Politics

Live From the RNC: Republicans Are Acting Like They’ve Already Won

In a matter of days, the 2024 election has changed dramatically.
A photo illustration of Republican candidates during the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in...
PHOTO-ILLUSTRATION: WIRED STAFF; GETTY IMAGES

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Good morning from Milwaukee, where it’s the final day of the 2024 Republican National Convention. In the week since you last heard from me, the circumstances of this election have changed dramatically. Before Saturday, we were waiting for a possible announcement from President Joe Biden over whether he’d remain on the Democratic ticket.

Since then, there’s been an attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump, an entire conspiracy-ridden news cycle surrounding it, and, oh yeah, J.D. Vance is the GOP’s vice presidential pick.

Republicans and Democrats have entered a new political reality, and they’re just starting to understand their place in it. Let’s talk about it.

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Politics has never been stranger—or more online. WIRED Politics Lab is your guide through the vortex of extremism, conspiracies, and disinformation.

The Vibes Are Weird

Outside the Fiserv Forum in downtown Milwaukee where the Republican Party has officially selected former president Donald Trump as its nominee, it feels like Disney World for voters who prefer to wear novelty cowboy hats rather than Mickey Mouse ears. Although, I wouldn’t be surprised if I spotted a delegate donning both before I hop on my flight home tonight.

Since the failed assassination attempt on Trump, the Republican party’s election message has coalesced into one word: unity. Some of Trump’s most fervent opponents, like former primary contender and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida governor Ron DeSantis, gave impassioned convention speeches calling on Republicans to leave interparty conflicts in the past, rally behind their newly chosen presidential nominee, and win back the White House in November.

On the ground, that message has fostered a celebratory mood where convention-goers can, quite literally, be found belting the national anthem to crowds of strangers. On Tuesday night, I sat next to a pair of attendees cheersing glasses of Tito’s spiked Celsiuses before they headed back to the convention floor. Shirts, buttons, and stickers emblazoned with the image of Trump after the shooting lined the streets and river walks.

The excitement reverberated onto the internet, where Silicon Valley leaders (and chronic posters) like Elon Musk and David Sacks announced their support for Trump and Vance.

But while the vibes could not be better for the Republicans, the mood is far more sober for members of the Democratic Party who are in town speaking with reporters.

On Wednesday in Milwaukee, in a small room lit blue like a teenaged gamer’s bedroom, the Democratic National Committee and the Biden-Harris campaign held a press conference focused on Project 2025, a Heritage Foundation plan to overhaul the federal government in the GOP’s image. (You can watch me explain Project 2025 on TikTok here.) But as the presser opened up for questions, Project 2025 was the last thing reporters wanted to talk about it. Instead, the Democrats were pressed for answers on whether Joe Biden could still be expected to lead their presidential ticket once their party’s own convention begins next month.

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“We hear all the talk about what's going to happen with Joe Biden,” Minnesota governor Tim Walz told reporters during the conference. “The good thing is, with the Republicans, they don't have much division within their party. They bend the knee and look up to someone who told us that the election was stolen. Someone who overturned Roe v. Wade. Somebody who told us he didn't know anything about NATO as he puts all of our futures at risk.”

In recent weeks, Democrats have seen some success in tying Trump to Project 2025, even if Biden hasn’t done a whole lot of talking about it. And Democrats might be losing ground here. Despite voters becoming increasingly aware of Project 2025, Republicans don’t seem scared that it will hurt their reelection chances. Instead, GOP operatives and anonymous X users are trying to turn the entire project into a meme.

“Under project 2025 we’re putting zyn trucks on every street corner,” Logan Hall, who does digital work for The Blaze, posted last week.

“Project 2025 will bring back mcdonalds outdoor playgrounds,” wrote an account with wojacks on its profile header.

If they’re not making fun of Project 2025, the Republican Party has seemingly forgotten all about it (or never even heard of it). And after spending the better part of the Biden administration fighting off indictments and scandals, the GOP is finally where it wants to be: partying like none of it ever even happened, and preparing for victory.

The Chatroom

Once I get back from Milwaukee, I’m setting aside some time to think about how to make this newsletter even better. So much has changed in the few short months since we’ve launched WIRED Politics Lab, so I figured it would be a good time to take a step back and reflect.

I’d love for you to send me some feedback. What do you enjoy most about the newsletter? What stinks? Is there anything you’d like to see from me? Seriously, I’m all ears! Leave a comment on the site, or send me an email at [email protected].

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WIRED Reads

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What Else We’re Reading

🔗 Trump on What He’d Do With Taxes, Tariffs, Jerome Powell, and More: In a lengthy interview with Bloomberg, Trump promises not to ban TikTok or pardon himself if he’s reelected in November. (Bloomberg)

🔗 New $299 Trump Sneakers Show Ex-President in Aftermath of Shooting: Trump’s sneaker game is expanding after Saturday, making available for purchase a new pair of shoes donning the infamous shooting image. (Axios)

🔗 How a Network of Tech Billionaires Helped J.D. Vance Leap Into Power: From his relationship with Peter Thiel to his background in Silicon Valley, New York Times reporters Ryan Mac and Teddy Schleifer lay out how Vance won Trump’s favor. (New York Times)

The Download

I’m back on the WIRED Politics Lab podcast this week with Leah and David discussing conspiracies surrounding the shooting, calls for violence, Vance as VP, the RNC, and everything else from the last few days.

Thanks again for subscribing. You can get in touch with me via email, Instagram, X, and Signal at makenakelly.32. And for real, let me know what you love and what you could lose in this newsletter. See you next week!