Newscast—Old Newscast: How Donald Trump Won The Republican Nomination 2016 (Part 2)

Date: January 2, 2025
Hosts: Adam Fleming, Catriona Perry, Anthony Zurcher
Length: ~39 min

Overview

In this second part of “Old Newscast,” the BBC team revisits how Donald Trump clinched the 2016 Republican nomination for president. The episode breaks down the chaotic primary season, from Trump’s early debates and rally tactics to the dramatic convention in Cleveland. The hosts explore how Trump rewrote the rules of political campaigning, capitalized on a divided GOP, and steamrolled the Republican establishment, with colorful recollections and sharp analysis.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Trump’s Rhetoric, Messaging, and Rally Power

• Origins of Trump’s Slogans:

  • Many iconic slogans—“Make America Great Again,” “Build the wall,” “Lock her up”—emerged in summer 2015 and carried through subsequent campaigns and administrations.
  • [02:55] Catriona Perry:

    "A lot of this began in that summer and went all the way through the campaign... He used these slogans [at rallies] and might talk for a really long time... but people would remember the three or four slogans and that's what would sit in their brain when they went home..."

• Rallies as Two-Way Communication:

  • Trump’s rallies doubled as a “focus group,” allowing him to refine his message based on instant crowd feedback.
  • [03:57] Anthony Zurcher:

    "He would use those political rallies as a sounding board... modulate his message based on what was resonating with the Republican base..."

• Curiosity and Celebrity:

  • Early rallies drew not just supporters, but also skeptics and the curious, eager to see the “guy off the telly.”
  • [05:02] Perry recalls even small events (20–40 people) where Trump’s presence created buzz and a sense of personal connection.

The Debate Circus and Trump’s Dominance

• Overcrowded Debates as Advantage:

  • A field of 17 gave Trump space as the clear standout, the focus of attacks and attention.
  • [07:54] Perry: "Donald Trump stole the night every single time... the debate became the other candidates rowing with him... He got more time, more airtime, more clippable moments..."

• Others Reluctant to ‘Stick the Knife In’:

  • Rivals feared directly attacking Trump and hurting themselves with his swelling base.
  • [08:46] Zurcher explains: "No one wanted to be the one to take him down because... his supporters would hate [them]... usually, you want to be the third guy who doesn't get down in the mud."

• First Debate Iconic Moments:

  • Trump breaks norms by refusing to pledge support to the nominee if it isn’t him.
    • [12:04] Trump:

      "I cannot say [I will support the nominee]. I have to respect the person that wins... but I want to run as the Republican nominee."

  • Megyn Kelly confronts Trump about derogatory remarks about women; Trump fires back with crowd-pleasing quips.
    • [13:13] Perry cites Kelly's words:

      "'You've called women you don't like fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals.'"

GOP Establishment in Disarray

• Party Split and Reluctant Acceptance:

  • Establishment strategists struggled either to stop Trump or rationalize backing him.
  • [13:54] Zurcher:

    "We were all kind of staring at each other like, I can't believe this is actually happening... People thought, now he's really done it... and yet... in the polls... if anything, because of that debate [he] went up."

• Jeb Bush as the Face of the Old Guard:

  • Jeb’s lackluster persona made him easy for Trump to lampoon (“Low Energy Jeb”) and outshine.
  • [17:38] Perry:

    "He just couldn't seem to command the kind of zeitgeist or... charisma... [he] had tons of cash... but couldn't translate that."

• Changing Party Priorities:

  • Bush’s moderation and policies (on immigration, education, war) were out of step with an angry base.
  • [19:01] Zurcher dissects how Jeb embodied unpopular “establishment” stances, making him a perfect foil.
  • The “Please clap” moment symbolized Bush’s failed campaign.
    • [21:42] Actual audio:

      "Please clap." — Jeb Bush

The Primaries: Trump’s Path to Victory

• Caucuses and Primary Voting:

  • Iowa: Cruz edges out Trump by courting evangelicals and doing deep retail politics.
  • New Hampshire: Trump wins with a broad coalition. Rubio falters after being branded “robotic” by Christie.
  • After these, Trump's momentum grows unstoppable—he sweeps Super Tuesday.
  • [22:03] Perry:

    "[In Iowa] Ted Cruz wins... shock really... Trump wins New Hampshire... after that, Super Tuesday, it’s a landslide."

  • [24:19] Zurcher:

    "Trump just romped in New Hampshire... people in jeans and American flag T shirts... not your father's Republican Party."

• Failed Resistance, Last-Gasp Opposition:

  • Mitt Romney’s anti-Trump speech was the “last gasp” of organized resistance.
  • [31:59] Romney (quoted):

    "...the bullying, the greed, the showing off, the misogyny, the absurd third grade theatrics..."

  • In the end, the base wanted to “win the White House,” even if it meant backing Trump.
  • [16:19] Perry:

    "...people want to win the White House... if this is what we've got to do... then this is what we're going to do."

The Party Conventions: Triumph and Turmoil

• Republican Convention (Cleveland, July 2016):

  • Described as the moment of transition—a “hostile takeover” by Trump.
  • Last-ditch attempts to “deny him the nomination” faltered.
  • Trump’s acceptance speech was “very dark... carnage in the streets...”
    • [34:14] Trump:

      "I will restore law and order to our country."

  • Ted Cruz refused to endorse Trump, got loudly booed (“vote your conscience”).
  • Witness accounts from the floor capture the dramatic shift: MAGA merch on the fringe in 2016, front and center by 2024.
    • [35:01] Perry:

      "...that was the moment of the handing of the baton... Never Trump was still a kind of brand... by 2024... the party of Trump is the Republican Party..."

• Democratic Convention:

  • Bernie Sanders supporters remained vocal, refusing to fully back Hillary Clinton, contributing to party disunity.
  • [37:21] Perry:

    "...the Republicans were better able to hold their nose and do it anyway and vote for Donald Trump... the Democrats who didn't like Hillary Clinton... were not able to do the same."

Notable Quotes

• [03:57] Anthony Zurcher:

  "There's sometimes just being out there in front of the crowd and feeling the energy that will tell you a lot more than the margin of error on a focus group poll."

• [12:04] Donald Trump:

  "I cannot say [I will support the nominee]... I want to win as the Republican nominee."

• [13:13] Megyn Kelly, as quoted by Catriona Perry:

  “‘You've called women you don't like fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals.’”

• [21:42] Jeb Bush:

  "Please clap."

• [31:59] Mitt Romney:

  "...the bullying, the greed, the showing off, the misogyny, the absurd third grade theatrics..."

• [34:14] Donald Trump (Convention Acceptance Speech):

  "I will restore law and order to our country."

Memorable Moments & Timestamps

• Trump’s Debate Defiance:
  • Refusal to back the nominee: [12:04]
  • Kelly’s pointed question: [13:13]
• Jeb Bush’s ‘Please clap’: [21:42]
• Mitt Romney’s ‘last-gasp’ speech: [31:59]
• Cruz booed at RNC: [34:32]
• Trump crowned at convention: [34:14] (acceptance speech), [36:25] (analysis of the takeover)
• Comparison to 2024: [35:01] (Trump’s total party dominance today)

Flowing Observations and Analysis

The conversation flows from the media spectacle of Trump’s rallies and debates to behind-the-scenes party chaos, illustrating both the bewilderment of the GOP establishment and the electorate’s hunger for something new—even disruptive. Katrina Perry and Anthony Zurcher’s first-person anecdotes from on the ground (from Iowa school gyms to wild convention floors) inject vivid color and context. Ultimately, the episode makes clear that 2016 was not just a wild political season but the overture to an era-defining shift in American politics, personified by Trump.

For anyone seeking to understand how Donald Trump seized the 2016 Republican nomination, this episode reconstructs the relentless momentum, internal GOP strife, and cultural phenomena that carried him from infamous debates to a transformative presidency.