From Van Orden's bad week and Trump's endless speech, the winners and losers from the RNC

All that was needed was for former President Donald Trump to stick to the script of his speech.

Just about everything else had gone according to plan at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. For the most part, the speeches, the music, the crowd had been great.

Now it was up to the former Republican president to do his part. And for a while Thursday night, he did.

In somber tones, Trump told how he narrowly escaped an assassin's bullet on Saturday. There were his typical rhetorical flourishes, but the for most part, it was riveting TV.

"I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of almighty God," he told the Republican National Convention, using the story to call for greater national unity.

But then Trump increasingly dropped his planned speech to offer off-the-cuff remarks. As he did this, the old Trump crept in, as he stepped up his criticisms of Democrats and began bragging about his own accomplishments. Finally, he went on the attack against President Joe Biden, despite saying he would not use his name.

“If you took the 10 worst presidents in the history of the United States and added them up they will not have done the damage that Biden has done. Only gonna use the term once. Biden. I'm not gonna use the name anymore. Just one time. The damage that he's done to this country is unthinkable.”

What had begun as possible 40-minute transformational speech devolved into just another 92-minute campaign rally address.

An opportunity was lost.

In terms the former president would understand, he has a six-shot lead midway through the final round of a major golf tournament. All he has to do is avoid any mistakes.

On Thursday night, the undisciplined Trump bogeyed. He still has a lead, as the Democrats continue to scramble to figure out just who should be on the November ballot. But Trump clearly missed his chance in front of the bright lights on the last night of strong convention.

There were plenty of other winners and losers during the Republican National Convention. Here are just a few.

Winner: City of Milwaukee

Everyone involved in staging the convention — Reince Priebus, chair of the Milwaukee 2024 Host Committee, Peggy Williams-Smith of Visit Milwaukee, Peter Feigin, president of the Milwaukee Bucks and many, many others — deserves a huge round of applause. So do Mayor Cavalier Johnson and County Executive David Crowley.

The city, Fiserv Forum and the Deer District were at their best throughout the week. Equally stunning was the $465 million expansion of the Baird Center, the city's convention hall. Marty Brooks, president and chief executive officer of the Wisconsin Center District, took a big risk and won.

"Milwaukee was an exceptional host, and the convention was flawless," boasted one longtime Wisconsin Republican. "Many, including me, think it was the best RNC they have ever attended."

In short, when the New York Times calls Milwaukee a "beach town," you know something went right.

Loser: Cheesehead Revolution

Not so long ago, there was a lot of talk in the media about how a trio of Wisconsin politicians were transforming the Republican Party and bringing about a so-called Cheesehead Revolution.

Journal Sentinel columnist Craig Gilbert once called it an "audacious conquest" of GOP politics.

"They offered a model for bridging Republican frictions between establishment and base," he wrote. "They became national figures."

My, how times have changed.

Former House Speaker Paul Ryan wasn't even at the RNC. Former Gov. Scott Walker was just another delegate and occasional talking head. Only Priebus remains a significant figure in the party.

Speaking on the convention floor on Thursday night, Walker said the Cheesehead Revolution had a significant impact on GOP politics.

"It laid the groundwork for what what we see today," Walker said.

OK, that's one take.

Loser: Project 2025

Heading into the convention, there were few items receiving as much attention as Project 2025, the nearly 1,000-page document overseen by the right-wing Heritage Foundation to transform the federal government and purge career civil servants in order to replace them with loyalists to the president.

Under the plan, the Department of Education would be abolished, the Department of Homeland Security, the F.B.I. would be overhauled, drugs used in medication abortions would be banned, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, would be changed dramatically and millions of undocumented immigrants would be deported.

It is intended to be a road map for the first six months of a potential second Trump administration.

The Heritage Foundation held an all-day Policy Fest on the first day of the convention at the Bradley Symphony Center promoting its work. The keynote speaker was conservative personality Tucker Carlson.

But Trump has distanced himself from the project, even though a number of his former officials worked on the plan. And not a single speaker mentioned it during the four-day convention.

"Dems are still pushing that narrative hard, but nobody in Milwaukee thinks that's our platform," said one veteran Republican.

Indeed, Democrats had daily forums denouncing Project 2025, certain that it represents the not-so-secret changes that would occur if Trump is elected. There is another reason for drawing attention to the plan.

"It's a great winning message that tests through the roof when people hear about it," said a Democratic campaign strategist. "Independent/swing voters HATE it."

Winner: MAGA world

If there was any doubt before, there is none now. The Republican Party is one and the same with the Trump team.

The RNC platform comes directly from the former president's campaign. His daughter-in-law is the co-chair of the Republican Party. Donald Trump Jr. got to introduce vice presidential nominee, JD Vance, a personal friend.

And at points, it appeared that every member of the Trump clan, including one of his granddaughters, had their time in the convention's spotlight.

Indeed, the entire event had a Trump flavor to it. The tone of the convention was, at various times, pompous, angry and funny. Celebrities abounded, from British actor and comedian Russell Brand, model Amber Rose, musician Kid Rock, former wrestler Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dane White, who introduced Trump.

Throughout the convention, the former president was presented as a messiah figure who had narrowly escaped death by God's providence and would return to save America in a second term.

The takeover is complete.

Loser: Derrick Van Orden

Who knew that U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, a former Navy SEAL, was such a snowflake?

On Tuesday, Van Orden, a Prairie du Chien Republican, bumped into a young Code Pink activist near the Pfister Hotel and ended dragging the police into it by accusing her of assault.

Thankfully, the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office announced that it decided not to bring charges against Nour Jaghama, the Code Pink critic of the Gaza war, because the evidence in the case, including police body camera footage, "is insufficient to support a criminal charge."

Then, Van Orden took a shot from Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson after the congressman told Urban Milwaukee that the mayor had done a "horrible job" leading Wisconsin’s largest city.

Johnson fired back on X, “I hope that Mr. Van Orden’s visit to Milwaukee was more memorable than his visit to the United States Capitol on January 6th.”

Van Orden has acknowledged attending the Trump rally that preceded the Jan. 6 insurrection but said he left when the riot began.

Here are a few of the other winners and losers from convention week:

Loser: Newt Gingrich — Not every speaker at the convention was a rousing success. One of the dullest talks came from GOP icon Newt Gingrich (followed closely by his wife Callista's address). Perhaps Biden isn't the only 81-year-old pol who should be thinking about retirement.

Winner: Diane Hendricks — Just another "everyday American" who happens to be the country's richest self-made woman and a major Trump donor. Now we wonder how much the Beloit billionaire donated to the the RNC for each minute she spoke on the convention floor.

Loser: U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson — First, he bungled his speech on the convention floor, and then he was spotted skipping out very early from Vance's speech. Finally, Trump snubbed Johnson by failing to mention that he gave Trump the map that helped save the former president's life during Saturday's attempted assassination and drafted the Right to Try Act. Better luck next time.

Loser: Rap video featuring Amber Rose — Music critic Anthony Fantano called the song "Trump Trump Baby" by rapper Forgiato Blow — based on the familiar tune of Vanilla Ice's ‘90s hit "Ice Ice Baby" — a "trainwreck" and "cringe." He was being nice.

Winner: Babydog — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice's English bulldog may be proof that only canines can bring us together at this point.

Loser: Downtown bars and restaurants — If you were looking to eat at one of the city's hot spots, it looks like you missed a good chance. Many of them had plenty of space throughout the past week because convention-goers apparently preferred the security zone. And when they ventured out, they didn't tip well.

Winner: Chanting RNC delegates — Rarely has a group enjoyed chanting in unison as much as this group. Their best night may have been Wednesday when they chanted Vance's nickname for his grandmother, "Mamaw! Mamaw!" and his mother, "JD's mom! JD's mom!" Her name is actually Bev Vance.

Loser: U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz — The Florida Republican embarrassed himself with his televised attack on former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. But what drew even more attention was Gaetz's new look, which looked like a case of too much Botox. Van Orden offered his take: "RNC debuts first AI-powered inflatable sex doll."

Winner: Riverside's marquee — The music theater used its proximity to the RNC to tout some of the city’s celebrated attractions. But it saved its best message for last: "So, Milwaukee … not so horrible, eh?"

Contact Daniel Bice at (414) 313-6684 or [email protected]. Follow him on X at @DanielBice or on Facebook at fb.me/daniel.bice.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Bice: All of the winners and losers from the 2024 RNC in Milwaukee