Trump rails at elites in voter pitch

US President Donald Trump, in accepting the Republican Party's nomination for the second time, said on Thursday that he would put the people ahead of the Washington political establishment.

"Together we have ended the rule of the failed political class and they are desperate to get their political power back by any means necessary," Trump said in a speech on the White House South Lawn that lasted about one hour and 15 minutes."They are angry at me because, instead of putting them first, I very simply said America first."

Trump bulldozed through a slew of issues such as the recent protests and violence in United States cities, immigration, trade, the coronavirus pandemic, political correctness, "cancel culture", school choice, free speech and gun rights. There was also a strong expression of support for law enforcement and opposition to abortion.

On each issue, he slammed his Democratic opponent Joe Biden and the Democratic Party.

"At the Democrat National Convention, Joe Biden and his party repeatedly assailed America as a land of racial, economic and social injustice," Trump said."So tonight I ask you a simple question: How can the Democrat Party ask to lead our country when it spends so much time tearing down our country?"

On immigration, Trump said:"Our borders are more secure than ever before. We ended catch-and-release, stopped asylum fraud, took down human traffickers ... and deported 20,000 gang members and 500,000 criminal aliens."

Trump also continued his outreach to the black community, as the convention this past week has featured African-American speakers each day.

Trump, 74, touted his administration's handling of the pandemic, which has been a major line of attack for the Democrats. Trump focused on the amount of equipment and testing provided in the battle against the virus.

Biden, 77, in the second of two tweets during Trump's address, said: "From the moment COVID-19 emerged, President Trump downplayed the threat it posed, refused to listen to the experts, and failed to take action to contain its spread. Now, we're paying the price."

Earlier, Biden tweeted: "Donald Trump promised to be the greatest jobs president God ever created. Instead, tens of millions of Americans are out of work and we're facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression."

Turbulent year

This year has been a turbulent one in the US, as the nation has suffered massive casualties and economic losses－nearly 180,000 dead from COVID-19 and millions out of work.

Also adding to the problems has been the racial discord that intensified with the May 25 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody. Floyd's death has generated months of protests and violent disruptions in scores of US cities.

The tense situation was rekindled on Sunday when another black man, Jacob Blake, was shot in the back by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Reaction to his shooting resulted in nightly protests that on Tuesday saw two people fatally shot. An Illinois teenager has been charged with murder in those shootings.

Political experts interviewed by China Daily see a narrowing election.

Douglas H. Paal, distinguished fellow at the Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said the two political conventions did not change his outlook on the election, because neither party has really tried to expand its base.

"I expect the polls to tighten and events on the streets of America to play a larger role, not China," said Paal, referring to the "China-bashing" tactics that both campaigns have employed.

Paal said Biden's camp seems to be struggling to maintain the margin of its lead in the national polls. That's where Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton was in 2016, and Michael Dukakis in 1988.

He said Biden is "very much hostage to events", because normal campaigning is not possible."He cannot sit safely on his lead," Paal said.

"This suggests we will have another close election and will have to rely on our imperfect institutional arrangements for voting and the Electoral College, magnified by the effects of the virus on voters."

Cal Jillson, a political scientist and historian at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, said conventions don't usually change the trajectory of a presidential election.

"Trailing Biden by seven or eight points, sometimes more, President Trump's best shot at reelection is to disqualify Biden in the eyes of the electorate, but it will not be easy,"Jillson said.

Agencies via Xinhua contributed to this story.