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RNC live: Republicans push false coronavirus claims while attacking Democrats as 'radicals' – live Nikki Haley claims 'America is not a racist country' as she defends Donald Trump – RNC live
(30 minutes later)
President formally renominated to take on Biden during roll call vote on the first day of convention The former UN ambassador’s words generated strong reactions online as Republicans renominated the president on the first night of the convention
Cori Bush, a nurse and Black Lives Matter activist who recently beat a 20-year incumbent in a Missouri primary race, was targeted earlier by Mark and Patricia McCloskey (the couple who waved guns at protesters outside their giant St Louis home). While Mark didn’t mention Bush’s name, he did call her a “Marxist revolutionary”, among other things:
Bush has now responded, expressing a small amount of confusion:
The first night of the Republican convention has now concluded. The blog will have more reactions and analysis coming up, so stay tuned.
Senator Tim Scott criticized Joe Biden for some of his past comments about African Americans and his work crafting the 1994 crime bill.
“Joe Biden said if a black man didn’t vote for him, he wasn’t truly black,” Scott said. “Joe Biden said black people are a monolithic community.”
Scott did not reference some of Trump’s most controversial comments on race, such as the president telling congresswomen of color to “go back” where they came from.
Republican Senator Tim Scott argued that America had made strides toward equality during Trump’s first term in office.
“I believe in the goodness of America – the promise that all men, and all women are created equal,” Scott said. “Over the past four years, we have made tremendous progress towards that promise.”
Scott cited jobs gains for Americans of color before the pandemic hit, but it’s important to note that Americans of color have been disproportionately affected by coronavirus.
Multiple speakers tonight have tried to highlight the pre-pandemic economy to promote Trump’s policies, even though the unemployment rate is currently at 10.2%.
Republican Senator Tim Scott is now addressing the convention, arguing the election is not just about choosing between Trump and Joe Biden.
“It’s about the promise of America. It’s about you and me … our challenges and heartbreaks, hopes and dreams,” the South Carolina senator said.
Scott, the only African American Republican in the Senate, then pivoted to discussing his own biography, describing launching a small business and serving in local government.
“I know where I stand, because you see, I am living my mother’s American dream,” Scott said.
In his convention speech, Donald Trump Jr recognized the death of George Floyd, an African American man who was killed by a white police officer.
“What happened to George Floyd is a disgrace. And if you know a police officer, you know they agree with that, too,” Trump said.
However, the president’s son then added, “But we cannot lose sight of the fact that our police are American heroes. They deserve our deepest appreciation.”
Democrats have called for police reform in the months since Floyd’s death, while some progressive activists have called for defunding police departments.
Former UN ambassador Nikki Haley claimed that “America is not a racist country” in her keynote RNC speech tonight. Amid all of the misleading claims peddled by speakers tonight, it’s attracted some of the strongest reactions online:
Nikki Haley’s speech, delivered with conviction and emotion, also contained within it some odd contradictions.
Here’s one example: Haley touted her state’s removal of the Confederate flag from the state capitol following the Charleston Church massacre when 9 Black worshippers were killed by a white supremecist. While she was governor of South Carolina, her state “removed a divisive symbol” Haley said.
But the comments jarr against Trump and Republicans’ protests against the takedown of confederate symbols and monuments in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests. Trump criticized NASCAR for banning the Confederate flag from events, argued against renaming military bases named after Confederate generals and said in a Fox News interview that “When people proudly have their Confederate flags, they’re not talking about racism... It represents the South.”
– Maanvi Singh
The president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, is now addressing the Republican convention.The president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, is now addressing the Republican convention.
Trump defended his father’s record on the economy, even though US unemployment is currently 10.2%.Trump defended his father’s record on the economy, even though US unemployment is currently 10.2%.
Echoing his father, Trump tried to wind back the clock, reminding voters of the country’s economic gains before the coronavirus pandemic struck.Echoing his father, Trump tried to wind back the clock, reminding voters of the country’s economic gains before the coronavirus pandemic struck.
“So if you’re looking for hope, look to the man who did what the failed Obama-Biden administration never could do and built the greatest economy our country had ever seen--and President Trump will do it again,” Trump said.“So if you’re looking for hope, look to the man who did what the failed Obama-Biden administration never could do and built the greatest economy our country had ever seen--and President Trump will do it again,” Trump said.
Many Democrats have argued the president is trying to take credit for the economy that Barack Obama built.Many Democrats have argued the president is trying to take credit for the economy that Barack Obama built.
Former UN ambassador Nikki Haley is now addressing the Republican convention.Former UN ambassador Nikki Haley is now addressing the Republican convention.
Haley embraced Trump’s vision for the future and denounced Democrats’ positions on foreign policy.Haley embraced Trump’s vision for the future and denounced Democrats’ positions on foreign policy.
“Obama and Biden let North Korea threaten America,” Haley said. “President Trump rejected that weakness, and we passed the toughest sanctions on North Korea in history.”“Obama and Biden let North Korea threaten America,” Haley said. “President Trump rejected that weakness, and we passed the toughest sanctions on North Korea in history.”
That comment seemed odd, considering Trump repeatedly reached out to Kim Jong Un and met with him in person.That comment seemed odd, considering Trump repeatedly reached out to Kim Jong Un and met with him in person.
Shifting to a cultural critique, Haley also said, “In much of the Democratic Party, it’s now fashionable to say that America is racist. That is a lie. America is not a racist country.”Shifting to a cultural critique, Haley also said, “In much of the Democratic Party, it’s now fashionable to say that America is racist. That is a lie. America is not a racist country.”
“To me, President Erdogan was very good,” Trump told pastor Andrew Brunson, who was detained in Turkey.
Brunson was imprisoned in Turkey for two years on sham espionage charges. Trump said Erdogan was “very good” for eventually releasing him.
My colleague Bethan McKernan in Istanbul wrote about claims in former security adviser John Bolton’s book that Trump solicited favors from dictators:
– Maanvi Singh
Maximo Alvarez just addressed the convention and made the argument that Trump would protect the country from socialism.
“I may be Cuban born, but I am 100 percent American. This is the greatest country in the world,” Alvarez said. “It is up to us to decide our fate and to choose freedom over oppression.”
It’s worth noting that Democratic nominee Joe Biden does not identify as a socialist.
Trump has made his second convention appearance of the night, starring in a video with former hostages who were released in the time since he took office.
The video, which appeared to have been previously taped at the White House, included the hostages thanking Trump for working to get them released.
The video was quickly met with criticism from journalist Jason Rezaian, who was held hostage in Iran for a year and a half.
“Bringing hostages home safely is always a reason for great joy. But using us for political gain is disgusting,” Rezaian said in a tweet.
Kimberly Guilfoyle, a top Trump campaign official and Donald Trump Jr’s girlfriend, has given a full-throated speech tonight in support of the president, and a very loud one at that.
You can see (and hear) it for yourself here:
Here’s how some commentators have been responding online:
Here’s a bit more about the palazzo where Mark and Patricia McCloskey live, courtesy of St. Louis Magazine:
Echoing Donald Trump’s racist fear-mongering about low-income housing, the McDaniels warned that “low quality apartments” were “coming to a neighborhood near you”.
– Maanvi Singh
Like other speakers tonight, House minority whip Steve Scalise sought to paint a picture of a compassionate president in his convention speech.
Scalise recalled Trump visiting him in the hospital shortly after he was shot at a congressional baseball practice in 2017.
“They were there for my family in my darkest hours,” Scalise said of the president and the first lady. “That’s the kind of person he is.”
The Republicans seem to be trying to counter Democratic messaging about Joe Biden’s character, which was emphasized during last week’s convention.
Kimberly Guilfoyle, a senior Trump campaign adviser, gave a very ... spirited speech at the Republican convention.
Speaking loudly to an empty room, Guilfoyle warned that Joe Biden and his “socialist comrades” would ruin the country.
Directly lifting a line from Biden’s stump speech, Guilfoyle said, “This election is a battle for the soul of America. Your choice is clear.”
Guilfoyle, who used to be married to California Governor Gavin Newsom, also attacked her former state of residence.
“If you want to see the socialist Biden/Harris future for our country, just take a look at California,” Guilfoyle said. “Democrats turned it into a land of discarded heroin needles in parks, riots in streets and blackouts in homes.”
Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the St Louis couple who pointed guns at Black Lives Matter protesters, spoke at the Republican convention.
The couple baselessly accused Democrats of “protecting criminals from honest citizens” and trying to “abolish the suburbs.”
“These are the policies that are coming to a neighborhood near you,” Patricia said. “So make no mistake: No matter where you live, your family will not be safe in the radical Democrats’ America.”
The short speech continued the dark, ominous theme of tonight’s convention, despite Republicans’ promises to paint a positive vision for how they wanted to lead the country.
My colleague Lois Beckett wrote about Mark and Patricia McCloskey, who just spoke at the RNC, back in July, when they pointed guns at peaceful protestors:
Gardner is the first African American circuit attorney in St Louis history. Lois wrote:
– Maanvi Singh
Andrew Pollack, whose daughter Meadow was killed in the Parkland shooting, spoke at the Republican convention.
Pollack praised Trump’s response to the shooting and mocked Joe Biden for mistakenly saying he was vice president when the 2018 attack happened.
“Mr. Biden may not know when my daughter was murdered. But I do—February 14, 2018,” Pollack said.
Pollack’s speech came a week after another Parkland father, Fred Guttenberg, addressed the Democratic National Convention.