Donald Trump: I am your voice, by Rob Crilly.

Over an hour-and-a-quarter on Thursday night he set out a dark vision of a crime-ridden America crumbling from neglect, and where decent people live in fear of immigrants and corrupt politicians.

And he accepted the Republican nomination in much the same way that he won it, with anger and contempt for his opponents. Above all it was a speech based on fear. It offered Trump as the saviour, the one man who could save the country.

Trump is angry. He dialled it all up to ten in the first few minutes and then kept it there. Love him or hate him, Trump’s speeches are often funny, irreverent and entertaining. This was nothing of the sort. Has there ever been an acceptance speech without a joke? This was layer upon layer of vitriol. …

But there was still little meat on the bones. Trust in Trump and the policies will take care of themselves, seems to be the main message.

Trump remains the outsider against Clinton’s slick campaign to be sure.

Be afraid: Donald Trump’s speech could win him the White House, by Freddy Gray.

People [that is the author, who is afraid to say so directly] find it disturbing, but Trump’s anti-globalism, America First and law-and order-focus plays very well in America in 2016. Americans are less and less interested in hearing platitudes about ‘freedom’ these days; they want to hear banalities about law and order instead. Because they are more worried about civil breakdown and their economic security than anything else.

hat-tip Stephen Neil