Why Everyone's Talking About Kimberly Guilfoyle's RNC Speech
When Kimberly Guilfoyle took the stage at the Republican National Convention, she shouted her speech loudly and forcefully, despite the fact that she was in an empty room (via People). Guilfoyle's delivery was widely mocked on Twitter, garnering comparisons to everyone from Wicked's Elphaba to Power Rangers villain Rita Repulsa. Others participated in the #GuilfoyleChallenge, which involved shouting a quote from Guilfoyle's speech at their loved ones (via NY Daily News).
The content of Guilfoyle's speech alternated between praising the Trump campaign and warning about the catastrophe she believed a victory from Joe Biden would bring on. Despite her cordial relationship with her ex-husband, California governor Gavin Newsom, Guilfoyle took swipes at her home state in her speech. "If you want to see the Socialist Biden/Harris future for our country, just take a look at California," Guilfoyle said. "This election is a battle for the soul of America," she warned.
The message behind Kimberly Guilfoyle's speech
In her speech, Guilfoyle stressed that she is Latina and the daughter of immigrants, presumably in an attempt to connect to that block of voters (via The Hill). "My mother Mercedes was a special education teacher from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. My father, also an immigrant, came to this nation in pursuit of the American dream." However, many were quick to note that Puerto Rican residents have been U.S. citizens since 1917, which means Guilfoyle's mother was decidedly not an immigrant.
Guilfoyle is a senior advisor for the Trump campaign, as well as Donald Trump Jr.'s girlfriend. CNN analyst Alice Stewart pointed out that the speech had been pre-taped, meaning Guilfoyle's passionate delivery was strategized rather than spontaneous. "The reality is, she is speaking for an audience of one, President Trump, and I'm sure she got two thumbs up," Stewart said. In a previous interview with Fox News, Donald Trump said he hoped the RNC would be "uplifting and positive" (via CNN). Trump's predictions seem to stand at odds, however, with the doom and gloom tones of both Guilfoyle's speech and Trump's own RNC remarks.