Melania Trump and her not-so-secret weapon: compassion before combat
The tone and message of the first lady stood in stark contrast to the rawness and aggressiveness of Trump's sons, Eric and Tiffany, who preceded her as speakers at the Democratic convention.
After a highly criticized speech at the 2016 Republican convention, the first lady of the United States, Melania Trump, has used to have a very low-key position in public events that support the presidency of her husband.
On Tuesday night; However, her calm and compassionate speech from the COVID-19 pandemic and racial tensions to the opioid crisis earned her wide recognition.
That the first lady would express support for the re-election of Donald Trump was discounted, but what she did surprise was that she conveyed compassion, something that the Republican president and her immediate circle rarely express.
"My deepest condolences go out to all who have lost a loved one and my prayers go out to those who are sick or suffering," she said in a highly anticipated speech from the White House.
"I know that many people are anxious and some feel helpless. I want them to know that they are not alone."
Melania's tone and message stood in stark contrast to the rawness and aggressiveness of Trump's sons, Eric and Tiffany, who preceded her as speakers.
Also absent from the first lady's words were the boastful allegations about handling the health crisis, disdain for critics, and threats to protesters who have taken to the streets, including supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement. matter).
In her place, the Slovenian-born ex-model displayed a warm, personal touch whose apparent aim was to soften the edge of a rowdy president.
During her speech, he shared her own story as a migrant, her arrival in the United States in the 1990s and how she became a citizen of her host country, and the pride she felt in serving. her "own American dream".
Melania even used a word that practically never comes out of the mouth of Trump or other members of his government team: "mistakes."
"Like all of you, I have reflected on the racial unrest in our country. It is a harsh reality that we are not proud of part of our history," she said Melania. "Instead of breaking things down, let's reflect on our mistakes."
The first lady's words showed an important qualitative leap from her speech at the 2016 Republican convention, when she was accused of plagiarizing parts of a speech by Michelle Obama, wife of then-outgoing President Barack Obama.
"Hearing [Melania Trump] acknowledge the devastation of COVID-19 makes my neck twist," experienced political analyst David Axelrod said on Twitter, also expressing surprise that the first lady's speech included the admission of "mistakes" and mentioned "listen to others".
Melania's speech is "completely the opposite of her husband's approach," Axelrod added.
White House officials told US media that the first lady prepared the speech without the help of professional writers and used her own words.
‘Empathy and compassion’
"I think she did what she had to do," said Katherine Jellison, a history professor at Ohio University.
“While the rest of the participants [of the convention] presented language that emphasized anger and fear, she showed empathy and compassion for a country that is suffering two great crises, the covid-19 and consideration about racial sins. of the nation ”.
Melania Trump has campaigned against bullying but has practically been on the back burner for the past four years.
On Tuesday, by contrast, her entrance on the scene happened in a big way, with a walk through the gallery and towards the Garden of Roses, which she herself recently redesigned, to address an audience of several rows, most without masks, in which the president was.
Clad in an olive green suit with shoulder pads and wide lapels, she appeared to be a fashionable militant on a mission to win over the hearts and minds of Americans.
But will she be able to enlist the number of new recruits needed for Trump to defeat Democrat Joe Biden, who leads the polls, in November?
"I think she walked the tightrope pretty well, and maybe she did drag some voters, particularly white women, off the margins," said Jellison, adding that the first lady is unlikely to appear as a genuine force anyway. unifying.
"Anyone associated with the Trump presidency ultimately emerges as a polarizing figure."
