It was remarkable and quite unusual for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, during his speech at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee, to call for unity among Americans and speak against division.
He assured the nation that "we rise together and fall together," rejecting the idea of demonising differences.
Trump's speech addressed the recent assassination attempt against him as someone who had just confronted the imminent possibility of death, not as a politician battling powerful opponents trying to end his life.
Unexpectedly, Trump's language was calm, even evoking empathy and commonality among Americans, rather than his usual loud and aggressive tone evoking conflict.
Trump's surprising speech was perfectly suited for an RNC aimed at winning voters, particularly swing voters. Stirring up hostilities that create discomfort seemed to be deprioritised.
Republican love-in
The convention, like its Democratic counterpart (to be held in Chicago next month), is the most significant event for the Republican Party. It occurs every four years during presidential election cycles.
The primary purpose is to nominate the party's presidential candidate through a caucus election process, similar to the Electoral College procedures that elect the US president in a Congressional session in January, two months after the election.
After the Republican primary elections in the 50 states and the five US territories, representatives gather at the RNC to cast their votes, reflecting voters' preferences in the primaries. Only through this process is the winner legally declared the party's presidential candidate.
Aside from fulfilling this legal requirement, the primary purpose of the national convention, both Republican and Democratic, is to serve as PR for the candidate. This was precisely what happened during the four-day RNC.
The most important segment occurs on its final day when the presidential candidate, officially nominated by the party, delivers the nomination speech. Arise, Donald Trump.
To promote Trump (the main task of the convention), the event gathered about 80 speakers who highlighted various Trump virtues. So, for instance, he was portrayed as a loving grandfather by his granddaughter, Kai Madison Trump.
Questions on policy
His Vice President, J.D. Vance, who emphasised the personal side of Trump's life, also criticised what he viewed as the failures of President Joe Biden's policies.
Trump’s eldest son, Donald Jr, also discussed his father's policies as president, which he claimed “made America great again”. He said Democrats’ lawsuits against his father were designed to defeat “America’s only hope”.
