The Donald Trump rehabilitation campaign is in full swing, as the candidate finalized a shakeup of his leadership structure on Friday and as his new campaign manager insists that Trump’s apology for past misdeeds was all him.

But the question is how long this new Trump will stick around.


The Republican nominee on Thursday night delivered one of his most surprising speeches yet, expressing “regret” if his past inflammatory rhetoric had caused personal pain. It was a stunning statement coming from a candidate who has said “to apologize for me is very difficult” and that his last sorry was “too many years ago to remember.”

The show of contrition was widely seen as evidence of the influence of his new campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, a veteran pollster who campaign insiders said will try to put the brakes on Trump’s darker impulses. And in a move that could help consolidate Conway's power, Trump announced on Friday that he would be parting ways with Paul Manafort, his campaign chairman.

But this isn’t the first time Trump has been reeled in only to return to his explosive ways. Following the firing of campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and the elevation of Manafort in June, Trump delivered a scripted and targeted speech on the stakes of the election and the importance of defeating Clinton.

Slate called the speech "terrifyingly effective" and Vox proclaimed that it was the “most normal, most compelling speech he’s ever given.”

The pivot didn’t stick, however, as Trump made a series of inflammatory statements after the convention that sent his poll numbers into free fall.

Still, there’s some optimism that this time will be different.

Republican pollster Kristin Soltis Anderson, appearing earlier on "Fox & Friends," said that Conway was clearly having a positive effect on Trump.

"She has sort of long preached that Trump would be best off focusing on showing that he's a little more empathetic, addressing some of these concerns about his temperament," Anderson said. "Bringing her in earlier this week signaled that there was a chance that he might make this turn. It remains to be seen how long he’ll be able to stay on this message. But it's a good sign for him at least that he seems to be willing to pivot away from the sort of tone that got him so far in the primary to something that will hopefully get him a broader swath of voters in a general election."

Conway herself went on ABC's "Good Morning America” to give all the credit to the candidate for his rehabbed ways.

"He was talking about anyone who feels offended by anything he said and that's all him. You know, he took extra time yesterday going over that speech with a pen so that was a decision he made. Those are his words," Conway told David Muir. "And I hope that everybody who has criticized him at some point, David, for being insensitive or for mocking someone at least shows some recognition and some forgiveness."

Asked specifically about whether Trump's words were in response to the Khan family, who he punched back against after the Muslim family of the fallen U.S. Army captain ripped into his past rhetoric, Conway said Trump "may" reach out directly to them.

The Trump on stage Thursday night came closer to showing the "full measure of the man" for "those of us who know him personally" and "see day by day," she observed.



"I hope they heard him and I hope America heard him last night and I certainly hope that America heard him last night because of all the people, David, who have been saying, hey, let's get Trump to pivot, let's get him to be more presidential, that is presidential," Conway said, adding that it is "also presidential" for Trump and running mate Mike Pence to travel to Louisiana on Friday.



Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, suggested before Trump's arrival in Louisiana that he might be better served volunteering or donating a large amount of money than flying south for a photo op. But Conway insisted it would be "a decidedly nonpolitical event, no press allowed, going to help people on the ground who are in need" in the wake of devastating flooding.

Once in Louisiana, Trump indeed eschewed the microphone and the stump, speaking with volunteers and promising to help their community. But he also took a dig at President Barack Obama golfing on vacation in Massachusetts during the disaster.

"The president says he doesn’t want to come, he is trying to get out of a golf game," Trump said, according to ABC News. "He will never be under par."

Trump's campaign celebrated the speech Thursday night, blasting out the instant reactions of reporters and commentators on Twitter in a memo titled "WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT TRUMP’S 'INCREDIBLE' NORTH CAROLINA SPEECH," although some praise may not have been what it seemed.

"This is incredible. For the 1st time - in prepared remarks, Trump expressing regret for some of his campaign conduct," CBS News' Sopan Deb tweeted, remarking in a subsequent tweet that the campaign used his word "incredible" to imply that was the assessment of his entire speech.

But as Trump's team has emphasized the Republican nominee's magnanimity and authenticity, the Clinton campaign sought to portray the show of humility as a façade.

“Donald Trump literally started his campaign by insulting people. He has continued to do so through each of the 428 days from then until now, without shame or regret," deputy communications director Christina Reynolds said in a statement Thursday night. "We learned tonight that his speechwriter and teleprompter knows he has much for which he should apologize. But that apology tonight is simply a well-written phrase until he tells us which of his many offensive, bullying and divisive comments he regrets—and changes his tune altogether.”

And it slammed his first general election ad hitting the Democratic nominee as someone who would make national security matters worse, particularly on immigration.

"In case you thought for a split-second Trump was genuine about feeling regret, he is back to demonizing immigrants again in his new ad today," press secretary Brian Fallon tweeted Friday.

The ad, while featuring dramatic music and shadowy images of people crossing the border, did not however feature Trump's signature call to "build the wall." There was also no mention of the wall during Trump's speech Thursday night.

It's yet to be seen how long Trump will keep up the self restraint, especially with the risk that Breitbart’s Stephen Bannon, Trump’s new bare-knuckled campaign CEO, will eventually fuel Trump’s natural tendencies to shock and offend.

For the time being, though, it appears Conway has the candidate’s ear.

Conway on Friday morning deflected concerns about Trump attacking Clinton's "mental and physical stamina," instead heaping praise on her boss' indefatigable spirit.

“It's hard to remember he's 70 on a daily basis. He's more energetic than most of us on the campaign trail," she gushed. "And on this, you know, Hillary Clinton routinely, including just yesterday, insults Donald Trump. Every time she's asked a question about a policy position of her own, she takes an opportunity to insult Donald Trump. She's going to insult Donald Trump. We're going to talk directly to the voters. And I hope, I absolutely hope this campaign pivots to substance because we want to challenge her on the issues."

Former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele pronounced that Conway's "imprint is immediate."

"If they continue to do this, it puts pressure throughout the political system within the party to sort of come around to this notion this guy is actually going to do this thing all the way to November," Steele remarked on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." “And on the Democrats, to be prepared and respond accordingly. And if he continues with this format, with this approach, with this messaging, I mean, this is getting back on that track."





Former Clinton adviser Jehmu Greene said Trump's message would have appeared more sincere if not for Conway's presence on the team.

"I certainly would have preferred for it to be something that was true to the heart and not something forced on him by Kellyanne, who is a really great person," Greene said during a panel on Fox News. "And I think we have to keep in mind, though, but how many of these 15 minutes of sanity are we going to go through? We've had 430 days of carnage wreaked on us."

Mobbed by reporters in Louisiana, Trump was asked whether the speech represented an apology. “Well they have to take it as they see it," he said. "I really enjoyed that speech. I think people enjoyed it very much.”