Republican Convention Review: Trump Goes Long, Colbert Hosts Democrat Response
Donald Trump closed out the Republican convention on Thursday night with a supersize speech, clocking in at nearly an hour and 15 minutes, that roused a tremendous response to what was atypical Presidential-nominee oratory. The talking heads on CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC (the broadcast networks fled to local news almost as soon as the first post-speech balloon was dropped) all commented afterward on the tone of Trump’s speech. The consensus was that, where most candidates aim to inspire with positive, flowing rhetoric, Trump emphasized what he called the “trouble” the country is in, saying, “We don’t have much time.” He invoked the phrase “law and order” repeatedly. “I am your voice,” he said, twice.
That voice thrilled some and appalled others covering the event. “One of the best acceptance speeches given in modern times,” said Rudy Giuliani on Fox News. But on MSNBC, Joy Reid had a different description: “Extremely dark … dour, dystopian … nurturing grievance against Obama America.” On CNN, Van Jones said Trump had described “a Mad Max America” that, he volunteered, “terrified me.”
Related: Jon Stewart Ousts Colbert to Attack Trump and Fox News
For those who stayed up that late, they heard Stephen Colbert on the really, really Late Show refer to the candidate’s message as “Trump’s acceptance shout.” Colbert provided a live-television Democratic response to the speech, courtesy of guest Elizabeth Warren. Warren told Colbert she agreed with Trump on one point: “Yes, people have reasons to be angry. [But] Donald Trump does not have the answers.”
“He sounds like some two-bit dictator of some country you couldn’t find on a map,” she said.
“I want to defend him here,” said Colbert. “Not a two-bit dictator — a billionaire dictator.”
“I think everyone is underestimating Donald Trump; he is one dangerous man,” Warren said. “We need to take him down … He went on national television and said, be afraid of each other. And you listen to that and I don’t know how there isn’t anyone left in America who isn’t afraid of Donald Trump.”
That was a rhetorical device, of course. Another thing Trump and Warren both agree on is that they know millions of people are not afraid of Trump, but instead have thoroughly embraced the message he delivered so lengthily this night.
