@ossobucotemp,
To be sure, I'd have to go back and watch some prior conventions which is the last thing I'd spend my time doing without pay. But I think this was unusual in the intensity and consistency its promotion of fear and hatred. No sunny Reagan here. Even Pat Buchanan's speech (which Molly Ivins described as sounding better in the original German) though similar in tone was directed at "liberals" and liberalism rather than at a specific person.
This is the state of conservatism now. That so many talk radio bozos have been supporting Trump and that Fox succumbed to his bullying and gave him an absolutely unprecedented level of coverage - even in the face of the bigotry and sexism and his crudeness and evident unfitness for the office - tells us something about the mechanics that have brought this situation about. This is a very low point for US conservatism.
On the plus side of things though, let's note that fears of significant violence outside of the arena have not come to pass. Culturally, the US is not anywhere near what was going on in the sixties. It's not even close. But Trump has been trying to push Nixon's "law and order" narrative and the base is so hungry for black and white formulations and evil to smite that they all have to frame or construct their perceptions in the manner we see. Sad!
