Republicans opened the third night of their convention with an aggressive defense of law enforcement, as the nation faced renewed tensions following the police shooting of a Black man in Wisconsin that has sparked three nights of protests in a state that could decide the fall election.
Capping the night, President Donald Trump has made a surprise appearance at Baltimore’s Fort McHenry following Vice President Mike Pence’s speech at the Republican National Convention. Pence spoke at Fort McHenry as he “humbly” accepted the GOP’s nomination for vice president at the Republican National Convention.
Meanwhile, Pence said people in the path of Hurricane Laura should heed warnings about the strength of the storm and he pledged the Trump administration’s help. He said, “Stay safe and know that we’ll be with you every step of the way.”
Other speakers seized on the national reckoning over racial injustice to argue that Democratic leaders are allowing lawlessness to prevail in cities from coast to coast.
“From Seattle and Portland to Washington and New York, Democrat-run cities across this country are being overrun by violent mobs,” declared South Dakota Gov Kristi Noem, though the protests of racial injustice this summer have been largely peaceful in most locations. “People that can afford to flee have fled. But the people that can’t — good, hard-working Americans —are left to fend for themselves.”
Convention speakers also reinforced Trump’s law-and-order message, warning that electing Biden would lead to violence in American cities spilling into the suburbs, a message with racist undertones. Trump on Wednesday tweeted about sending federal agents to Kenosha to help quell unrest, and the Justice Department said it was sending in the FBI and federal marshals.
More on the speeches:
Here’s who’s speaking Thursday
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