Night one of the first-ever Republican midterm national convention in Dallas is in the books. Grant was watching so you didn't have to.

The arena was half full for most of the night and about 75% full during Trump's speech. Trump posted that it was sold out and beat the NFL season opener in ratings. The NFL numbers haven't been released yet.

Tim Scott delivered one of the most bizarre speeches in recent political memory, shaking, tearing at his jacket, on the verge of speaking in tongues while accusing Democrats of ripping out hearts like the villain from an Indiana Jones movie. Congressman Tom Emmer delivered a speech built around Islamophobia, connecting Ilhan Omar, Abdul El-Sayed, and Hasan Piker into a "communist Muslim" boogeyman, then played a 40-foot tall nearly-naked image of Piker on the jumbotron to demonstrate the threat. Democratic Senator Jon Fetterman (D-PA) appeared by video to attack members of his own party. A cabinet member attempted to physically shove a female speaker off the stage. That last one has barely made news.

Then Trump closed. He spoke for an hour and 45 minutes. He said, "Pretend I'm on the ballot again, please." Then he promised $5,000 to every American adult who votes Republican, which is to say a bribe of between $1.2 and $1.4 trillion that has no funding source. He has now promised $12,000 in various checks, dividends, and savings to every American since taking office. Not a single dime has been sent.

Grant's honest read: this might actually work. Labor Day is when low-information voters start tuning in for the first time in two years. What they'll hear sounds a lot like 2024. And new polling shows people who are least likely to vote are also least likely to approve of Trump, meaning the ceiling may be lower than it looks.

This episode is sponsored by Cozy Earth. Fall is almost here, but summer isn't done with us yet. Cozy Earth's bamboo sheets are temperature-regulating, so you're covered whether it's cozy sweater weather or 79 degrees at midnight for no reason. Use code MIMS25 at CozyEarth.com for 21% off, and when you use that code, you're supporting the show.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 Night one of the Republican midterm convention: Grant was watching so you didn't have to

2:00 The arena was half full. Trump said it was sold out and beat the NFL. The NFL numbers aren't out yet.

4:00 The two kinds of speakers: fawning over Trump and outlandish bigotry to fire up the crowd

5:30 Tim Scott on the verge of speaking in tongues: what happened and why it was unnerving

7:30 Tom Emmer's Islamophobia playbook: Omar, El-Sayed, Piker, and a 40-foot jumbotron image

10:00 Jon Fetterman addresses the Republican convention to attack his own party: what that means for the Senate

12:00 A cabinet member tried to physically shove a female speaker off the stage. It barely made news.

13:30

Sponsor: Cozy Earth

15:30 Trump closes: an hour and 45 minutes, his greatest hits, and "pretend I'm on the ballot again please"

17:30 The $5,000 bribe: where the money would come from, why the math doesn't work, and why it doesn't matter

19:30 $12,000 in total promises since taking office. Not a single dime sent.

21:00 Why this might actually work: Labor Day voters, the 2024 frame, and the exhaustion problem

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