Even Conservative Leaders Found Trump’s Speech Terrifying. Here’s What They’re Saying…
Republican nominee Donald Trump’s nomination speech at the Republican National Convention was so dark and depressing it sent shudders through those watching it as the corpses of former Presidents shifted in their tombs. He painted a nigh-apocalyptic picture of our country which, like his worldview and grasp of not only science but math as well, is completely removed from reality.
Hungry immigrants clamber over a weak border fence to devour your jobs! That’s not a starving child fleeing Assadi chemical weapons! He’s a Daeshi sleeper cell that will hide under your bed and murder your blonde, white children in the night while his mother complains about the lack of sharia at the grocery store! As a nation, we are being held up against the wall and robbed by our allies! Black murderers are hunting our policemen in the streets while President Obama, the Secret Muslim Communist, is conspiring with the mainstream Jewish media to hide the truth from you!
I wish my sarcasm wasn’t so close to the truth. It’s safe to say that the vast majority of America was absolutely horrified at the apocalyptic visions Trump described for the our nation and its future. Not much in the way of solutions, it should be noted. Just take a look at how major Republicans reacted to this outpouring of fear and hatred, this primitive appeal to our most basic instincts:
A speechwriter in George H.W. Bush’s White House:
This is a very dark and frightening speech.
— Mary Kate Cary (@mkcary) July 22, 2016
The chief speechwriter in George W. Bush’s White House (and a Post columnist):
He is summoning primal forces of anger/fear, displaying leadership without moral guardrails, religious principles or civic responsibility.
— Michael Gerson (@MJGerson) July 22, 2016
Mitt Romney’s chief strategist in 2012:
Give him credit for this: @realDonaldTrump is a dark, disturbed man & he sees in the country what he sees in the mirror.
— stuart stevens (@stuartpstevens) July 22, 2016
The chief strategist for Jeb Bush’s Super PAC:
Smiling in his grave… pic.twitter.com/gCn5hG2Ire
— mike murphy (@murphymike) July 22, 2016
A popular conservative blogger in the Never Trump camp:
Trump’s speech sounded better in the original German.
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) July 22, 2016
Shorter Donald Trump: Everything is terrible. Everyone is going to die. Vote for me.
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) July 22, 2016
Has anyone other than Newt and Trump’s kids made the case for Trump at this convention? Everything is all anti-Hillary, not pro-Trump.
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) July 22, 2016
The Republican focus group guru:
“I. AM. YOUR. VOICE.”#RNCinCLE #GOPConvention pic.twitter.com/CWRBC30Jh3
— Frank Luntz (@FrankLuntz) July 22, 2016
Eric Cantor’s former communications director:
Anger. Fear. Anxiety. Instead of leading he’s feeding. It’s depressing.
— Rory Cooper (@rorycooper) July 22, 2016
Fox host and Bush 43’s White House Press Secretary:
I want to defeat ISIS fast, too. But please tell me how and what you’re willing to do.
— Dana Perino (@DanaPerino) July 22, 2016
The editor-in-chief of the conservative Richochet.com:
Trump’s speech will be remembered as “Mourning in America.”
— jon gabriel (@exjon) July 22, 2016
What’s the opposite of “aspirational?”
— jon gabriel (@exjon) July 22, 2016
Trump speeches don’t have applause lines. They have boo lines.
— jon gabriel (@exjon) July 22, 2016
A GOP pollster who specializes in outreach to young people:
Trump’s message: the patient is in such grave condition that the only cure possible is a highly unconventional, if risky, treatment.
— Kristen S Anderson (@KSoltisAnderson) July 22, 2016
A longtime John Kasich confidant:
This is completely insane – but Hillary has the opportunity to be the optimistic, hopeful candidate coming out of Philly.
— Jai Chabria (@jchabria) July 22, 2016
A conservative columnist for the Houston Chronicle:
Usually there’s a bit of humor in this kind of speech. Nada.
— Kathleen McKinley (@KatMcKinley) July 22, 2016
The conservative columnist at the NYT:
It’s a testament to the comic-opera side of this whole business that Trump is much less effective in full strongman mode than just riffing.
— Ross Douthat (@DouthatNYT) July 22, 2016
The Financial Times’s U.S. columnist:
This speech is darker than a coal mine. RIP Reagan Republicanism.
— Edward Luce (@EdwardGLuce) July 22, 2016
A culture reporter for the New York Times:
There are Norwegian death metal bands watching this speech going, “wow this speech is depressing”
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) July 22, 2016
CBS reporter:
If Reagan gave the “Shining City on a Hill” speech, let’s dub Trump’s speech, “America, the Crumbling City in a Ditch.”
— Jim DeFede (@DeFede) July 22, 2016
Opinion columnist and former editor-in-chief of Occupy Democrats. He graduated from Bennington College with a Bachelor's degree in history and political science. He now focuses on advancing the cause of social justice and equality in America.