What President Trump should say in his acceptance speech

An acceptance speech by an incumbent president is best analogized as a State of the Union-type speech. It must be factual, inspirational, patriotic, critical of the opponent, forward-thinking and challenging.

An acceptance speech, to be successfully received, also must be thematic. I see four main themes President Trump should hit upon when he accepts the Republicans’ nomination on Thursday:

“Promises made, promises kept”

The president must remind the party and people what he promised as a candidate in 2016 and what he delivered as president.

The state of the nation and solutions

The president needs to address our current state of affairs and his plans for the next four years, specifically hitting the following issues: COVID-19, the economy, law and order, foreign affairs, energy, taxes, immigration, health care, the military, trade, and the Second Amendment.

Define the choices

What would a Biden presidency mean for America? Compare and contrast socialism versus capitalism; law and order vs. lawlessness; government control vs. personal choice; high taxes vs. keeping more of what you earn; endless spending vs. fiscal responsibility; the right to bear arms vs. government confiscation; leading the world or being just one of many; being energy independent or energy challenged; free and fair trade vs. barriers and restraints because America is held to a different standard; holding alliances accountable vs. America being taken advantage of; deregulation vs. government controls and restrictions; free-market affordable health care vs. government-controlled access and availability; common-sense, compassionate border and immigration policies that benefit America’s interests vs. rewarding lawlessness and providing sanctuary, aid and incentives to illegal aliens; putting America’s interests first vs. apologizing, pandering and appeasement — just to name a few of the differences.

An optimistic close – America’s best days lie ahead

There is nothing we cannot do or achieve if we stay true to our values, laws and traditions.

This election likely will turn on three main issues of utmost importance to American voters: COVID-19, the economy, and law and order.

We know, historically, that presidential elections turn, first and foremost, on the state of the economy. Barring a terrorist attack or an act of war, the economy again will determine who our next president will be — because all three of those main issues above are, ultimately, economic.

The pandemic has had a very serious effect on our economy, and the next president must deal with it in the short- and long-term – concentrating on health care delivery, precautions, vaccines, and the economic fallout of unemployment, job creation/retention and government assistance.

Beyond the pandemic, the economy must be managed and led. Democrats want to tax and spend at a time when President Trump needs to advance the imperative of fiscal responsibility and restraint. The president must drive home a message of economic recovery that is optimistic, understandable, sensible and patriotic.

Finally, the nation is shocked by the violence and lawlessness being seen, mainly in Democratic-run cities. This has had a chilling effect on businesses and jobs in areas of the country already hard-hit by the pandemic. President Trump must stand for the rule of law and respect for individual freedoms; he must forcefully address the need to restore peace and tranquility — and, thus, business and jobs — to our cities.

Typically, when voters enter a booth to cast ballots in a presidential election, they ask themselves: “Am I better off today than I was four years ago?” This is one universal concern of voters, regardless of party. Today it is clear that a vast majority of voters will agree they are not better off than they were four years ago — not because of the president’s actions or policies, but because of a pandemic that has plagued the world.

It also should be noted that self-deprecation is a successful way for any candidate to deal with negative perceptions or concerns. President Trump would be wise to acknowledge that, while some Americans don’t appreciate his rhetoric, they should like his results. He should remind people that he is not your typical politician; his gruffness, at times, is borne out of frustration over not getting things done for the American people. He is the type of person who doesn’t like to hear the ten ways things can’t get done — he wants to know the one way things will be done.

So, this year, it is incumbent on the president to make a closing argument in his convention acceptance speech that he is the best candidate to bring America back to greatness. That we will rise stronger from the pandemic to rebuild our lives, our economy and our nation — and, at the same time, to keep America safe and secure.

Bradley A. Blakeman was a deputy assistant to President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2004. He is a principal of the 1600 Group, a strategic communications firm.