Abbreviated Pundit Roundup: Trump's acceptance speech at the RNC was not well-received

Abbreviated Pundit Roundup is a long-running series published every morning that collects essential political discussion and analysis around the internet.

The New York Times:

What Undecided Voters Thought of Trump’s Speech: Mostly, Not Much

The former president did not win them over — not that they like the alternative.

Former President Donald J. Trump began his prime-time speech at the Republican National Convention on Thursday with a message of unity, presenting a softer image of himself that appeared aimed at courting undecided voters.

But then he went on for an hour and a half, a long verbal walk through the kinds of exaggerations about his record and attacks on Democrats that have become familiar to voters from Mr. Trump’s previous two campaigns and presidency.

For a group of undecided voters from around the country, who are sharing their thoughts on key moments in the race with The New York Times, the effect was not strong. Some found the speech off-putting. A few found bright spots. None were swayed.

Jonathan V. Last/The Bulwark:

Trump Can Be Beaten

Republicans have tipped over into complacency.

If the vote was held today and you ran the election 100 times, Trump probably wins 80 of them. Maybe 85.

But [RNC attendees] are acting like he’d win 100 out of 100. They are unconcerned that the vote is not being held today. And that they won’t be running against Joe Biden.

What I saw at this convention wasn’t confidence. It was overconfidence. It was complacency. I saw a party and a candidate who expect a coronation, not a campaign. Who believe that the general election will play out exactly as the primaries did.

What I saw was a tired, meandering old man playing the hits. Still trotting out Lee Greenwood and Franklin Graham.

What I saw was opportunity.

Tim Alberta/The Atlantic:

‘What the Heck Just Happened?’

The moment inside the convention hall when we learned—abruptly—that Donald Trump had chosen J. D. Vance

But many of the delegates still had no idea about the Vance pick—until they heard it suddenly and unceremoniously from Senator Mike Lee of Utah. Lee, approximately eight minutes after Trump’s post, announced it from the back of the convention hall during the opening roll call. “Utah … today proudly casts all of its 40 delegate votes for President Donald J. Trump,” Lee declared, before adding, “and his newly announced running mate, my friend and colleague J. D. Vance!”

I hadn’t seen Trump’s announcement online. And, based on the stunned expressions of people standing around me, I wasn’t alone.

“Wait. What the heck just happened?” said Henry Barbour, a Mississippi delegate and member of the Republican National Committee.

Albertas a conservative with very good access to the Trump camp.

Brian Beutler/”Off Message” on Substack:

Trump Reminds Democrats He's Beatable—Against A Party That Can Fight He's only winning now because the Democrats are sapped of energy. Here's how they can rekindle it.

The cursed few of us who watched Trump’s speech to the end saw a paper tiger, but it’s not as though Trump ran a textbook campaign until last night. He got convicted of 34 felonies just a few weeks ago! He’s backed terribly unpopular ideas, boasting repeatedly of his responsibility for overturning Roe v. Wade. And yet he’s been leading—neck-and-neck at worst—the whole way through. Watching him flail through another bizarre speech doesn’t suggest Democrats’ misgivings about President Biden have been misplaced. Rather, it suggests that Trump’s weaknesses have gone unexploited, because Democrats have been poorly situated to exploit them.

This week Emerson surveyed how Trump would fare against a “younger Democrat,” and found that he would lose in a landslide. Now this is obviously a bad question if you’re interested precise forecasting. It tests for a generic candidate (which Democrat, with what baggage?) in a head-to-head matchup (no third-party candidates) and then thumbs the scale by describing him or her as “younger”—something we know most voters have wanted for years. If you were to poll Trump against a “handsome Democrat” or a “normal Democrat” or a “war-hero Democrat” he would probably lose those races by even wider margins.

But it’s still a reminder that the Age Tax Biden is paying, and making us all pay, is large and likely decisive. Trump has been able to maintain a small lead, with less than 50 percent of the vote, because Biden’s candidacy has been like quicksand for his party.

Dan Pfeiffer/”The Message Box” on Substack:

Donald Trump Can (and Must) Be Defeated

His bizarre, boring convention speech is a reminder that Trump is a terrible candidate

Donald Trump is not an ordinary politician. He doesn’t believe in democracy. He promised to become a dictator on day one. If he wins, Trump already pledged to use the power of the state to exact revenge on his political opponents. Just last week, he suggested bringing Representative Liz Cheney before a military tribunal for the crime of opposing him.

Trump stood up on that dais last night and gave what, for Trump, was a very boring speech. He sanded off the roughest edges of his extremism for the TV cameras. He mentioned Biden by name only once. He offered wandering platitudes and bromides. It’s as if the goal is to be so uninteresting he escapes notice. Many changed the channel. Others fell asleep on the couch. Most were just confused.

Sarah Baxter/The Standard:

The Democrats can still beat Donald Trump and JD Vance — here's how

A new ticket could galvanise faint-hearted Democrats, but many are afraid of change, including African-American women, the most reliable Democrat voters. After Hillary Clinton was beaten, they worry about throwing Harris into the Republican meat grinder. That hasn’t stopped private plotting, but only a few Democrat politicians, such as Colorado congressmen Jason Crow have challenged Biden; he was slapped down.

According to revelations in Puck last night, Biden ranted furiously at Crow, an army veteran, that “nobody had been a better president” on national security “so I don’t want to hear that crap”. Meanwhile, the Democratic National Committee of Biden loyalists is speeding ahead with proposals to ram through his nomination ahead of their convention by remote, electronic vote by 5th August. Biden is not going quietly. Democrats have little more than a fortnight to get out of their funk.

If you read widely, you can’t avoid opinion pieces like this, from all parts of the political spectrum. You might disagree with the solution she offers, but the point is that it’s pretty clear after that convention no one thinks Trump is unbeatable.

David Rothkopf/”Need to Know” on Substack:

Arguo Ergo Sum, Motherfuckers

"I Argue Therefore I Am" is the Superpower of the Democratic Party

But I do understand that not everyone is comfortable with the process. I often find myself in alien environments (like far away countries or the Midwest) where people comment on my being aggressive and I dial it back. Now some of that may just be that I am from New Jersey, a state in which “fuck you” is often used as a holiday greeting. But I get it.

Instead, I want to say a couple things. First, relax. The food fight will be over soon. A candidate will be agreed upon, the disagreements will subside and everyone will unite behind them. Second, being Dems we will emerge stronger from this. This period of questioning is all related to a core question which happens to be the right core question: How can we ensure we not only beat Donald Trump in November but that we do so resoundingly, that we give him and MAGA nation the thumping they so richly deserve and that the nation requires if it is to remain the America we all know.

But there is a bigger issue lurking at the heart of this discussion. And it is one that deserves some reflection.

We Don’t Want to Be a Cult of Personality

Hear, hear.

Cliff Schecter highlights a roasting of Matt Gaetz: