2020 race: You won’t be safe with Joe Biden: Mike Pence tells GOP convention
Mike Pence has warned the safety of Americans and their cities was dependent on the re-election of Donald Trump.
Mike Pence has warned that the safety of Americans and their cities was dependent on the re-election of Donald Trump at a time when riots were breaking out across the US.
In a strong law and order pitch, the Vice President spoke as deadly race riots continued in Kenosha, Wisconsin, following the police shooting of African American Jacob Blake.
“My fellow Americans, we are passing through a time of testing. But in the midst of this global pandemic, just as our nation has begun to recover, we’ve seen violence and chaos in the streets of our major cities,” Mr Pence said in a keynote speech to the Republican National Convention on Wednesday night (Thursday AEST).
“Let me be clear: the violence must stop — whether in Minneapolis, Portland, or Kenosha. Too many heroes have died defending our freedom to see Americans strike each other down. We will have law and order on the streets of this country for every American of every race, and creed and colour.”
Mr Pence used his nomination acceptance speech at Fort McHenry in Baltimore to contrast Mr Trump’s tough stand on law with that of his Democrat opponent Joe Biden.
During last week’s Democratic National Convention he said Mr Biden “didn’t say one word about the violence and chaos engulfing cities across this country”.
“Joe Biden says America is systemically racist ... and law enforcement in America has an implicit bias against minorities,” Mr Pence said in front of a live audience that included Mr Trump.
“The hard truth is you won’t be safe in Joe Biden’s America. Under President Trump we will always stand with those who stand on the thin blue line and we are not going to defund the police, not now, not ever,” he said to cheers.
Earlier Mr Trump said he would send the national guard into Kenosha to maintain order.
“We will NOT stand for looting, arson, violence, and lawlessness on American streets,” Mr Trump tweeted as he announced federal law enforcement assistance for Kenosha.
Mr Biden criticised what he called “needless violence”. “Protesting brutality is a right, and absolutely necessary,” he said. “But burning down communities is not protest. It’s needless violence — violence that endangers lives, violence that guts businesses and shutters businesses that serve the community.”
Mr Pence’s speech was a rare moment in the spotlight for the Vice President who has kept a low profile and has shown unwavering loyalty to the President.
In a wide-ranging address he attacked Mr Biden for having a dark view of America.
“Where Joe Biden sees American darkness we see greatness,’ Mr Pence said. “In these challenging times our country needs a president who believes in America.”
Mr Pence said the choice in the coming election was “whether America remains America”.
“Joe Biden would set America on a path of socialism and decline, but we’re not going to let it happen,” he said.
Much of the program on the third day of the four-day convention sought to promote a more empathetic and compassionate image of Mr Trump in a bid to reverse his falling support among suburban women.
Senior Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway spoke of how the President supported women in leadership roles, including allowing her to have a senior role in orchestrating his 2016 election win.
“A woman in a leadership role can still seem novel (but), not so for President Trump,” said Ms Conway, who will leave the White House at the end of the month for family reasons.
Mr Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara, who is married to his son Eric, told the convention that when she first met the Trump family they were more welcoming than she expected. “They were warm and caring, they were hard workers, they were down to earth.”
Mr Pence’s wife Karen gave a speech touting the administration’s support for military spouses while White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany shared her personal story of undergoing a preventative mastectomy as a testament to how Mr Trump cared about pre-existing conditions.
Speakers also focused on law and order, with Michael McHale, head of the National Association of Police Organisations, saying the violence in many cities was the direct result of Democrat leaders refusing to allow law enforcement to protect communities.
Cameron Stewart is also US contributor for Sky News Australia
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