Complex at the RNC: Donald Trump's Speech Was Even Worse In Person

Donald Trump painted a doomsday picture of America at the Republican National Convention. He was reading a tight script from a gigantic teleprompter than usual.

Not Available Lead
Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Not Available Lead

Thursday, July 21

It's the last day of the Republican National Convention and anticipation is at a fever pitch for the acceptance speech of Donald Trump, especially in light of the plagiarism controversy surrounding his wife Melania's speech and Ted Cruz going straight gagsta with a non-endorsement speech that got him booed off the stage.

Outside, it feels like the more than 5,000 law enforcement officers have multiplied, since many are now serving as human barriers as we the media, Republican delegates, elected officials, and special guests roll in and out of the main entrance. If you don't have Secret Service-approved credentials plus a special pass, you were simply not getting in. 

Trump Rally

Inside the Q, as the Quicken Loans Arena is called, it's very clear that this night would be the most packed of the entire convention. I imagined the Q felt like this as LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavalier teammates made their way to their first-ever NBA Championship just weeks ago. But this championship is for Donald Trump, a candidate folks laughed at just one year ago, when he and 16 other Republicans started the long journey toward this night. 

Trump is a businessman, has never held a political office of any kind, is not polished, and is raw—mad raw, as we've learned this presidential season. But he tapped into voters' feelings of alienation—specifically working and middle class voters—and shocked the world by winning the Republican nomination.

"Families For Trump" Sign

I am purposely working my way around the whole arena, taking in the buzz. As on previous nights there was a Black speaker—yet another preacher—who trashed Black Lives Matter, while in the same breath calling for Black unity. I cringed, pained to hear this stuff when I am Black and also an activist. Other speakers came and went, and Trump's daughter Ivanka appeared to introduce him. Her role was dual, as she also made it a point to highlight women's issues—a key tactic, given her father's bad reputation with women and how badly this convention dissed Hillary Clinton, the first woman in America to win a major political party's nomination.

Trump On Teleprompter

I noticed something unusual as soon as Trump began: He was reading a tight script from the gigantic teleprompter. Normally, he just freestyles like a rapper, saying whatever comes to mind. Right from the jump, Trump painted a doomsday picture of America as this dark place full of crime, corruption, and violence, with foreigners coming to get us. Not once did he mention Black people being killed by police, but he did mention “law and order” several times and police being under attack. I found this really odd given all the talk about inclusivity and Black unity—Trump only alluded to Black America as a threat to the country from within. People were hanging on his every word, and any mention of Clinton led to loud chants of, "Lock her up!" 

I kept waiting for Trump to say something real and substantive, given that he was following protocol and reading from a teleprompter. But there was no vision, no real policies put forth, no calls for bringing people together; just meanness, yelling, and arrogance. When Donald Trump said “I alone” can fix America, I rubbed my head, because I know—as someone who has been an activist and organizer for a very long time and twice ran for Congress in Brooklyn—that no one leader or politician can ever do anything on their own. It simply does not work like that. And it never will. When Trump’s speech was over, I made my way outside and saw quite a few folks wearing buttons that said TED CRUZ or RONALD REAGAN. Considering Trump is the Republican politician of the moment, those buttons said a lot without saying anything at all.

Latest in Life