Trump’s RNC Speech Was Expected to Show a Changed Man. Did It?

Media across the spectrum, from Politico (Lean Left bias) to The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board (Lean Right bias) were critical of former President Trump's RNC speech, though some like The Daily Wire (Right bias) expressed positive sentiments toward it.

Unchanged Man: Jeff Greenfield of Politico wrote that despite claims from “some Republican allies” that Trump was a “changed man” since the assassination attempt, “Trump remains Trump.” Greenfield described Trump’s speech as “meandering and occasionally bizarre,” which he says is not out of line with classic Trump speeches, and called it “the one piece of good news this week” for “a battered, demoralized Democratic Party.”

Foul Ball: Keith Naughton writing for The Hill (Center bias) said Trump’s speech began strong, as he showed humility and vulnerability during the retelling of his almost-assassination, but equated the speech to “watching a towering home run ball hook foul.” Naughton said Trump had a few “good attack points” deeper in the speech but that his “strong points were stranded in a morass of repeated catchphrases and riffing” which will not aid the former president in winning over undecided voters.

Still Trump: WSJ described this week’s RNC as “a first-rate and unified show” but said Trump failed to meet the moment and cap it off with an exclamation. The Journal said Trump started out strong for about 30 minutes before “devolving into a rambling stump speech” that reminded Americans, “He is still Donald Trump.”