Episode 102 Show Notes- Political Analysis: Republican Convention
Episode Description
Professor Nicholas Giordano provides an analysis of this year’s Republican Convention. Now that both conventions are over, how did they measure up? Given that the virtual Zoom like convention didn’t work for Democrats, what changes did the Republicans make? While the Democratic National Convention deviated from the theme of unity, and instead focused on hate, division, and fear, did the Republicans fall into the same trap? At The P.A.S. Report, you will get an honest assessment you won’t hear anywhere else.
Don’t forget to visit The P.A.S. Report and share this episode with others. Recommend The P.A.S. Report podcast to friends and family and post the podcast on all your social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
P.A.S. Report Listeners Get 10% Off at Design It Yourself Gift Baskets! Use Code: PAS
*PA Strategies, LLC. earns a small commission when you make a purchase through any affiliate links on this website and within this post.
Intro
Welcome everyone to another episode of The PAS Report Podcast. Nick Giordano here. I hope you all had a great weekend.
For this episode, I will offer a fair analysis of the Republican Convention just as I did for the Democrats. Here is where you actually get in-depth information you won’t be able to get anywhere else. I’ll take a look at what the Republicans did. We will examine if they made any changes following the Democratic Convention and whether those changes worked. I’ll also take a look at the speeches and use their own words as you know I like to do. I’ll point out what worked well, and what fell flat.
Interestingly enough, viewership for both Conventions was lower overall, and the Republican Convention had lower viewership than the Democratic Convention. It’s clear that the changed formats had some impact, but I wonder if Americans are starting to get disillusioned with American politics.
But before I jump in, go to The P.A.S. Report website and sign up for the newsletter.
Quick Recap of What I Said Republicans needed to do
At the end of last Monday’s episode, I provided advice on what the Republicans need to do at their convention. Take a listen.
Play Clip 1- End of Last Week’s Show
So, with that being said, how did the Republican’s measure up? Like I started with last week’s show, I want to start with the optics of the Republican National Convention in the era of the coronavirus.
What’s interesting, and I said this last week, Democrats are the party of Hollywood. Yet, the party of Hollywood showed little creativity. The production value was cheap and cheesy looking. You didn’t feel like you were in a convention party atmosphere and it seemed like a cheaply produced infomercial.
The Republicans took a different tack. They ditched the Zoom like quality feel and didn’t use any cheap background effects. The production value was very well done, and the Republicans were far more successful just from an optics standpoint.
The videos were nicely produced, the speakers were well-times, and it had a feel to it.
Vice President Pence’s speech at Fort McHenry, and President Trump’s speech at the White House, set up nicely with the crowds. As I said, they needed to bring bodies in to make it more effective, and that’s what they did. They probably listened to The P.A.S. Report.
And the firework show after President Trump’s speech was amazing. I don’t think I have ever seen a firework display like that.
I was surprised at how well it was done. From the opening clip to the speakers, everything was managed perfectly. There were smooth transitions between speakers, and you didn’t have those same awkward moments that you saw at the Democratic Convention. Optically, the Republican National Convention was successful.
Thankfully, the Republicans didn’t hold the caucus meetings like the Democrats did. It made my job a lot easier to just stick with the speakers and the videos.
The Different Aspects of the RNC
Starting with Day 1, the Convention kicked off with an extremely well-produced video that focused on American greatness and optimism. I want you to take a listen to a clip of it.
Play Clip 2- Kickoff Video
Now I didn’t play the whole thing, but I wanted you to get a sense of it because it was well put together and set the tone for the night and the week. By focusing on what has led to America to become the greatest country, by recognizing our flaws, and by exclaiming we are all in this together, this video was one that all Americans can get behind, and whoever produced it, did a remarkable job.
As far as the speeches went, while I can’t play clips from ever speech, there were some that worked extremely well, and others not so well. And throughout the Convention, there was a clear game plan which spanned several different areas with the overall theme of American exceptionalism, so I am going to take them one-by-one.
Highlighting Diversity
From the very beginning, it was clear that President Trump and the RNC wanted to reach out to minorities and women. Many of the speakers were of minority descent and many were women.
It was clear that President Trump is taking the accusations of racism head-on. It’s also clear that they are pushing back hard against the notion that America remains a deeply racist country.
On day 1, we heard from a number of Black Americans and women, and there were several very effective speeches. I will play a clip from Nikki Haley and Tim Scott later. But the first one I want to play is from Congressional candidate Kimberly Klacik. Take a listen.
Play Clip 3- Kim Klacik
She gave a great speech showing Republicans that they can go into communities long ignored by the Republican party. That there is opportunity to win over these communities if you are willing to deliver. I have been preaching this for years. Her speech was also designed to highlight that there are a growing number of minority conservatives seeking to make real changes in their communities. Her speech was powerful, and her line, “We want a chance to get ahead, and not just get by,” will be one that should resonate well.
Play Clip 4- Hershel Walker
This speech was designed to pushback against the label racist that Democrats keep throwing around with impunity. It was also designed to show a different side of the President. Show that he is a family man and that he relates, and more importantly, respects ordinary people. You notice how no one ever accuses the President, who is a billionaire, of being an elitist. His history of intermingling with ordinary folks dates back 40-50 years, and they obviously want to highlight this.
But one of the most effective speeches came from Vernon Jones, a Black Democrat from Georgia. Take a listen.
Play Clip 5- Vernon Jones
That was a powerful moment. Here you have a Black Democrat utterly rejecting Joe Biden and the Democrat’s premise that if you are Black, you must support Democrat politicians. And another one of the speakers also rejected Joe Biden’s you ain’t black remark, and the idea that there is no diversity of thought in the Black community. And that was Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron. Take a listen.
Play Clip 6- Daniel Cameron
He is certainly got a bright future, and a political star was born. Don’t be surprised when McConnell retires that this man runs for his seat. There are a lot of people who had no idea who Daniel Cameron was before the RNC. I can guarantee he is on many people’s radar screens now.
Jack Brewer also gave an impassioned speech. Here’s a clip of Jack.
Play Clip 7- Jack Brewer
He took on the Democrats and the media. Here is someone that really knows what racism is. Witnessed firsthand, and in a five-minute speech, he utterly destroyed the left’s narrative.
And of course, you had Alice Marie Johnson. This lady was serving 120 years for a first-time nonviolent offense. She spent 22 years in prison. When President Trump heard about her case and the circumstances around it, he granted her a pardon. Not only is Ms. Johnson grateful for the pardon, but she is someone pushing for real change in the criminal justice system. Take a listen.
Play Clip 8- Alice Marie Johnson
You know, there are so many more clips I can play. However, it’s clear that the days of surrendering the Black vote to the Democrats are over and the Republicans are going to fight for the Black vote.
The interesting thing was how all the Black people who spoke at the convention, they didn’t focus on empty promises or the things President Trump said. Rather, they pointed to the actions and the policies of the President, and those policies impacted communities of color.
If you look at the Democrat convention, they tried to present America as a dark racist place, and if President Trump wins reelection, minorities will suffer at the hands of President Trump and the Republicans.
It was a stark contrast between the two Conventions. And this is an area where Republicans were more successful by pointing to specific actions and basing their message on hope and optimism.
These people also showed a side of President Trump that we normally don’t get to see. Congressman Jim Jordan showed a compassionate and empathetic President Trump. Congressman Jordan highlighted the difference between Democrats and Republicans, and he did lay out some of the President’s accomplishments fairly well.
But the most effective part of Congressman Jordan’s speech is when he talked about the personal side of President Trump. Many view President Trump as a bully and someone that lacks any sense of empathy. It’s rare that President Trump shows his soft side in public. For President Trump, it’s a sign of weakness.
However, compassion and empathy are important, and while it’s important for a President to project strength, it’s also nice when the guard comes down. Take a listen.
Play Clip 9- Congressman Jordan
This shows a little-seen side of the President that most don’t know about. It shows the President can be compassionate and empathetic. And what I like most is that this call wasn’t some coordinated photo op. It was real. It was organic, and it’s something no one would really have been aware of. And that’s the interesting thing, behind all the tough talk by the President, there are stories that exist where the President has helped numerous people and never sought attention. Never bragged about it. Never highlighted it.
Dark Moments in the Republican Convention
But there were some dark moments in the Republican Convention. Some of those moments worked, others did not. Kimberly Guilfoyle’s speech didn’t work. Take a listen.
Play Clip 10- Kimberly Guilfoyle
I mean, I like Guilfoyle, but that was a little much.
Play Clip 11- Shouting
A speech like that may be better served at a rally, but was too much for a Convention, especially considering there wasn’t a crowd there to drown out some of the shouting.
Other parts that were a little dark but played better than Guilfoyle’s speech was Rudy Giuliani.
Play Clip 12- Giuliani
The reason Giuliani’s played better was because he was the Mayor to essentially turn around New York City. Many of the newer generations have no idea how bad the City was in the ’70s, ’80s, and early ’90s. They don’t know that Times Square wasn’t home to the Disney or M&M store. Instead, it was filled with addicts, pimps, prostitutes, and peep shows. So, Giuliani is an authority on the subject, and it is truly amazing how quickly DeBlasio destroyed the City.
Law and Order
Obviously, law and order was a big part of the Convention themes, and while I will get to the President’s speech in a little, this was certainly a part of the President’s speech laying out a dark vision of what may happen if he loses.
Play Clip 13- Trump Law and Order
Since Democrats chose not to bring up the violence at their Convention, this left a huge opening for the Republicans, and they certainly seized that opening. I don’t like the politics of fear. It may work to a certain extent, but optimism plays much better. And while there were some lines that played into fear, many of the speakers, including the President, did hit optimistic notes, but also highlighted the hard times we are living through and warned about a Joe Biden Presidency.
Play Clip 14- Trump- Biden Trojan Horse
The speech of the Convention was Ann Dorne’s. She exemplified this message, and in my opinion, she was the most effective speaker at the convention. I usually try to keep the sound clips at under a minute, but her message was powerful. Take a listen.
Play Clip 15- Ann Dorne
Wow. Just wow. While there were many speakers who tugged at emotions during the convention, you couldn’t help but become emotional when Ann Dorne spoke.
Religion
Religion also factored in the RNC and it was clear that Republicans want to sure up their religious base. While no one is going to mistake President Trump for being a devout follower of religion, they illustrated President Trump’s commitment to things like religious freedom and fighting for the unborn. Take a listen.
Play Clip 16- Religion
I never thought I would see a Nun given a speech at a political convention. Imagine 10 years ago someone would have told you that a Nun would speak on President Trump’s behalf expressing her support for why he should be President. What would you think? You would be like, ‘yeah right. Never going to happen.’
Yet here we are in 2020, and Sister Deirdre Byrne made an impassioned speech in support of life and President Trump.
Ordinary People
With the Sister in mind, the number of ordinary people speaking at the convention was really interesting. Understand that most of these people are no professional public speakers, but they were invited to tell their stories. From farmers to lobstermen, to business owners, and others, these people were far more interesting than many run of the mill politicians.
This was a smart move by the RNC and President Trump. I think this was a really effective move as more people can relate to ordinary people over the politicians any day of the week.
Videos of President Trump
Another really effective portion of the Convention were the clips of President Trump meeting with ordinary Americans for various things. One of them was to grant citizenship to a few people who immigrated to the United States, worked hard, followed the rules, and met all the requirements for naturalization.
Play Clip 17- Trump- Naturalization
In another clip, President Trump met with hostages that he worked for their release from foreign countries. Take a listen.
Play Clip 18- Trump Hostage Release
This was an incredibly smart move. It presents the image that President Trump will fight for Americans. That no American would be forgotten and left behind. I am sure most Americans were completely unaware of this.
Another clip that was really well done was when President Trump pardoned John Ponder. Take a listen.
Play Clip 19- Trump Pardon
Once again, this is such a compelling story. Mr. Ponder turned his life around and through all the bad he did, he found a way to turn that bad experience into positive change for others. His Hope for Prisoners organization is really remarkable. These are the stories no one ever hears about. I regularly follow politics, yet I never heard the media ever report that President Trump spoke at a graduation ceremony for prisoners. More than that was the fact that President Trump was supposed to only be there for 5-10 minutes to say a few words. Instead, he stayed for a couple of hours handing out degrees and speaking to the graduates.
Obviously, this was designed to show President Trump’s compassionate side, but it was also designed to show real actions on behalf of the President to the Black community. I think this part was very effective.
American Greatness
And while Law and Order was a big part of the theme, and things like Hope for Prisoners are the exact type of things that demonstrate American Greatness and why we are such an exceptional nation. I have no problem saying America is an exceptional nation, and you had some very effective speakers. In a day and age where America as an idea is under constant attack, you began to see the Republican party pushback against this notion. From Governor Kristi Noem to Vice President Pence to Congressional Candidate Matthew Cawthorn, the message was clear. America is a great country. A country we should not be ashamed of. Rather, a country that should be celebrated for all we have accomplished. Take a listen.
Play Clip 20- Pence/Cawthorne
Matthew Cawthorn is an amazing young man. Paralyzed from the waist down, used a walker to stand-up at the convention, in a symbolic move to inspire hope and optimism. The idea that Americans can achieve anything if we have the perseverance and fortitude. Vice President Pence is right. We are a nation of miracles. Sadly, many don’t see it. However, while the Democrats spent their time bashing America, Republicans celebrated America.
Others that portrayed America as a great nation were former Ambassador Nikki Haley and Senator Tim Scott. Their messages were extremely effective, touching on a variety of issues that all parallel each other. They highlighted how much America has changed for the better. Take a listen.
Play Clip 21- Haley & Scott
Once again, their stories portrayed America as a great nation. That in spite of our past sins, we have found a way to grow and become better. This is in stark contrast with the Democrat message of today. And Vice President Pence gave a warning. This election is bigger than the routine issues. It’s bigger than the differences between Republicans and Democrats. He stated that the election is about America, herself.
Play Clip 22- Pence America is on the Ballot
According to Karl Rove, President Trump spent the longest part of his speech talking about the importance of American Greatness. While I wish the President would have explained why America is great, giving specific examples, he did bring up an interesting point. As I stated in my analysis of the Democratic Convention, nearly every speaker was quick to bash America. They stated that America was founded on racism and that we have institutionalized racism. By extension, it means we, as a people, are racist. This didn’t get lost on the President. Take a listen.
Play Clip 23 – Trump How Can Democrats Lead the Country
To me, that was the line of his speech and it was poignant to point out to the American people.
Closing
While the President’s speech was way too long, it was an effective speech and that was a really effective line.
Overall, the Republican National Convention was a success. While there was some darkness, and Biden was attacked, The Republican Convention was far more optimistic, and the focus of the Convention was not on Biden. The central theme was America, and what makes America an exceptional country. The Republicans rarely deviated from that theme.
As I pointed out last week, the Democratic Convention’s main theme was unity, yet they focused too much on hate and the entire convention revolved around President Trump and how America was a racist country. That was a big mistake and we may be seeing the results.
Normally after a convention, the candidate gets a bounce. Since the Democratic Convention is over, the polls have been conducted and the preliminary results are in. Not only does the polling shows that Joe Biden didn’t get a bounce, but the polls are also showing that President Trump’s numbers are up, and they are up dramatically in the swing states. These polls were before the Republican Convention so it will be interesting to see if the President’s numbers go up further.
Own Your FREEDOM, Your HEALTH, Your WELLNESS
Peace of mind in a box - keep a Medical Emergency Kit in your medicine cabinet
Get 10% off your order Use code PAS at checkout
While viewership was down for the Republican Convention as well, and it appears that more people tuned into Biden’s speech, I think Republicans and President Trump did what they needed to do.
So, there you have it. The conventions are in the books with the Republican Convention being more successful. We are now in full campaign season, and it’s going to be interesting how the campaigns evolve following the Conventions. Next up will be the debates, and then we will be in the home stretch.
As always, recommend the podcast to others, and post it on all your social media platforms. I always appreciate reviews so if you can take 30 seconds to rate and review the podcast, I thank you.
I want to thank you for joining me, stay safe and I’ll be back on Wednesday with an amazing guest you won’t want to miss so be sure to tune in.
The P.A.S. Report wants to hear from you. Send your feedback to podcast@pasreport.com. Please leave a 5-star rating and write a review on Apple Podcast.
Please share this episode with others & on social media.
*PA Strategies, LLC. earns a commission when you make a purchase through any affiliate links on this website and within this post.
Follow Nicholas Giordano
You must be logged in to post a comment.