Well, you can’t say that the Republican National Convention of 2024 was like any other party convention, ever.
Not that this was a bad thing. It won’t be remembered like the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1968, where activist violence and political horse trading made for a memorable event for all the wrong reasons.
It won’t be potentially remembered like, um, the Democratic National Convention in Chicago next month, where the specter of activist violence and political horse trading could make for a memorable event for all the wrong reasons.
No, the RNC in Milwaukee saw four nights of harmony, fun, solemnity, entertainment and, most of all, patriotism.
There were heartfelt tributes to the fallen firefighter who died Saturday trying to protect his family from bullets during the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump. There was a powerful speech from Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance. There was a performance by Kid Rock.
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And, yes, there was even Hulk Hogan ripping his shirt off on stage in a fit of “Trumpmania” and declaring the GOP nominee his “hero.”
Hogan, legal name Terry G. Bollea, is best known for his professional wrestling persona — which he didn’t shed during his appearance on Thursday night in Milwaukee. According to The New York Times, while both he and Trump have had close ties to World Wrestling Entertainment for decades and even participated in events together, Hogan was undecided as to whom he would support in the election as recently as a month ago.
That changed after the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“When I saw him stand up with that fist in the air and the blood on his face — as a warrior, as a leader — I realized that’s what America needs,” Hogan told Fox News.
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Hogan’s speech contained similar sentiments.
“You know something, when I came here tonight, there was so much energy in this room, I felt maybe I was in Madison Square Garden getting ready to win another world title,” he told the crowd. “The vibe was so intense.”
“The energy was so crazy, it felt like maybe I was gonna press that no-good sticky giant over my head and slam him through the mat, brother!” he exclaimed, referencing his legendary, 1987 body-slam of the 7’4″, 500-pound wrestler André the Giant, who died in 1993.
“Over my career, I’ve been in the ring with some of the biggest, some of the baddest dudes on the planet, and I’ve squared off against warriors, ooh yeah, savages,” he continued, referencing two more WWE legends — the Ultimate Warrior and “Macho Man” Randy Savage.
“And I’ve even, like I said, body-slammed giants in the middle of the ring. And I know tough guys, but let me tell you something, brother, Donald Trump is the toughest of them all.
“All you criminals, all you lowlifes, all you scumbags … Whatcha gonna do when Donald Trump and all the Trumpamaniacs run wild on you, brother?”
And then came the shirt-ripping moment:
“What happened last week, when they took a shot at my hero — they tried to kill the greatest president of the United States!” he yelled. “Enough was enough!”
And with that, he did his trademark shirt-rip — to reveal a Trump/Vance 2024 T-shirt:
I’ve seen it all now 😂@HulkHogan pic.twitter.com/vy6ei4tAMO
— Russell Brand (@rustyrockets) July 19, 2024
The full speech is here:
In an interview with Fox News before the appearance, a noticeably calmer Hulk said the deteriorating state of the country is what got him to support Trump publicly.
Hulk Hogan on Fox News describes Trump as “my hero” pic.twitter.com/xac4ZYVdk9
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 18, 2024
“I got tired of remaining silent,” Hulk said. “I sat back and watched the borders collapse. I watched the economy collapse. I watched the price of gas, I watched the price of food, everything just do an upside down flip.
“And when they took a shot at my hero, Donald Trump, I realized I couldn’t be silent any more.”
And, judging by the reception he got in Milwaukee, he’s not the only one.
