At GOP convention, Republicans are unified by one thing: debasing themselves for Donald Trump

At GOP convention, Republicans are unified by one thing: debasing themselves for Donald Trump
Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, and JD Vance line up to kiss the ring of a man they recently tried to topple

By AMANDA MARCOTTE
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED JULY 18, 2024 6:00AM (EDT)


(Salon) MILWAUKEE — "Donald Trump has my strong endorsement, period."

Mere moments before former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley pledged her allegiance to MAGA during her Tuesday speech at the Republican National Convention, much of the crowd erupted in boos when she walked on stage, furious at a woman who had, however temporarily, defied their leader by running against him in the presidential primary. Throughout much of her doomed campaign, Haley had harsh words for the man who had given her the United Nations ambassadorship: "unhinged," "diminished," "mentally unfit," and "suicide for our country." But as she stood at the podium Tuesday, she seemed assured the delegates would come around. It was an easy crowd to win over. All she needed to do was extravagantly debase herself before Trump, who sat only a few yards away, eating up her submission.

After surviving a failed assassination attempt in Pennsylvania days before the start of the convention, Trump impulsively declared that "unity" was the watchword of the week. In conversations with delegates in the convention hall, they've dutifully repeated the word "unity," though it's entirely unclear what they mean by it. A unified country? A unified party? A collective agreement that shooting people is bad? An agreement that shooting Republicans is bad? Haley's speech left no doubt how she defines "unity": bending the knee to Trump.

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Far more than "unity" or the official "Make America Great Again" slogan of the convention, the prevailing theme holding this year's GOP shindig together is how much Republicans will debase themselves to please Donald Trump. Speakers compete with each other to praise a man who has insulted them or induced them to humiliate themselves for his approval. Monday night featured multiple speakers who had tanked their reputations in a failed bid to get the running mate nod from Trump. Sen Tim Scott of South Carolina, who ran against Trump in the GOP primary, yelled "I just love you" loudly at Trump after the Iowa caucus. Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama was satirized on "Saturday Night Live" and turned "fundie baby voice" into a national joke after her failed State of the Union response. And Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota will be forever known as the lady who thought Trump would be stoked that she killed her own dog. Trump rejected all of them, yet they still showed up to pay fealty to their lord.

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Off-stage, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, who would be wise to keep a low profile, as his legal woes from his role in Trump's attempted coup keep piling up, has been all over the place at this convention, holding court in prominent locations while his handlers swirl around him. Whatever temporary ego boost he may get from having an entourage, however, it was erased when the world was reminded that one of their main duties is picking him up when he falls. ...............(more)

https://www.salon.com/2024/07/18/at-convention-are-unified-by-one-thing-debasing-themselves-for-donald/