Remember what a disaster America was under Barack Obama? You know, when the economy was growing faster, millions more people had health care, the environment was protected, and the deficit was a trillion dollars smaller? Yeah, that hellscape.

But just as the tea party movement sprang into existence on a raft of instant amnesia over George W. Bush plunging the nation into economic disaster and endless war (plus racism), Trump spent much of his speech pushing the idea that he had pulled America from the dark ages … racism pun intended. In fact, racism wasn’t an add-on to Trump’s speech; it was a theme, especially when it came to repeated claims about “criminal illegal aliens.”

In the real world, factory output is down, tariffs are costing the economy billions, and farm bankruptcies are up over 50% in just two years. But Trump is a creature who laces his speeches not only with lies, but also with fantasies about his messianic effect. If not for Trump, all factories would be gone, the stock market would have crashed, and Iowa would be having a second dust bowl. Evidence? None required.

When not selling lies and hate, Trump punctuated the speech with awkward inclusions of “personal stories,” most only vaguely connected to the content of the speech. Among these was Trump hiding a soldier backstage for a cheap emotional trick, and surprising the parents of a young woman who had spent her life reaching out with love with the news that a military raid had been named in her honor. And there was … Rush Limbaugh. But the highlight of the whole evening may have been Trump assuring a young girl that he was going to save her from a “failing government school,” as the secretary of education rose in applause.

Throughout the night, Trump played to his base. Lies about abortion. Lies about health care. Lies about guns. Trump also spent a nice chunk of the speech talking about religious freedom without mentioning any religion except Christianity … until he got around to talking about radical Islamic terrorists.

In merely shredding Trump’s speech at its conclusion, Nancy Pelosi was exceptionally kind—especially considering that Trump refused to shake her offered hand at the evening’s beginning.

Next year will be different. When Trump is gone.