Welcome to the a special edition From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the campaign trail, the White House and Capitol Hill.
Tonight, Henry J. Gomez and Allan Smith report from the GOP convention hall on how Donald Trump’s former competitors have turned into his boosters. Plus, chief political analyst Chuck Todd writes that this is the most united GOP convention in 20 years.
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Trump’s former rivals turn into his advocates at the GOP convention
By Henry J. Gomez and Allan Smith
MILWAUKEE — Former President Donald Trump welcomed vanquished rivals at his Republican National Convention here Tuesday, keeping watch as, one by one, they stuck to a carefully stage-managed script of party unity.
There was Nikki Haley, who took more than two months to endorse him after she ended her White House bid, speaking to “those who have some doubts” about Trump. There was Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Trump ally-turned-challenger, unleashing a robust attack on President Joe Biden.
And there was Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who eight years ago in Cleveland urged conventiongoers to “vote your conscience,” thanking “God Almighty” for “turning [Trump’s] head on Saturday as the shot was fired” in an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania.
A torrent of boos chased Cruz from the stage in 2016, but there were nothing but cheers for him Tuesday night. DeSantis, too, received thunderous applause.
Only Haley, whose holdout against Trump was freshest in delegates’ memories, heard a smattering of jeers. But she quickly won over the crowd.
“I’ll start by making one thing perfectly clear,” said Haley, Trump’s United Nations ambassador and the former governor of South Carolina. “Donald Trump has my strong endorsement, period.”
Trump — who changed his schedule to arrive in time to see the procession of past opponents speak, according to a source familiar with his plans — observed from his private box. His newly minted running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, sat alongside him.
Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, who was a runner-up for the No. 2 spot on the ticket this year after having been one of Trump’s fiercest rivals and critics in 2016, also spoke Tuesday evening.
He centered his remarks on Corey Comperatore, the former fire chief killed at Trump’s rally Saturday, hailing him as a hero for shielding his wife and daughter from the gunshots. Rubio’s speech was among several that referred to the shooting, even as convention planners have done little else to alter the week’s overall themes in the aftermath.
Unity may prove elusive for the country — but not here
By Chuck Todd
MILWAUKEE — Ever since the nomination of Dwight Eisenhower in 1952, there was a saying about Republicans and their nominees for president: They fall in line more than they fall in love.
Ike, Richard Nixon, both Bushes, Bob Dole, John McCain, Mitt Romney — all of them beat back more passionate conservative challengers. And up until 2012, there was almost an unofficial rule that whoever finished second in the previous GOP presidential primary campaign became the initial default front-runner four or eight years later.
The lone exceptions to the “fall in line” atmosphere of the GOP for six-plus decades were Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan, each of whom led their parties to historic landslides — one huge loss and one huge win.
The orderly succession of these establishment Republicans was actually a bit of a feature to some supporters of the GOP, particularly those in the business community or the Chamber of Commerce wing of the Republican Party. The predictability was seen as stabilizing, particularly on economic and foreign policy.
But what the party lacked at times were passion and the ability to connect with everyday Americans. Goldwater and Reagan provided passion that many of the other GOP leaders lacked.
What’s remarkable about the atmosphere in Milwaukee is how jubilant it is despite what happened Saturday. I didn’t know what to expect at this convention in the first 24 hours following the attempted assassination of Trump, but I didn’t expect his supporters to seemingly move on from the heaviness of that near-miss moment as quickly as it appears they have — at least that’s how it feels here on the ground in Milwaukee.
This is a very festive atmosphere. These delegates aren’t angry or worried or ready to lash out. It’s just the opposite: They are confident, excited and primed to win, and win big. Perhaps for some, the confidence comes from their faith. Many believe there was divine intervention Saturday, and it has only reinforced their belief that Trump is destined to be president again.
Trying to fully understand their psyches is something I’ll leave for others, but the reality is this: This is the most unified Republican convention I’ve been to since George W. Bush’s 9/11-themed second convention in New York City in 2004. That unity persisted on the campaign trail post-convention, as House and Senate Republicans had no problem running with Bush. And the result: The GOP won the Senate and held the White House and the House, giving them the Washington governing trifecta.
🗞️ Tonight’s other top stories
- ⭕ Circle of trust: Biden is intent on shutting down dissent among Democrats to move forward and focus on defeating Trump. And after having heard out his critics, he’s tightening his circle to those he has relied on the longest — and who support his path ahead. Read more →
- ⚖️ SCOTUS reform: Biden is preparing to endorse significant proposals to reform the Supreme Court. The proposals under serious consideration include legislation to establish term limits for justices and establishing an updated code of ethics that would be binding and enforceable. Read more →
- 💰 Money chase: Democratic candidates in key House and Senate races are stockpiling campaign cash as the party contends with an increasingly well-funded GOP and looming questions about Biden’s strength at the top of the ticket. Read more →
- ❓In the dark: Three days since a Pennsylvania shooter opened fire at a campaign rally and wounded his ear, Trump and his campaign have revealed next to nothing about his condition. Read more →
- 🐘 The never-ending feud: Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida tried to taunt former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on the convention floor, telling him he “would get booed off the stage” if he spoke. Read more →
- 👋 Meet Usha Vance: NBC News’ Sakshi Venkatraman profiles JD Vance’s wife, Usha Vance, a daughter of immigrants and a lawyer who previously clerked for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. Read more →
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