turnout among White working-class voters. “We must put workers first,” he said.

International Brotherhood of Teamsters president Sean O’Brien spoke at the RNC on July 15, a first in the organization’s history. (Video: The Washington Post)

Republican speakers on Monday sought to make virtues out of what Democrats see as some of Trump’s major vulnerabilities. Rather than strength, Democrats see in Trump an authoritarian streak, a candidate who has spoken about using the presidency for retribution and revenge. Since Saturday’s shooting, Trump has said he plans to focus on a message of unity Thursday night, rather than on attacks. But his past statements stand as blueprint for what a second term might bring.

Biden, in an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt, pointed to his opponent’s statements to draw the contrast his campaign hopes to make. “I’m not the guy that said I want to be a dictator on day one,” he said. “I’m not the guy that refused to accept the outcome of the election. I’m not the guy who said that wouldn’t accept the outcome of this election automatically. You can’t only love your country when you win.”

The main business of the first session was…