Takeaways: Wild GOP convention ends with a sense of normality

CLEVELAND — It wasn't always pretty, but the 2016 Republican National Convention ended with billionaire Donald Trump standing on stage, arms aloft as the party's presidential nominee and 100,000 (give or take) balloons pouring onto the convention floor.

It was perhaps the most normal scene of the week.

Here are some key takeaways from the final day:

All change, no 'hope'

The entire convention was very heavy on the dark theme of a world falling apart, and Trump's speech drank deeply from this well. "Our Convention occurs at a moment of crisis for our nation," he said. "The attacks on our police, and the terrorism in our cities, threaten our very way of life."

Illegal immigrants are pouring across the border, stealing jobs from Americans and committing crimes. Communities have been "crushed by our horrible and unfair trade deals." And it is no better overseas. "Not only have our citizens endured domestic disaster, but they have lived through one international humiliation after another," Trump said.

Nowhere in the speech was the "shining city on the hill" Ronald Reagan promised or the "audacity of hope" that Barack Obama said he believed. Even when Trump, toward the very end of his speech, extolled the greatness of America, it was colored with a sour edge. "America is a nation of believers, dreamers, and strivers that is being led by a group of censors, critics, and cynics," he said.

While the whole theme of his campaign has been "Make America Great Again," Trump's speech was a detailed accounting of how weak and diminished the nation now is.

'I alone'

Trump's solution for what ails America can be summed up in two words: "Donald Trump."

He repeatedly said that he would fix problems like crime and terrorism, essentially single-handedly. The American political system is rigged, he said, but "nobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it." While America is now awash in crime, "when I take the oath of office next year, I will restore law and order our country."

Trump doesn't describe the restoration of America as a team effort. It is telling that in the entire prepared text, the word "together" appears only once.

All in the family

Yes, Mike Pence is Donald Trump's running mate, but really, the GOP campaign will be all about the Trumps. That much was made clear during the course of the four-day GOP convention, which featured a Trump (or Trumps) every night. And yes, those appearances didn't exactly all go without a hitch (we'll assume you're familiar with the long, strange story of Melania Trump's speech by now).

But it was clear from the program in Cleveland that there's no better sales staff for Trump than Trumps. Tiffany Trump offered a softer side of her father, Donald Jr. painted a picture of a successful man drawn to impossible challenges, and Eric described why his father, impelled by patriotism, was willing to walk away from his business career.

Then there was Ivanka, the most high-profile of the Trump kids, who introduced the nominee and described her father as "the people's nominee" and cast him as a champion for women.

The posters may not say Trump-Trump, but make no mistake: The GOP ticket will be all about the family.

'Just drop the damn balloons already'

Donald Trump is making acceptance speeches great again. Or at least LONG again.

Trump's speech clocked in at about an hour and 15 minutes, by various counts, making it the longest of any acceptance speeches in the last four decades.

Trump's speech was as long as Mitt Romney's and Barack Obama's speeches combined in 2012.

Nonagenarian former congressman John Dingell spoke for every reporter on deadline with this Twitter post.