CLEVELAND — After a week of division in the party over him, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump delivered his pitch for himself for the GOP at the final night of its convention July 21.
Calling himself the law and order candidate, the voice of Republican voters and the person who can “fix the system,” Trump attempted to fire up a delegation that tried to change rules to block his nomination and contested delegate votes against him.
“I am with you, I will fight with you and I will win with you,” he said to unite the party with him.
In an atypical, scripted speech leaked earlier in the day, Trump described an America plagued with violence to blame on the politics of President Obama, Democratic presidential candidate and former secretary of state Hillary Clinton and illegal immigration.
Trump pitched himself as someone who not only will save America from any danger but persecute those who put America in danger.
“I am the law and order candidate,” Trump repeated throughout the night as he played judge and jury to Clinton, Obama, terrorism and Washington insiders.
“LOCK HER UP” chants from the crowd bursted throughout the night in references to Clinton, who many in the Republican party believe should be charged with crimes involving her private internet server she used for her emails as secretary of state.
“Her single greatest accomplishment may be committing such an egregious crime and getting away with it,” Trump said about Clinton’s email scandal.
After beginning the immigration portion of his speech, delegates and attendees began chanting “BUILD THE WALL” in reference to his proposed policy to build a wall across the Mexican-American border.
A protester from the women’s organization Code Pink reportedly called Trump a racist, which caused a stir with delegates and a pause in the speech.
Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump introduced her father, describing him as a kind and compassionate man in an appeal to female voters.
She spoke of his desire to help close the wage gap between men and women — specifically for married women.
She also said her dad’s business career would make him the best president for the job market, tax reform and trade.
“He is the right executive to lead this $18 trillion economy,” she said.
The Trump campaign has focused heavily on economic policies in days leading up to the convention in hopes to sway supporters of former Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders, who campaigned heavily on jobs and trade platforms.
More than the other two popular chants, “U-S-A” cheers interrupted Trump multiple times throughout the night.
He didn’t hesitate to join in or encourage them to be louder.
“Let’s make America great again,” he concluded.
