A tale of two presidents as Trump claims his triumph and Biden’s hopes begin to fade

Milwaukee CNN —

Thousands of supporters chanted “fight, fight, fight” and pumped their fists Thursday night as Donald Trump basked in the love of the new Republican Party he built and that hails him as a superhero touched by God.

States away, Joe Biden sat isolated and sick in his Delaware beach house as the party he led to victory just four years ago turned on the 81-year-old president and the possibility grew that a humiliating final chapter may be opening in a storied political life.

Former President Donald Trump speaks during the fourth day of the Republican National Convention on Thursday, July 18, in Milwaukee.

Related article Takeaways from the final night of the Republican National Convention

Trump and Biden have been locked in a bitter political clash ever since Biden vowed to launch a battle for the soul of the nation when White supremacists marched through Charlottesville, Virginia, seven years ago.

Their fates diverged sharply Thursday. Trump accepted the nomination of a united party convinced it’s cruising to victory in November, while Democrats splintered, with some fearing that their president could lead them to a landslide defeat after a cataclysmic debate performance sent his reelection campaign into freefall three weeks ago.

Trump spoke on the last night of the Republican National Convention at the end of a week that he might not have lived to see after narrowly escaping an assassination attempt – the second stunning twist in three weeks in a suddenly transformed election campaign.

“Just a few short days ago, my journey with you nearly ended, we know that,” Trump said. “And yet here we are tonight, all gathered together, talking about the future promise and a total renewal of a thing we