The new (old) Trump
Donald Trump did something unusual Thursday night: He stayed on message. The characteristic brashness that has attracted supporters and frightened opponents was kept largely out of sight during the Republican National Convention’s final night, with the nominee’s podium bookended by unfamiliar teleprompters and the stage carefully managed to convey the persona of a president.
How did The Times’ letter writers (most of whom, to put it mildly, have been put off by the Republican nominee) react to the new version of Trump? As they have in the past: unfavorably. As of this writing Friday morning, several dozen letters on his speech have been submitted, and perhaps three have praised or defended Trump.
— Paul Thornton, letters editor
Jon Merritt of Los Angeles can’t forget the Trump of the primaries:
Regarding Trump’s acceptance speech, the nominee elected not to insult women, Muslims or Hispanics; he stopped short of inviting the crowd to beat people up; and he didn’t plagiarize old speeches and articles.
Presto, change-o, abracadabra,
Trump is now “presidential.” Oh, and please disregard the last 13 months.
Edward A. Ruttenberg says it’s time to stop laughing about Trump:
When a man who lives in a world of reality television and bankruptcy court and has never held public office said he knows America better than anyone else, I was rolling on the floor.
When a man who doesn’t know how government works claimed he is the “only” person capable of fixing the country, I thought he was hysterical.
Then someone told me that he was the Republican nominee for president, and I stopped laughing.
Redlands resident Carl Martz warns of an imperial presidency:
There was one glaring omission in Trump’s speech: He never mentioned Congress.
He seemed to view American government as consisting of the president with unlimited powers and Supreme Court justices whom he will control.
Congress? Democrats? Compromise? Filibusters? It’s as if they do not exist.
Gary Tereshkow of Palm Springs is skeptical of Trump’s promise to protect LGBTQ Americans:
Trump said he is going to protect the LGBTQ community from the “violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology.” I’m frankly more concerned about being protected from the hateful domestic ideology of Trump’s running mate.
San Pedro resident Vern Hall takes The Times to task for its coverage of Trump:
Congratulations. I have never seen so many negative articles about one man (Trump) and one event (the Republican National Convention) in one paper as in Friday’s Times.
However, I’m sure that in the interest of fair and balanced reporting, you will make up for it next week as you report only positive news associated with presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and her party’s convention.