Live Updates on 2024 Election: Biden’s Campaign at a Crucial Juncture, Republicans Commend Trump’s RNC Showing
President Joe Biden is confronting the reality that many top Democrats are urging him to consider stepping aside from the 2024 election. They believe a new nominee might better prevent significant losses in November. This period is critical for both Biden and his party. Concurrently, former President Donald Trump concluded a fervent Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee, which portrayed him not just as a party leader but a martyr who survived an assassination attempt and is ready to champion everyday Americans after a projected sweeping victory in November.
The RNC aimed to reshape Trump’s image, moving away from the chaotic and contentious presidency that culminated in the January 6 Capitol insurrection. Democrats have consistently highlighted that insurrection and Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric to block his return to power. The effectiveness of this messaging remains uncertain, but the RNC marked a significant four days for a Republican Party that has been significantly influenced by Trump’s personality and politics over three presidential elections.
Trump’s presence in American culture and politics is long-standing. He was a household name well before his political career, known for his show “The Apprentice” and his assertive catchphrase, “You’re fired!” He took over the GOP in 2016, winning the presidency as a brash outsider. Last Saturday, Trump was nearly assassinated in Pennsylvania but continued his campaign with the same rhetorical style.
Throughout the RNC in Milwaukee, various speakers depicted Trump as a more compassionate figure, contrasting with his usual fiery and accusatory rally persona. On Thursday, leading up to Trump’s acceptance speech, speakers described a more measured Trump, steering away from his usual attacks on political opponents and unfounded claims about the 2020 election’s legitimacy. Republicans also targeted Vice President Kamala Harris, anticipating the possibility that Biden, at 81 years old, might end his campaign, leading Democrats to turn to Harris.
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo criticized both Biden and Harris, attributing policy failures to them jointly. He accused them of appeasing pro-Hamas radicals in the U.S., explicitly naming Harris but not Biden, highlighting a tactical move to prepare for a potential Harris candidacy.
These strategic rhetorical efforts stood out, particularly given the sparse mentions of Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance. The Ohio senator, who accepted his nomination on Wednesday, was welcomed as a potential successor in Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement. However, it was clear that the movement remains fundamentally Trump’s.