Republicans celebrated President Donald Trump’s first term achievements, and praised American ideals and freedoms on the first night of the Republican National Convention.
“President Trump and Republicans are fighting for the values that have defined our country from the beginning—liberty, justice, equality—and our convention is going to celebrate everything that makes America the greatest nation on Earth,” Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in opening remarks.
“We are going to share how President Trump’s policies have uplifted Americans of all backgrounds and empowered them to reach their full potential in life.”
Speaking to the theme “Land of Promise,” the president’s supporters from both sides of the aisle touched upon the wide range of issues Trump has acted on over the past almost-four years of his presidency, including a lengthy list of actions to combat the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic, help black American communities, promote jobs and employment for American citizens, and oppose socialism and terrorism and more.
The convention is being held virtually due to the CCP virus pandemic, with some of the planned remarks coming pre-recorded, while others were delivered live from Charlotte, North Carolina, and Washington, D.C.
Amy Ford, a registered nurse of 17 years from Bedford, Virginia, was deployed to New York and then Texas as a COVID-19 relief nurse in both states. She said that Trump’s decision to expand telehealth services to more than 71 million Americans during the pandemic has saved many lives.
“I live in a town of about 2,000 people. We do not have buses, trains, trolleys, or Ubers available to us. In addition, the unavailability of services can also hinder treatment for many,” she said. “So the increased accessibility of telehealth afforded to millions of Americans has truly been lifesaving for many. And we have President Trump to thank.”
“As a healthcare professional, I can tell you without hesitation, Donald Trump’s quick action and leadership saved thousands of lives during COVID-19,” she said.
Tanya Weinreis from Billings, Montana, thanked the president for the relief efforts amid the pandemic, which she said has saved her coffee shop from going under.
“My company was one of the first to get help from the PPP [Paycheck Protection Program] loan and praise God, it has been a lifesaver for us. Not only were we able keep every single employee but I’m thrilled to say we have been hiring weekly since this all began,” she said.
“I feel for workers and businesses across America who are under assault from shutdowns, from riots, and now face the terrifying prospect of Joe Biden coming after everything we’ve built,” she continued. “I am so grateful that we have leaders like President Trump standing up for us who understand the good local business do in our neighborhoods and are not afraid to fight for us every day.”
Vernon Jones, a Democratic member of the Georgia House of Representatives, said that he is “part of a large and growing segment of the black community who are independent thinkers” walking away from the Democratic Party. He warned about Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, and encouraged Americans to support Trump.
“This is no time for sleeping in the basement,” he said. “Joe Biden has had 47 years to produce results. But he’s all talk and no action—just like so many of these Democrats who’ve been making promises for decades.”
Jones noted that Trump had “changed everything” for the black community by delivering “historic funding” to HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities), guaranteeing the funding for 10 years, which gave the HBCUs the chance to “grow and produce the next generation of black leaders.”
He continued by touching on other historic actions by the president to improve the lives of black Americans, including criminal justice reform, incorporating opportunity zones in the tax bill, recent action on police reform, and record low unemployment numbers for black Americans.
“Education. Jobs. Safety. Security. On issue after issue, and in just a single term, he destroyed these negative forces that have victimized the black community for decades. He gave us the opportunity to rise!” Jones said.
Kim Klacik, a black Republican running for Congress in Baltimore—a city that has been run by Democrats for more than 50 years—called for Americans to reelect Trump.
“Abandoned buildings, liquor stores on every corner, drug addicts and guns on the street—that is now the norm in many neighborhoods,” she said of Baltimore. “You’d think Maryland taxpayers would be getting a whole lot since our taxes are out of control; instead, we are paying for decades of incompetence and corruption.”
“Sadly, this same cycle of decay exists in many of America’s Democrat-run cities,” she continued. “And yet, the Democrats still assume that black people will vote for them, no matter how much they let us down and take us for granted.”
Klacik said that Trump is “bringing the American spirit to life for all Americans.”
“We want safety in our neighborhoods. We want jobs and innovation, like tapping the potential of the Port of Baltimore to create manufacturing jobs for Americans. We want lower taxes. We want school choice. We want a chance to get ahead, not just get by! That’s what President Trump promised. And that’s what Trump delivered!”
Republican speakers throughout the convention also praised American ideals, including freedom of belief and speech, as well as the right of Americans to safety, security, and the American Dream to access opportunity and find success.
“The American way of life means you follow the law, you work hard, you honor God, you raise your kids with strong values, and you work to create a civil more stable country and life for the ones you love,” said Charlie Kirk, the founder and executive director of Turning Point USA, an advocacy group for young conservatives.
“America is a remarkable and improbable creation centered around central biblical ideals: That man is flawed by nature; that government must be created to protect—not grant rights; that life, liberty, and property are essential; and that only a moral people can preserve such a Republic,” he added.
“In this country, it means you can speak your mind without retribution—without being kicked off of social media by a self-righteous censor in Silicon Valley. It means you can freely practice your religion and that church is more essential than a casino,” he continued. “And it means that we judge people on actions … not on their immutable characteristics.”
He acknowledged threats to American’s freedoms, saying, “All of this is under attack by a group of bitter, deceitful, vengeful, arrogant activists who wish to tear down this gift we have been given. We are locking up pastors, but releasing violent criminals from prison, we are kicking doctors off of social media, yet promoting Chinese state-funded propaganda on major tech platforms. The left is judging people solely on the color of their skin, not on how they act or the values they hold.”
Sean Parnell, a decorated war veteran who served in combat in Afghanistan and candidate for Pennsylvania’s 17th congressional district, also acknowledged threats to freedom coming from the radical left.
“Where Democrats once stood for hard working, law abiding Americans who displayed our flag with pride, this New Democrat party considered them uneducated racists, clinging to guns and Bibles,” he said.
“The party of Harry Truman became the party of hedge fund managers, Hollywood celebrities, tech moguls and academia—bloated with contempt for middle America,” he said. “I look across the aisle and I do not see a party that wants you to pursue your dreams. I see a Democrat party that wants to dictate what those dreams are. I don’t see a party that wants you to be free. I see a party that wants to chain you to conformity and will destroy anyone they deem a heretic.”
“I swore an oath to defend my country and its constitution. President Trump has sworn to do the same. That is why he has advanced freedom—despite savage political attacks—to overcome the agenda of the radical left.
“President Trump unleashed the economic might of this nation like no other President in our history. He triggered the rising tide of working families, brought us energy independence, reclaimed jobs from overseas that Democrats said would never return. He has fiercely defended the besieged First and Second Amendments. That’s just a start. With four more years, imagine what we can achieve by simply working with our President,” the veteran said.
Trump, who was officially nominated as president for a second term during the convention earlier in the day, is not scheduled to deliver his keynote RNC address until later in the week.
