Barrasso Sits With Trump Family At Nomination, Delegation Thrilled With Speech

Former President Donald Trump expressed gratitude Thursday for being alive after narrowly escaping an assassination attempt, remarking multiple times that he shouldn’t “be here” in his keynote address at the Republican National Convention that sought to unify the country.

U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis said Trump’s speech exemplified the unity she saw on display all week at the party convention in Milwaukee, Wisc., setting a tone for the Trump’s final three months on the campaign trail.

The former president signaled his intention to reach beyond his base and serve as president for “all of America, not half of America because there is no victory in winning for half of America.”

“Throughout this week, the Republican Party has united, and this unity was crystal clear during President Trump’s speech tonight,” Lummis said. “This was the first time the American people heard directly from President Trump following last weekend’s attempted assassination, and his strength and resiliency following this shooting shows he is ready to once again be our Commander in Chief.” 

U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman said it was apparent Trump realized the historical significance of the evening.

“It’s clear that President Trump understood this moment, and knows which way the country needs to go to get us back on the right track,” she said. “It was an inspiring speech that only he could give, and one he would not be alive to deliver if the would-be assassin had succeeded. 

Trump started his 91-minute speech, the longest presidential convention speech in American history, by formally accepting the Republican Party’s nomination in his run for president. 

U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, who called his speech “fantastic,” sat in Trump’s family box at the Fiserv Forum before he gave his speech.

There, Barrasso said the former president commended his efforts on grilling the director of the Secret Service over her agency’s mishandling of security at Saturday’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. 

“He said, ‘you were really good on television,’” Barrasso said Trump told him. “‘You are tough.’”

A handshake between the men was captured on TV, which Barrasso said drew texts from many Wyoming constituents and Trump supporters.

He sat within breathing distance of Trump before he took the stage. Nearby was country singer Jason Aldean, who's performing at Frontier Days in Cheyenne on Saturday.

The Shooting

Trump gave his first public account on the attempted assassination that took place on Saturday, a story he said he would never give again because “it’s too painful.”

He recalled the moment when a sniper’s bullet grazed his ear, coming within inches of killing him.

 “I said to myself, wow what was that? It could only be a bullet,” he said

Despite Barrasso and other Republicans strong criticisms of the agency this week, Trump referred to the Secret Service as “great people,” remarking how quickly they rushed on stage after he was shot

He also stressed that he had God on his side during the attack.

“I’m not supposed to be here tonight, I’m not supposed to be here,” he said, which brought cheers of “yes you are” from the audience.

Barrasso found it significant the president started his speech by relating what he had gone through and said the Republican convention would have been a very different event if Trump had been killed.

During his speech, Trump relayed that he had spoken with two shooting survivors who had attended his rally and the wife of Corey Comperatore, a Pennsylvania firefighter, who had been killed by the sniper.

Before a bust brought onto the arena stage adorned by Comperatore’s fire helmet and jacket, Trump called for a moment of silence before announcing that his campaign had raised $6.3 million for the families of the victims of Saturday’s shooting.

Emotion overswept many of the people watching from the audience.

Call For Unity

Trump’s main thrust of his speech was to call for unity throughout the country.

“In an age where politics often divide us, we are all fellow citizens, we are all indivisible under God with liberty and justice for all,” Trump said. 

Lummis said the substance of his speech and the issues he highlighted were important to Wyoming.

“President Trump highlighted how he will secure our border, lower inflation and make our nation energy independent - empowering Wyoming producers to power our nation and world,” she said. “I was impressed with his delivery tonight and look forward to enthusiastically supporting him - as well as Republicans up and down the ballot - in November.”

Only in one short moment did Trump reference President Joe Biden, calling him out by name, while referring to the perceived persecution he said he has been under from the Justice Department. Trump did not mention Biden’s current predicament facing a growing number of members of his own party calling on him to drop out of the presidential race. 

Hageman said she’s excited about Trump’s chances no matter who ends up being his final Democratic opponent.

“We have a united party, and we’re working toward a more united country, in which we will all make America great once again,” she said.

Hope And Despair

Trump also didn’t miss a beat casting blame on the Democrats, who he accused of weaponizing the Department of Justice. He mentioned his win in federal court last week in which a judge had thrown out a classified documents case the Justice Department had brought against him. He didn’t mention the 32 felonies he was convicted of earlier this summer.

“If Democrats want to unify our country they should drop these partisan witch hunts that I’ve been going through the past eight years,” he said.

He also painted a picture of a perfect world if he’s elected president, with no border issues and a roaring economy, drawing a contrast to the apocalyptic view of how he sees the country and world today, which he described as “teetering on the edge of World War III” and “a planet of war.” Trump said while president he stopped wars with a single phone call. 

“We are indeed a nation in decline,” he said. 

He called illegal immigration at the southern border “a massive invasion” and a “nightmare.” Trump also boasted about calling an executive order instead of going to congress to build his border wall while president – an unfinished project he said he aims to complete. 

“The greatest invasion in our history is taking place in this country,” he said.

Citing dropping crime rates in other countries, Trump argued that the only reason that trend is occurring is because the criminals in those countries are being allowed to illegally immigrate to America. 

“Tonight America this is my vow, I will not allow these killers and criminals into our country,” he said.

‘Drill, Baby, Drill

He also sent a message that will likely resonate among many Wyoming voters that “we will drill, baby, drill,” on the first day of his presidency. 

“We have more liquid gold under our feet than any other country by far,” he said.

Similarly, he called the Green New Deal “a scam,” and said he will end electric vehicle mandates on the first day of his presidency, which he claimed are “obliterating” the automotive industry.

He also said Democrats used COVID-19 to cheat in the 2020 election, a claim that has never been proven, and made some questionable praises about people like the “late, great, Hannibal Lecter” and Kim Jong-un, the North Korean dictator.

Before the speech was over he returned to a more positive tone, praising God and his supporters. He said if elected, his presidency will write a new chapter of the American story.

“It is time to start expecting and demanding the best leadership in the world,” Trump said. “Leadership that is bold, dynamic and fearless” and said, “very quickly, I will make America great again.” 

“I will never ever let you down, I promise I will never let you down,” he said. 

Hulk Hogan, Tucker Carlson and Kid Rock fired up the crowd earlier in the night.

Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.