Donald J. Trump
Donald J. Trump delivering his acceptance speech during the final day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.
(AP/Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The television news organizations covering this wildly unpredictable Republican National Convention at Quicken Loans Arena fully realized that Donald Trump was no newcomer to the prime-time spotlight. But could he make the jump from barking out "you're fired" on "The Celebrity Apprentice" to firing up voters from the stage at The Q?
That was the intriguing question hanging over what one news anchor after another hyped Trump's Thursday night speech in terms that would have done justice to a Hollywood movie trailer for a summer action movie.
"The stakes are enormous for Donald Trump," David Muir said on ABC.
"It all comes down to tonight for Donald Trump," CNN's Erin Burnett said. "Biggest night of his career."
That's because, according to NBC's Lester Holt, he needed to deliver "the speech of his life."
Greta Van Susteren topped that on Fox News Channel by calling it, not the biggest night of his career or the speech of his life, but "the biggest night of his life."
All of this after three nights that NBC's Katy Tur described as an "unruly and raucous convention." Then, with all the drama, all the surprises, all the hyperbole, all the analysis, all the guessing and all the second-guessing, Trump took the podium at The Q to deliver his message to RNC delegates and an international TV audience.
Television was promising a big moment for the big show, and it was up to Trump to deliver.
After Trump's daughter, Ivanka, introduced the candidate, making a strong bid for women voters, Trump officially accepted the nomination with a speech that, uncharacteristically, largely stuck to the Teleprompter.
It was a big speech and a long one, clocking in at 75 minutes. Immediate responses from commentators were mixed.
While ABC anchor George Stephanopoulos believed Trump positioned himself as "the embodiment of change," CBS analyst Charlie Rose said there was "little appeal to the better angels" in what he saw as a largely dark and negative speech.
While CNN's Wolf Blitzer described it as "a very, very forceful speech," NBC's Tom Brokaw said Trump might have come off as "a demagogue," with his usual themes "delivered on steroids."
Fox News Channel anchor Megyn Kelly gave the speech high marks, exclaiming, "What a night!"
Going into Thursday night, the RNC had provided those news anchors, reporters, analysts and commentators with many dramatic moments to discuss and debate, from accusations that parts of Melania Trump's Monday speech were plagiarized from a 2008 speech by Michelle Obama to the chorus of boos that followed Ted Cruz off the stage Wednesday night. "A week few will forget," NBC's Hallie Jackson said.
The big buildup to the big speech kicked into high gear with the local newscasts at 6 p.m. "The big night has arrived, and Donald Trump prepares to make his case to you," WKYC Channel 3 anchor Russ Mitchell said, setting the scene.
"Donald Trump is fond of the word 'huge,' " John Kosich said on WEWS Channel 5. "Tonight has to be huge."
The reason and the goal were supplied by WJW Channel 8 anchor Lou Maglio: "Trying to bring a fractured party back together."
Did he accomplish this?
CNN's Anderson Cooper called it "a nationalistic speech" that "looked inward." It was a thought echoed by Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity: "Here's the theme: Everything in the country is broken . . . and the country needs change. . . . I don't think he missed a single problem that America is facing today."
Despite the wide range of opinions, there was agreement on one point. The success of the speech - its approach, tone and themes - will be decided n November.