Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Chair Matt Schlapp told Newsmax on Monday that the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week is a time for former President Donald Trump to "reset" the conversation surrounding the election as he accepts the GOP presidential nomination.
"The left loves to say that he dissembles and doesn't always tell the truth," Schlapp said on "Wake Up America." "The fact is, he's probably the most authentic national leader we've ever had. What you see is what you get. He wears his heart on his sleeve and I think he knows this is a real time to bond, not just to the Republican Party, but to reset this conversation in this country about this rhetoric the left has adopted and the tactics the left has adopted.
"Anybody who stands up for conservative values or for Donald Trump, you're going to wind up in a courtroom. You're going to wind up reading terrible things about yourself. This gutter politics, this collusion between national media outlets, left-wing blog sites and the Democratic Party, is unholy and I hope this week breaks it up."
After misleading mainstream media coverage about Saturday's assassination attempt on Trump, Schlapp said the former president has risen above the fray.
"He's sort of above it and he has a chance to remind people the reason why he was such a successful president was because of his policies and because of his leadership posture, because the man who he is was exemplified by these decisions he made in the Oval Office," he said. "Part of that man is you get this authentic, sometimes trash-talking, very aggressive fighter, and we need that fighter.
"But, by the same token … some people hate politics so much that if they hear any kind of a harsh message, it turns them off. He has a chance to turn around and remind people that it was about his desire to drain the swamp and take on these entrenched interests as an outsider with a checkbook and a big jet and a phone that appealed to people."
Schlapp said mainstream media lies about Trump has had an effect on perceptions, including the Russian collusion narrative that was pushed by mainstream outlets for years.
"If you look at polls, you will still see polls with large percentages of Americans believing that there was a Russian collusion with the Trump campaign to get him elected in 2016," Schlapp said. "But here's the beautiful thing: God reigns in heaven. There is justice. There is truth. There's no my truth; there's just truth with a capital 'T.'
"We have these moments where all of a sudden the sun comes out and people can see and I think, as terrible as that tragedy was … and as angry as I am … the fact is there's another side to this, which it gives Donald Trump an opportunity to remind people why we need him. And let me tell you something: we need him. He's not messianic, but we need him."
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Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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