THE WEEKS leading up to the Republican National Convention had been some of the best of Donald Trump’s political career. Any news about the Democratic Party seemed to focus on doubts about Joe Biden’s viability as a presidential candidate. Polling showed the race steadily tilting in Mr Trump’s favour. And, just a few days before the party’s gathering, the former president survived an assassination attempt with uncommon poise. When he appeared triumphantly on the stage of the convention on July 18th, Mr Trump had an opportunity to reinforce his dominance of the presidential race. He ended up delivering the longest nomination-acceptance speech in modern American history—and reminding voters that even while striving to appear presidential he remains as pugnacious and polarising as ever.

“I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America,” Mr Trump declared early on. He had hinted beforehand that his remarks would offer an uncharacteristically unifying message—the barn-burner he had planned just wouldn’t work after his brush with death—and the first half hour of the 93-minute oration did exactly that. Speaking with rare restraint, he said “There is no victory in winning for half of America.”