Donald Trump crushed his main rival Ted Cruz in Michigan, Mississippi and Hawaii on Tuesday night.

But the first thing he wanted to talk about when he strode up to the podium in Florida was meat.


Specifically, his own.

In an upbeat victory speech that was part press conference, part product-placement bonanza – and equal parts political circus – the Republican presidential front-runner managed to plug Trump Steaks, Trump Magazine and Trump Water. He touted his golf courses, his wineries and his business school. Watching the spectacle was his newest supporter, former New York Yankees outfielder Paul O’Neill – who got an extended on-air shoutout from the billionaire.

“I don’t think I've seen such a stream of disconnected ideas since I quit psychiatry 30 years ago,” said conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer on Fox News.

It was the Trump Show at its yuuugest, and it came on a night that seemed to, at least for a day, reinforce Trump’s position at the pinnacle of Republican politics – even as opponents have mobilized tens of millions of dollars to dethrone him.

“Many of them are my friends,” Trump joked of the GOP donors lining up to knock him down, “but they just have to gamble.”

Trump easily carried a Michigan primary that some speculated was tilting toward Ohio Gov. John Kasich. He smacked down Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in Mississippi, a southern, evangelical stronghold. He overwhelmed his rivals in Hawaii. And for his victory lap, he predicted field-clearing victories in Ohio and Florida next week.

“I think we’re going to clean the slate,” he said. “I think we’re going to do really well in Florida. It’s my second home.”

Pointing to the Columbus-born ex-Yankee, he added, “Now that I have Paul O’Neill’s endorsement, I know we’re going to win Ohio.”

Amid all the theatrics, though, it would’ve been easy to miss Trump’s sudden shift in tone toward the party elites trying to destroy him. Just weeks removed from ripping Republican congressional leaders as Obama-fearing weaklings, he urged his supporters to re-elect incumbent Republicans.

“We have some terrific people,” Trump said. “It’s very, very important if we’re going to be effective. It’s very, very important.”

Trump reserved his highest praise for House Speaker Paul Ryan, who recently warned that “bigotry” – i.e. Trump’s attacks on Muslims and Hispanics – had no place in the Republican Party.

“He called me a couple of days ago. He could not have been nicer,” Trump said. “I have great respect for Paul Ryan.”

Trump appeared to be looking past the primary and ahead to the general election, when he would need to mend fences with Republicans who have opposed him this year. Peppering his remarks with praise for the people he’s long antagonized, he even joked that many “special interest and lobbyists ... are my friends” despite their efforts against his candidacy.

Trump said he’d find ways to get along with South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham – who’s been a one-man anti-Trump quote machine in recent days. He said he could even get along with 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney, who delivered a high-profile address calling him a “phony” and a “fraud” and begged Republicans to vote for anyone but Trump.

“We should grab each other and we should unify the party,” Trump said, gesturing with his arms in a virtual hug to reinforce the message.

Republicans would be wise to recognize that he’s broadening the GOP tent, Trump argued, bringing in traditionally Democratic voters and disillusioned Republicans who are now energized and driving record turnout around the country.

“I actually think it’s the biggest story in politics today,” he said. “I hope that the Republicans will embrace it.”

Trump ended the show with some characteristic bravado – the kind of chest-thumping, brand-building braggadocio that he expects to carry him to the GOP nomination and, ultimately, the presidency.

“Does Trump know how to close?” he asked with a grin. “The fact is, I like to close. I like to close things out.”