Pence praises Trump and paints a rosy picture of the crisis-stricken country at the Republican convention
JONATHAN ERNST/Reuters Images
- Vice President Mike Pence took the spotlight at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday night to praise President Donald Trump and celebrate the administration's policy achievements.
- Pence hit on all of the White House's major talking points, ranging from job creation to military funding and immigration crackdowns.
- He drew sharp distinctions between the Trump administration's agenda and that of Democratic nominee Joe Biden, falsely claiming that Biden would usher in socialism.
- The vice president used his speech to echo Trump's aggressive "law and order" message, warning that America will descend into chaos and crime if Democratic nominee Joe Biden becomes president.
- "The hard truth is: you won't be safe in Joe Biden's America," Pence said. "Joe biden would set America on a path of socialism and decline, but we're not going to let it happen."
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Vice President Mike Pence took the spotlight at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday night to praise President Donald Trump and celebrate the administration's policy achievements, including its response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has killed nearly 180,000 Americans.
Pence hit on all of the White House's major talking points: that only Trump can rebuild the US economy, distribute a Covid-19 vaccine, heal racial divisions, and support law enforcement and the military. And the vice president drew sharp contrasts between the Trump administration's agenda and that of Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
"Joe Biden woud be nothing more than a trojan horse for the radical left," Pence said during his live address from Fort McHenry in Baltimore. "The choice in this election has never been clearer and the stakes have never been higher ... Joe Biden would set America on a path of socialism and decline, but we're not going to let it happen."
Pence has loyally served as Trump's liaison to the religious right — particularly evangelical Christians, establishment Republicans, and social conservatives. And he argued that the president had made huge strides on mainstream GOP policy issues, including the economy, immigration, social issues including abortion, and the military.
"For the last four years, I've watched this president endure unrelenting attacks but get up everyday and fight for the promises he made to the American people," he said.
The vice president also briefly acknowledged the stark differences between his traditional leadership style and the president's chaotic approach.
"Some people think we're a little bit different. I've learned a few things watching him," Pence said. "He does things in his own way, on his own terms. Not much gets past him. And when he has an opinion, he's liable to share it. He's certainly kept things interesting, but more importantly, President Donald Trump has kept his word to the American people."
Pence used his speech to echo Trump's aggressive "law and order" message, warning that America will descend into chaos and crime if Democratic nominee Joe Biden becomes president.
"The hard truth is: you won't be safe in Joe Biden's America," Pence said. "Under President Trump, we will stand with those who stand on the thin blue line and we're not going to defund the police — not now, not ever."
The president named Pence to lead the administration's coronavirus response in late February, but as the crisis escalated Trump took control of press briefings and other public messaging. The vice president continued to work with governors, health experts, and other arms of the government to coordinate the federal response.
He spent a portion of his speech discussing Covid-19, which has received little attention at the Republican convention. Pence expressed sympathy for Americans whose loved ones have died from the virus and thanked the country's front-line and healthcare workers.
Echoing months of talking points, Pence argued that the virus is under control and therapeutics and a vaccine are on the way, despite the fact that the US is reaching 6 million Covid-19 cases and has failed to set up effective and accessible testing and contact tracing.
"Last week, Joe Biden said that no miracle is coming, but what Joe doesn't seem to understand is that America is a nation of miracles," Pence said in reference to Biden's warning about promised Covid-19 cures. "And I'm proud to report that we're on track to have the world's first safe, effective coronavirus vaccine by the end of this year."
The vice president is widely believed to be positioning himself for a presidential run in 2024 and has been disciplined in portraying himself as the president's hard-working, drama-free, and traditionally conservative counterpart.
The vice president's decision to speak from federal government property is likely a violation of federal ethics laws, including the Hatch Act, which the Trump administration has repeatedly ignored.
Oma Seddiq contributed to this report.
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