Okay, in the past eight years, Donald Trump has given three speeches, three accepting

his party's nomination for president.

His first speech now feels like a lifetime ago, but it will always be remembered for this

moment. I have joined the political arena so that the powerful can no longer beat up

on people who cannot defend themselves. Nobody knows the system better than me. Which is why I alone can fix it.

Which is why I alone can fix it. I alone can fix it. That instantly became the thing everyone took

away from that speech.

It really nailed exactly how Trump managed to turn the Republican Party into a cult of

personality focused on just one man, Donald Trump himself.

But in the eight years since then,

the cult of MAGA became something

of an established religion in American politics.

Trump spent that time fashioning himself

as a quasi-misseanic figure to all of his followers.

And then last weekend, a shooter's bullet narrowly missed Trump's head during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

That gave his followers all of the confirmation they needed to fully deify Donald Trump to thrust upon him the

mandate of heaven itself.

And Trump used his speech last night to take his martyrdom to the next level.

I'm not supposed to be here tonight, not supposed to be here. No, no, not supposed to be here. I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of Almighty God. Many people say it was a

providential moment. Probably was. When I rose surrounded by secret service probably was

the one I rose surrounded by secret service The crowd was confused because they thought I was dead

Just a few short days ago my journey with you nearly ended we know that and yet here we are

...