
Republican National Convention - Day 1
Special | 3h 14m 37sVideo has Closed Captions
Coverage of the Republican National Convention - Day 1
Coverage of the Republican National Convention - Day 1
Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback
Major corporate funding for the PBS News Hour is provided by BDO, BNSF, Consumer Cellular, American Cruise Lines, and Raymond James. Funding for the PBS NewsHour Weekend is provided by...

Republican National Convention - Day 1
Special | 3h 14m 37sVideo has Closed Captions
Coverage of the Republican National Convention - Day 1
Problems with Closed Captions? Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch PBS News Hour
PBS News Hour is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship>> A PANDEMIC OUT OF CONTROL.
>> MORE THAN 176,000 HAVE DIED.
>> AN ECONOMY IN FREEFALL.
>> NEW UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS KICKED BACK OVER 1 MILLION LAST WEEK.
>> ONGOING UNREST, AND A LEADER BEHIND IN THE POLLS.
>> THE POLITICAL FALLOUT KEEPS GROWING FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP.
>> TONIGHT PRESIDENT TRUMP PUTS IT ALL ON THE LINE.
>> A STAKE IN THIS ELECTION IS THE SURVIVAL OF OUR NATION.
>> Woodruff: ATTEMPTING TO DEFY THE ODDS ONCE AGAIN.
>> WE'RE GOING TO WIN FOUR MORE YEARS.
>> Woodruff: THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OFFICIALLY NOMINATES PRESIDENT TRUMP FOR A SECOND TERM.
>> FOUR MORE YEARS FOUR MORE YEARS.
>> Woodruff: OPENING NIGHT OF THE 2020 REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION.
GOOD EVENING, I'M JUDY WOODRUFF AND WELCOME TO OUR SPECIAL PBS NEWSHOUR LIVE COVERAGE OF THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION.
THIS YEAR'S POLITICAL CONVENTIONS ARE LIKE NONE ANY OF US CAN REMEMBER.
WE ALONG WITH THOUSANDS OF OTHERS HAVE PLANNED TO BE IN CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA THIS WEEK.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, THIS GATHERING WILL BE ALMOST ENTIRELY VIRTUAL.
BOTH OUR ANALYSTS AND THE SPEAKERS WHO ARE THE THE REPUBLICANS AM I'M HERE IN THE STUDIO WITH AMY WALTER AND AMNA THAT.
>> Warner: RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
BOTH OF THEM SOCIALLY DISTANT.
WE HAVE REPORTERS AND ANALYSTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WE PLAN TO BRING YOU THE SAME DEPTH OF COVERAGE AND ANALYSIS DURING THIS CRITICAL TIME IN AN HISTORIC ELECTION YEAR.
THIS WEEK PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL MAKE THE CASE FOR ANOTHER FOUR YEARS.
AND WE WILL BE HERE TO HEAR ALL OF IT.
LET'S TURN FIRST TO OUR NEWSHOUR REPORTERS AM THAT NA-WAZ AS I SAY IS IN THE STUDIO JUST AROUND THE CORNER FROM ME TO GIVE US A GUIDE ON WHAT TO EXPECT AND KEY MOMENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR.
>> HI JUDY, LIKE THE DEMOCRATS LAST WEEK REPUBLICANS ARE FEATURING A MIX OF SPEAKERS BOTH PARTY LEADERS AND OFFICIALS BUT ALSO EVERY DAY AMERICANS ADDRESSING THE CONVENTION.
UNLIKE THE DEMOCRATS WE'RE TOLD MANY MORE OF TONIGHT'S SPEAKERS WILL BE LIVE.
BUT AMONG THOSE ON THE STAGE, ALLIES OF PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES INCLUDING CONGRESSMAN MATT GAETZ FROM FLORIDA JIM JORDAN FROM OHIO AND STEVE SCALISE OF LOUISIANA.
S WILL DELIVERING REMARKS, CLOSING THE NIGHT TWO SOUTH CAROLINAS, SENATOR TIM SCOTT OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND PRESIDENT TRUMP'S FORMER AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS, NIKKI HALEY.
WE'LL ALSO HEAR FROM THE PRESIDENT'S FAMILY TONIGHT IN A SPEECH FROM ONE OF HIS SONS, DONALD TRUMP, JR. AS WELL AS TESTIMONY YALS FROM BUSINESS OWNER, A FORMER TEACHER, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AND OTHERS SPEAKING TO SOME OF THE KEY ISSUES IN THE TRUMP RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN.
JUDY, WE'RE ALSO TOLD THAT WE WILL HEAR FROM THE PRESIDENT HIM SIFF TONIGHT AND EVERY NIGHT THIS WEEK.
>> Woodruff: THAT IS WHAT WE ARE HEARING.
SO MORE THAN ONCE, UNLIKE THE TRADITION OF THESE CONVENTIONS.
ALL RIGHT, AMNA, THANK YOU.
AND WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO YOU THROUGHOUT THIS NIGHT.
AND NOW I'M JOINED BY OUR NEWSHOUR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT YAMICHE ALCINDOR ON THE NORTH LAWN OF THE WHITE HOUSE.
PRESIDENT TRUMP JUST GOT BACK THERE AFTER AN EARLIER CAMPAIGN VISIT TO NORTH CAROLINA.
YAMICHE, WE'VE ALREADY HEARD FROM THE PRESIDENT TODAY.
S' NOT EVEN WAITING UNTIL TONIGHT TO MAWK AN APPEARANCE.
>> THAT'S RIGHT, JUDY.
THE PRESIDENT DELIVERED A SPEACH AT THE RNC THAT WAS ALMOST AN HOUR LONG.
AND THAT IS LONGER THAN THE SPEECH JOE BIDEN DELIVERED WHEN HE WAS ACCEPTING THE NOMINATION AT THE DNC.
BUT THAT WAS JUST PRESIDENT TRUMP WARMING UP.
WHAT WE HEAR IS THAT THE PRESIDENT WILL PLAY A BIG ROLE IN THIS CONVENTION.
HE WILL BE HEARD FROM EVERY NIGHT, THAT DOESN'T MEAN HE WILL SPEAK EVERY NIGHT FROM WHAT WE ARE TOLD HE WILL APPEAR EVERY NIGHT.
TONIGHT WE ARE TOLD HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A PERKING WITH FIRST RESPONDERS.
I WAS JUST CHECK A TRUMP CAMPAIGN OFFICIAL WHO TELLS ME FORMER HOSTAGES FREED UNDER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ARE ULTIMATELY MAWKING AN APPEARANCE.
TONIGHT'S THEME WILL BE LAND OF PROMISES.
THE OTHER THING TO NOTE IS THAT THE OVERALL THEME OF THE NIGHT IS GOING TO BE, OR OVERALL THEME OF THE CONVENTION IS GOING TO BE REALLY TALKING ABOUT AMERICA'S GREATNESS AND TALKING ABOUT THE STORY OF AMERICA.
SO REPUBLICANS SAY THEY ARE EAGER TO TALK ABOUT THE OPTIMISTIC VERSIONS OF AMERICA, TALKING ABOUT THE STORY OF AMERICA.
THEY SAY THE DEMOCRATS WERE IF DARK TONES AND THEY PLAN TO BE MORE UPLIFTING.
>> Woodruff: SO YAMICHE THEY WERE WATCHING THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION VERY CLOSELY KNOWING THAT WE WOULD BE, MANY OF US COMPARING THE MESSAGES FROM THE TWO.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
AND THEY'RE VERY UNDERSTANDING OF THAT IDEA THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE EXAWRED TO THE DEMOCRATS.
WE SAW SOME CHANGES ALREADY IN TERMS OF THE ROLE CALL.
THERE WERE PEOPLE ATTACKING THE PRESIDENT, ATTACKING VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN WHILE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE GREATNESS OF THEIR STATE, DEMOCRATS WERE MORE HIGHLY-- THAT SAID I'M TOLD THERE WILL BE A LOT OF THEMES INCLUDING POLICINGK IMMIGRATION, HEAL CARE, OF COURSE THE CORONAVIRUS PLAYING A BIG PART.
7 LIKE THE DEMOCRATS THEY WILL BE TALKING IN EMOTIONAL TERMS.
ONE INTERESTING THING TO NOTE, THE ONLY LIVING REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT, THAT IS GEORGE W. BUSH, WILL NOT BE PART OF THIS REPUBLICAN CONVENTION, THAT TELLS YOU HOW MUCH TENSION THERE REMAINS BETWEEN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND ESTABLISHMENT REPUBLICANS AND PRESIDENT TRUMP.
>> Woodruff: THAT IS ANOTHER CONTRAST WITH THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION WHERE WE DID HEAR FROM ALL THE FORMER LIVING DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTS.
YAMICHE ALCINDOR AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
SHE WILL BE WITH US THROUGHOUT THIS NIGHT AND THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THIS WEEK.
AND NOW TO HELP US BEGIN TO MAKE SENSE OF THIS CONVENTION THAT IS JUST BEGINNING TO UNFOLD WE'LL BE TURNING THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT AND ALL THIS WEEK TO A WIDE RANGE OF ANALYSTS AND SPECIAL GUESTS BUT LET'S START WITH OUR CORE GROUP, THAT IS SYNDICATED COLUMNIST MARK SHIELDS, NEW YORK TIMES COLUMNIST DAVID BROOKS, GARY ABERNATHY, A CONTRIBUTING COLUME NUS FOR "THE WASHINGTON POST" BASED IN OHIO.
CYNTHIA TUCKER SAY PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING SYNDICATED COLUMNIST BASED IN ALABAMA AND HERE AT THE DESK WITH ME, AMY WALTER OF THE COOK POLITICAL REPORT.
WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU, IT IS SO GOOD TO SEE YOU ON THIS MONDAY NIGHT AS WE BEGIN TO HEAR WHAT THE REPUBLICANS HAVE TO SAY.
AMY, WE DID GET A SAMPLING OF IT AS YAMICHE SAID FROM WHAT THE PRESIDENT HAD TO SAY EARLIER TODAY BUT WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR FROM THE REPUBLICANS?
THEY KNOW THIS IS THEIR-- THIS IS THEIR SHOT, IF YOU WILL, OVER THE NEXT FOUR DAYS TO FRANKLY COME FROM BEHIND IN THE POLLS AND MAKE AN IMPRESSION ON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT, JUDY.
AN INCUMBENT PRESIDENT RARELY COMES INTO THE CONVENTION THIS FAR BEHIND IN POLLS TO HIS CHALLENGER.
SO THAT IS ALREADY A CHALLENGE THAT HE HAS IN FRONT OF HIM, THAT REPUBLICANS HAVE IN FRONT OF THEM.
WHICH IS NOT SIMPLY TO CONVINCE THOSE BETWEEN VOTERS ON THE FENCE, KEEP WITH THE INCUMBENT OR GO WITH THE CHAL EDGE-- CHALLENGER.
BUT HE HAS TO PULL THOSE AWAY FROM JOE BIDEN.
THAT IS GOING TO BE DONE IN A COUPLE OF WAYS.
EITHER ONE, MAKE THE CASE WHY YOU ARE THE STRONGER CHOICE.
ESPECIALLY ON THE TWO ISSUES THAT WE KNOW ARE ROYALING THE DLG-- ROILING THE COUNTRY, THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, AND THE ECONOMIC FALLOUT FROM THAT, AND OF COURSE RACHEL-- RACIAL ISSUES TOO BECOMING SUCH A BIG ISSUE.
ON ALL THREE OF THOSE THINGS, AT LEAST ON TWO OF THOSE THINGS THE PRESIDENT IS DEAPLY UNDERWATER ON THOSE, SO THE TRUST FACTOR IS ALREADY PRETTY LOW.
THAT LEAVES THE PRESIDENT WITH ONE OTHER CHOICE IN ORDER TO GET THOSE VOTE ARES BACK FROM JOE BIDEN.
AND THAT IS MAKE SWROA BIDEN AN UNACCEPTABLE ALTERNATIVE.
YOU HEARD SOME OF THAT IN CHARLOTTE, YOU HEARD IT CONSTANTLY FROM THE PRESIDENT ABOUT HOW JOE BIDEN CAN'T BE TRUSTED, THAT HE IS TOO OLD.
HE IS REALLY MENTALLY IN DECLINE.
AND THAT HE IS GOING TO BE CAPTIVE TO THE LIBERAL INTERESTS.
I THINK WE WILL HEAR A LOT OF THAT THIS WEEK.
BUT I THINK WHAT THE PRESIDENT REALLY NEEDS TO DO IS TO SHOW WHAT HIS VISION VERY CLEARLY IS FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS AND HOW HE IS GOING TO BRING-- HOW WILL HE BRING THE COUNTRY BACK FROM WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
>> Woodruff: MARK SHIELDS, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR FROM THE REPUBLICANS THIS WEEK.
HOW MUCH OF IT WILL BE A NEED FOR DONALD TRUMP TO TELL US POR ABOUT HIS VISION AS AMY JUST SAID.
AND HOW MUCH IS IT GOING TO BE OKAY FOR HIM TO FRNGLY JUST CONTINUE TO BEAT UP ON JOE BIDEN.
>> WELL, I THINK AMY MAKES A GOOD POINT AS SHE ALWAYS DOES, JUDY.
BUT I REALLY THINK DONALD TRUMP IS, WHATEVER ELSE HE IS, HE IS UNCONVENTIONAL.
WE WOULD SAY AT THIS POINT IN THE CAMPAIGN THE FIGHT IS ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE ELECTORATE, AND DONALD TRUMP WILL MAKE OVERTURES AND TRY TO JUMP INTO THE MIDDLE, GRAB A CHUNK OF IT.
THAT IN MY JUDGMENT IS NOT DONALD TRUMP'S APPROACH.
DN ALD TRUMP HAS TO, IN THE FOUR POLLS I HAVE SEEN, SINCE THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION, DONE ALL TRUMP'S APPROVAL RATING IS AN AVERAGE OF 41 PERCENT.
I'M SORRY, YOU JUST CAN'T GET RE-ELECTED ON THAT.
BUT HE HAS GOT TO MAKE IT INTO A CHOICE, IF IT SAY REFERENDUM ON DONE ALL TRUMP, HE'S DEAD MEAT.
SO I THINK WHAT YOU WILL SEE HIM DOING AND THE CONVENTION TRYING IT DO THIS WEEK, ARE TWO THINGS.
ONE, TO REACH OUT TO SIM PATHETIC TRUMP VOTER WHATS MAY NOT BE INVOLVED OR ENGAGED IN THE ELECTORATE TO TRY AND ENGAGE THEM, TO CONVINCE THEM THAT NOT ONLY THAT HE IS THE RIGHT GUY BUT THAT THIS ELECTION IS IMPORTANT TO THEM.
SO ARE YOU NOT CONVERTING PEOPLE, ARE YOU JUST ENERGIZING PEOPLE WHO ARE OTHERWISE NOT INVOLVED.
AND TWO, TO DISCOURAGE SOME PEOPLE, DEMOCRATS, MAYBE EVEN REPUBLICANS WHO WERE LEANING DEMOCRATS ABOUT JOE BIDEN, TO RAISE DOUBTS THERE.
I THINK IT IS THAT SIMP SELL.
WHAT IS MOST REMARKABLE TO ME, IT MADE ME THINK OF-- WHO ROOSEVELT SAID ABOUT HER FAWRT, HE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE THE CORPS AT EVERY FEURN RAL, THE BRIDE AT EVERY WEDDING AND THE BABY AT EVERY CRISTENING.
HE LOVES THE SPOTLIGHT THAT THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
DN ALD TRUMP MAKES THEODORE ROOSEVELT A SHRINKING VY LOT-- VIOLET.
HE HAS TO BE WALL TO WALL THIS WEEK.
GET READY FOR IT.
>> Woodruff: DAVID BROOKS, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR.
>> WHY DO WE HAVE OTHER SPEAKERS OTHER THAN DONALD TRUMP AND THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY.
THIS IS GOING TO BE BETTER THAN I EXPECT IT TO BE.
AND I REALIZE THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE BUT SHOW I THINK TRUMP IS A SHOWMAN AND WILL PULL SOMETHING OUT OF HIS HAT.
THE FUNDAMENTALS ARE PROMISING FOR HIM OR AT LEAST POSSIBLE FOR HIM.
THE BIGGEST DIVIDE IS EDUCATION LEVEL.
AMONG PEOPLE OF COLLEGE DEGREES, MORE THAN 50% GO FOR THE DEMOCRATS.
AMONG PEOPLE WITH HIGH SCHOOL DEGREES, MORE THAN 60% OR AROUND 60% GO FOR THE REPUBLICANS.
AND JUST A LOT MR PEOPLE WITH HIGH SCHOOL DEGREES, 34% OF THE LECH TRORRATE-- ELECTORATE HAS A COLLEGE DEGREE AND TWICE AS MANY HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DEGREE.
AND SO THERE IS FERTILE GROUND OUT THERE AND THE MODEL IS THE BRITISH CONSERVATIVE PARTY, THEY WERE FOR CENTURIES THE LAND OF GENT REE PARTY, NOW THEY ARE THE PART OF THE BRITISH WORKING CLASS AND HAVE BUILT A GIGANTIC MAJORITY.
THAT IS THE MODEL.
FIND A SERIES OF ISSUES WHICH ORGANIZE PEOPLE WHO ARE HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATED WORKING CLASS FOLKS.
AND I THINK THE DEMOCRATS LEFT AN OPENING ON CHINA, ON IMMIGRATION, ON A SERIES OF OTHER ISSUES, WE'LL SEE IF DONALD TRUMP CAN MARCH THROUGH IT.
I THINK AS MARK SAID, HIS OPTION IS A TO KNOCK DOWN JOE BIDEN.
BUT B, TO SAY HEY, YOU DON'T LIKE ME BUT YOU NEED ME.
AND THAT IS MOSTLY A POLICY ARGUMENT RATE NOW.
>> GARY ABERNATHY, WHAT ARE YOU KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR?
>> WELL, JUDY, FIRST OF ALL THANKS FOR HAVING ME THIS WEEK, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT I'M HONORED TO BE HERE WITH YOUR ESTEEMED PANEL.
LUKE ALL OF US I MISS THE EXCITEMENT OF THE CONVENTION, I MISSED IT LAST WEEK, I WILL MISS IT THIS WEEK WITH THE THOUSANDS CHEERING.
THAT IS JUST SUCH A BIG PART OF IT.
BUT MARK HIT ON SOMETHING I WANTED TO REINFORCE WHICH IS TRUMP, YOU KNOW FROM FOUR YEARS AGO, HAS BEEN DOUBLING DOWN ON HIS BASE.
HE REALLY MAKES VERY LITTLE EFFORT TO EXPAND THAT BASE.
HE DOESN'T REACH TO THE MIDDLE.
SO THIS WEEK YOU ARE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF RED MEAT FOR HIS BASE.
I KNOW TONIGHT I THINK WE HAVE GOT SCHEDULED McCLOSKEYS, THE COUPLE FROM ST. LOUIS WHO WERE BRAND YOU WERING THEIR WEAPONS AS THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MARCH WAS GOING PAST.
AND THEY SAY DEFENDING THEIR PROPERTY.
A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?
HIS BASE WHICH YOU KNOW, LARGELY SUPPORTS AGGRESSIVELY THE SECOND AMENDMENT AND FIGHTS ANY EFFORT TO DO ANYTHING TO CURTAIL GUNS OR GUN OWNERSHIP, THEY'RE GOING TO LOVE THAT.
AND I THINK THAT THE EFFORT IS TO APPEAL TO THE BASE AND PUT OUT JUST ENOUGH, JUST ENOUGH TO CONVINCE TYPICALLY REPUBLICAN-LEANING MODERATES HEY, YOU ABOUT THER GO WITH US BECAUSE EVEN IF YOU DON'T LIKE TRUMP, WE'RE BETTER THAN THE ALTERNATIVE.
AND THEN WHAT WE ARE ALSO GOING TO SEE, JUDY, IS WHEREAS BIDEN HAS BEEN VERY LIMITEDDED, KIND OF VERY HANDLED, SAYS HE IS FOLLOWING THE SCIENCE AND SO I IS GOING TO KIND OF STAY IN THE HOUSE.
TRUMP IS GOING TO BE EVERYWHERE THIS WEEK.
AS YOU MENTIONED, WHETHER HE IS SPEAKING OR NOT, HE WANTS TO SHOW THAT CONTRAST TOO.
>> Woodruff: CYNTHIA TUCKER TRK IS YOUR TURN TO TELL US WHAT YOU EXPECT TONIGHT.
>> JUDY, ONE.
THINGS I AM GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR, NOT JUST TONIGHT AND NOT JUST FROM THE PRESIDENT, BUT OVERALL, IS THE TONE OF THE CONVENTION.
THE PRESIDENT AND HIS ALLIES HAVE SAID THAT THE DEMOCRATS GAVE US A VERY DREARY, DE PRESSING VIEW OF THE U.S., THAT INSTEAD THEY WILL GIVE US A BRIGHT, OPTIMISTICS VISION.
NOW THAT IS NOT WHAT THE PRESIDENT DID IN HIS SPEECH EARLIER TODAY.
HE GAVE A RAMBLING SPEECH FULL OF ANGER AND GRIEVEANCE AND FALSEHOODS, OF COURSE, SO I WILL BE LOOKING TO SEE THAT TONE IF WILL YOU.
I WILL ALSO BE LOOKING TO SEE WHAT EXACTLY THE SPEAKER INCLUDING THE PRESIDENT SAY ABOUT WHAT THIS ELECTION IS FRAMED AROUND AND THAT IS THE PANDEMIC.
YES, THE PRESIDENT WILL CERTAINLY BE TRYING TO DRAW CONTRAST IN TERMS OF BEING OUT THERE, TOUCHING MORE PEOPLE LITERALLY, I SUSPECT THAN JOE BIDEN DID.
BUT I THINK HE HAS TO ALSO AK KNOWLEDGE THE PAIN AND TRAUMA THAT SO MANY AMERICANS HAVE ENDURED.
AND THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HE HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO SO FAR.
AND LIKE GARY, I WILL BE LOOKING TO SEE IF HE REACHES BEYOND HIS BASE.
THEY HAVE SAID EARLIER THAT MORE AMERICANS ARE WITHOUT COLLEGE DEGREES THAN HAVE COLLEGE DEGREES.
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
BUT MANY OF THOSE AMERICANS WITHOUT COLLEGE DEGREES ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR, LATINO VOTERS AND BLACK VOTERS AND INDIAN-AMERICAN VOTERS AND CHINESE-AMERICAN VOTERS.
AND THE PRESIDENT HAS DONE VERY LITTLE TO REACH OUT TO THEM.
SO I WILL BE LOOKING TO SEE IF HE TRIES TO OFFER ANYTHING OTHER THAN RED MEAT TO HIS BASE.
>> Woodruff: ALL RIGHT, WELL IT IS A LOT TO THINK ABOUT AS WE GET READY, THE CONVENTION WILL GET UNDER WAY IN A MATTER OF MINUTES.
WE'RE GOING TO PICK IT UP WITH LIVE COVERAGE STARTING AT 9:00 EASTERN, BUT IN THE MANY TIME AS WE HAVE BEEN SAYING, THESE CONVENTIONS THIS YEAR ARE LIKE NO OTHER IN HISTORY.
NOW AMNA IS BACK WITH THIS LOOK AT THIS UNIQUE MOMENT AND HOW WE ENDED UP HERE.
>> I HUMMABLY AND GRATEFULLY ACCEPT YOUR NOMINATION.
>> FOUR YEARS AGO IN CLEVELAND THEN CANDIDATE DONALD TRUMP ACCEPTED THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION FOR PRESIDENT IN FRONT OF A ROARING CROWD OF THOUSANDS.
>> AND WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.
BUT THIS YEAR PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL ACCEPT HIS SECRETARY TERM NOMINATION FROM THE QUIETER AND EMPTIER WHITE HOUSE SOUTH LAWN.
IT'S BEEN A SUMMER OF BACK AND FORTH, WHERE THE PRESIDENT AND REPUBLICAN OFFICIALS PLANNING THIS YEAR'S REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION.
>> I DON'T ENVY THEM BUT I DO BELIEVE THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE TO GO THROUGH.
>> EXECUTIVE PRODUCER FOR THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTIONS OF 2012 AND 2016, HE KNOWS INTIMATELY THE CHALLENGE OF ENGINEERING A MASS I'VE VENT LIKE THIS UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
THIS YEAR THE DEGREE OF DEFICIT IS HIGHER.
>> LOOKING AT WHAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH WITH THE PANDEMIC AND SEEING HOW PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO ADJUST, ALL OF HOW WE DO PRODUCTIONS, IT MUST BE AN UNDAWNTING TASK FOR THE FOLKS AT THE RNC, TO PULL UP OFF A CONVENTION.
>> AS FOR DEMOCRATS AND THEIR CONVENTION LAST WEEK, THE PANDEMIC FORCED REPUBLICANS TO DRAMICALLY SCALE BACK PLANS.
TODAY IN CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, THE HOST CITY THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE CENTER OF THE SPECTACLE, NEAR EMPTY STREETS AND EVENT SIGNS LEFT BEHIND.
>> THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS PUTTING TOGETHER AND PLANNING A LOT OF GREAT CONTENT.
>> GOP NATIONAL SPOKESPERSON LIZ HARRINGTON TOLD FUSHOUR THAT DESPITE THE CHALLENGES ORGANIZERS REMAIN OPTIMISTIC.
>> WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE ENGAGED.
WE WANT MORE LIVE COVERAGE.
WE WANT TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO EXPERIENCE SOME OF THESE LIVE SPEECHES IN A SAFE WAY.
AND THE MESSAGE REALLY IS THAT WE LOVE OUR COUNTRY, WE'RE FIGHTING TO DEFEND OUR FREEDOMS AND WE HAVE A BIG CHOICE ELECTION COMING UP.
>> THE ROAD LEADING UP TO THIS WEEK'S RNC HAS BEEN ROCKY.
TENSIONS ABOUT THE PANDEMIC'S IMPACT ON CONVENTION PLANS STARTED RISING BACK IN MAY WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP CRITICIZED NORTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR ROY COOPER FOR HIS STRICT CORONAVIRUS GUIDE LINES.
THREATENING TO MOVE THE CONDITION VENGS IF THEY WEREN'T ALLOWED TO HOST A FULL IN-PERSON EVENT.
AS THE PRESIDENT AND OTHERS PUSH TO CONVENE A SEVERAL THOUSAND PERSON EVENT, NORTH CAROLINA OFFICIALS PUSH BACK.
IN A LETTER TO THE RNC GOVERNOR COOPER ARGUED THAT QUOTE PLANNING FOR A SCALED DOWN CONVENTION WITH FEWER PEOPLE SOCIAL DISTANCING AND FACE COVERINGS IS A NECESSITY.
IN JUNE, TRUMP AND THE RNC ANNOUNCED THEY WOULD BE MOVING KEY CONVENTION EVENTS TO JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.
BUT AS FOR DA'S COVID-19 CASES CONTINUE TO RIS AND THE STATE STARTED SEEING RECORD SPIKES, PLANS FOR JACKSONVILLE WERE SCRAPPED THE NEXT MONTH.
>> PRESIDENT TRUMP LOOKING AT THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND MADE THE BEST DECISION FOR THE CITIZENS OF JACKSONVILLE FOR OUR DELEGATES, FOR MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELING THERE AND ALL OF OUR GREAT BORDERS AS WELL.
>> THIS WEEK IN NORTH CAROLINA THE CHARLOTTE CONVENTION CENTER WILL HOST SOME PARTY BUSINESS LIKE THE DELEGATES NOMINATING CEREMONY.
>> THE GREAT STATE OF CONNECTICUT IS CASTING ALL 28 DELEGATES.
>> NORMALLY THOUSANDS OF DELEGATES WOULD PARTICIPATE.
>> PURSUANT TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT.
>> BUT THIS YEAR ONLY 336 ATTENDED THIS MORNING'S ROLE CALL.
SIX DELEGATES FROM EACH STATE AND TERRITORY.
>> I PRODUCEDLY CAST 28 VOTES FOR PRESIDENT DN ALD J TRUMP.
>> OTHER KEY CONVENTION MOMENTS WILL TAKE PLACE REMOTELY, UNDER THE THEME HONORING THE GREAT AMERICAN STORY.
AND SPEAKERS WILL INCLUDE A MIX OF PARTY LEAD ARES AND EVERY DAY AMERICANS.
THE PRESIDENT WHO RELISHES THE RAUCOUS, LIVE RALLY EXPERIENCE WILL ADDRESS SUPPORT ARES FROM A DISTANCE, ASKING THEM TO TURN OUT FOR HIM ONCE AGAIN.
FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR.
>> Woodruff: AN THROUGHOUT THIS WEEK WE ARE GOING TO BE TALKING TO SOME PROMINENT REPUBLICANS INCLUDING ARKANSAS' GOVERNOR ASA HUTCHINSON.
HE JOINS US RIGHT NOW FROM LITTLE ROCK, GOVERNOR HUTCHINSON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.
WE APPRECIATE IT.
SO YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE THE CHAIR OF THE ARKANSAS DELEGATION AT THE AUDITORIUM WHERE SOME OF THE DELEGATES ARE MEETING HERE IN WASHINGTON DOWNTOWN.
YOU DECIDED TO STAY HOME.
YOU SAID I'VE GOT A LOT TO DEAL WITH COVID AND SO FORTH.
WHAT ARE YOU AND OTHER ARKANSASANS LOOKING FOR THIS WEEK FROM THIS CONVENTION?
>> WELL, THANK YOU JUDY.
AND YOU'RE RIGHT, IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BE IN ARKANSAS RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE STARTING SCHOOL.
WE STILL HAVE COVID.
WE'RE DEALING WITH THAT.
BUT IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR THIS CONVENTION TO GO FORWARD WITH ENTHUSIASM.
AND I'M SPEAKING DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN CONVENTION BECAUSE WHILE THE NATION IS FOCUSED ON COVID AND TRYING TO HAVE SOME NORMALCY IN LIFE, WE HAVE TO ELECT A PRESIDENT FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
AND THIS CONVENTION WILL HELP EVERYONE TO GET FOCUSED.
IN TERMS OF CHARACTER CHARACTER AND I THINK THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS MOTIVATION, WHY THIS ELECTION IS IMPORTANT, AND TO GET US ENGAGED.
AND SECONDLY T IS ABOUT MOVING VOTE ARES AS WELL.
AND THAT'S WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP NEEDS TO DO IS TO MOTIVATE HIS BASE BUT ALSO NOT TO FORGET THAT WE ARE CAN MOVE VOTERS INTO HIS COLUME, I THINK PARTLY BY REMEUNDING HIM OF WHAT HE HAS DONE.
BUT SECRETARILY PAINTING A BROAD AND EXPANSIVE VIEW AS TO WHAT HE WANTS TO DO.
TONIGHT IS A GOOD START WITH THE AMERICAN STORY.
>> WHEN YOU SAY NEEDS TO MOVE VOTE ARES INTO HIS COLUME T SUGGESTS THAT HE HASN'T DONE ENOUGH OF THAT UNTIL NOW.
>> WELL, I MEAN THE POLL NUMBERS SHOW THAT HE IS FIGHTING UPHILL.
IF YOU TAKE THOSE POLL NUMBERS AT FACE VALUE, AND I BELIEVE THIS THEM, HE'S PROVEN BEFORE THAT HE CAN SURGE IN AN ELECTION.
AND THAT IS WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF MOVING VOTERS.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE SWING STATES, WHAT MOVES THEM.
WHAT GOT THEM IN HIS COLUME TO BEGIN WITH, WERE THE TRADE ISSUES.
HE NEEDED TO REMIND THEM THAT I AM THE ONE THAT REDID NORTH AMERICA FREE TRADE AGREEMENT.
I SAID I COULD DO IT, WE GOT IT DONE.
WE GOT TOUGH ON CHINA.
THESE ARE ISSUES THAT RESONATE WITH THOSE BLUE CLAR WORKERS THAT ARE FORMER REAGAN DEMOCRATS IN THOSE SWING STATES.
SO HE'S GOT TO GO BACK TO THAT BASE AND THAT'S SOME OF THOSE THAT HE HAS LOST.
BUT HE NEEDS TO REGAIN THOSE.
I THINK HE CAN DO IT BY REMINDING THEM WHAT HE HAS DONE WITH THE ECONOMY AND ON TRADE ISSUES.
>> HAS THE PRESIDENT'S HANDLING OF THIS PANDEMIC GOVERNOR HUTCHINSON, IS THAT NOW A PLUS OR A MINE US FOR HIM?
>> I DON'T THINK IT'S A PLUS FOR HIM.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT NORMALLY IN TIMES OF CRISIS, YOU HAVE A PRESIDENT THAT CAN LEAD, CAN BE THE FOKAL POINT, AND IT IS A BENEFIT.
AND IT WAS FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP WHENEVER HE WAS EARLY ON HAVING HIS DAILY BRIEFINGS, I KNOW THAT HE GOT, YOU KNOW, INTO THE WEEDS ON SOME OF IT.
AND THEY CRITICIZED HIM FOR MISSPEAKING.
BUT HE WAS ENGAGED.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS A PRUS FOR HIM DURING THAT TIME.
HE DISENGAGED AND NOW HE'S COME BACK.
AND SO THE PRESIDENT DURING A NATIONAL EMERGENCY HAS TO LEAD.
AND HE'S DONE THAT.
HE HAS DONE IT IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
BUT HE STILL CAN MAKE THIS A PLUS IF HE, IF HE ENGAGES AND REALLY HELPS ADDRESS SOME OF THE TESTING PROBLEMS THAT WE'VE STRUGGLED WITH AT THE STATE LEVEL.
IF THE CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE CONTINUES TO FUNCTION WELL, SUPPORTS THE GOVERNORS AS WE MAKE DECISIONS, WHENEVER I SAY IT IS A PLUS, WE SHOULDN'T LOOK AT ANYTHING ABOUT THIS VIRUS BEING A PLUS FOR A-- OR A MINE US BUT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR A PRESIDENT.
>> Woodruff: I UNDERSTAND.
I WANT TO ASK YOU, YOU ANNOUNCED I THINK ON FRIDAY THAT YOU ARE ASKING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR AN ADDITIONAL $300 A WEEK IN WEEKLY FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.
WE KNOW THAT A FEW WEEKS AGO PRESIDENT TRUMP SPOKE ABOUT THERE COULD BE A $400 PACKAGE THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD PUT OUT A HUNDRED IF THE STATES PUT UP 300.
IS THAT, HOW HAS THAT, WITHOUTED OUT BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW THE CONGRESS, THE HOUSE PASSED A VERSION OF COVID RELIEF, THE SENATE HAS NOT UNDER REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP.
WE DON'T KNOW WHERE IT STANDS IN CONGRESS.
BUT WHERE DOES IT STAND FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF YOUR ARKANSASANS WHO ARE OUT OF WORK?
WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THIS CRIES OUT FOR CONGRESSIONAL SOLUTION.
WE NEED TO HAVE THE LEADERSHIP, DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP COME TOGETHER AND GET SOMETHING DONE HERE BECAUSE IT DOES HURT THOSE AMERICANS THAT ARE NOT GETTING THE EXPANDED UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION THAT NEEDS TO GET THEM THROUGH THIS.
AND RIGHT NOW PREVIOUSLY WE HAD 600 A WEEK IN EXTRA COMPENSATION.
THE PRESIDENT SAID WE CAN TRY TO DO THIS BY EXECUTIVE ORDER FOR 400.
BUT WE WERE ABLE TO MANAGE AND PUT OUR APPLICATION IN FOR 300 PER WEEK EXTENDED BENEFIT FOR UNEMPLOYMENT.
AND WE'RE WAITING FOR APPROVAL OF THAT.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE $600 BECAUSE WE'RE MOVING PEOPLE TO WORK.
OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS GOING DOWN.
OUR ECONOMY IS EXPANDING.
AND IT IS ALSO AN INCENTIVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET PAID MORE WHEN YOU ARE WORKING VERSUS NOT WORKING.
AND SO I THINK THAT IS A GOOD AMOUNT, BUT THEY DO NEED THAT EXTRA ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THESE ARE TOUGH TIMES.
AND THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME CHALLENGES THAT THEY ARE GOING TO FACE IN FUTURE AND WE WANT TO GET THAT MONEY FLOWING AGAIN.
CONGRESS NEEDS TO ACT.
>> I HEAR YOU SAYING THIS IS A STOP GAP, IN EFFECT.
YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE CONGRESS DO SOMETHING, SOMETHING MORE PERMANENT.
CONTRAST BETWEEN THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION, THIS CONVENTION, GOVERNOR HUTCHINSON.
THE PEOPLE HAVE COMNTED ON IT.
THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION, EF RELIVING FORMER DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT WAS SPEAKING, HOW TO ROLL IN THE CONVENTION, ON THE FORMER PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEES WERE INVOLVED LIKE AL GORE.
AT THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION YOU DON'T SEE FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH.
YOU DON'T SEE MITT ROMNEY WHO OF COURSE RAN FOR PRESIDENT AS A REPUBLICAN NOMINEE, OR THE WIDOW OF JOHN MCCAIN.
WHAT ARE WE TO MAKE OF THAT?
>> WELL, IT'S NOT HELPFUL AND I WISH THEY WERE ALL PARTICIPATING IN THIS.
I SERVED IN GEORGE W. BUSH'S ADMINISTRATION WITH GREAT JOY AND SERVICE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM EITHER HAVE THE INVITE OR BE ABLE TO SHOW HIS SUPPORT FOR THE REPUBLICAN CAUSE THAT HE HAS DE VOTED HIS LIFE TO, AND THE SERVICE OF OUR COUNTRY.
BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE.
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK ALL THOSE THINGS OUT.
BUT LOOK AT WHAT THEY DO HAVE TONIGHT.
I MEAN NIKKI HALEY, WHAT A GREAT STORY.
AND SENATOR SCOTT, THIS IS GOING TO BE PORTRAYING A BROADER VISION OF AMERICA THAN WHAT PEOPLE ARE USED TO SEEING.
AND IT IS VERY IMPORTANT, THAT MESSAGE OF THE AMERICAN STORY ABOUT BROADENING OUR BASE AND ABOUT RACIAL HEALING AS WELL WHICH I HOPE WILL BE PART OF THAT MESSAGE TONIGHT.
>> Woodruff: DO YOU BELIEVE PRESIDENT TRUMP IS SENDING THE RIGHT SIGNALS, SAYING THE MESSAGE IN THE WAY WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IT SAID, SPOKEN NOW WHEN IT COMES TO RACIAL HEALING?
>> WELL, HE DOESN'T EXPRESS THINGS ALWAYS IN THE WAY I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT EXPRESSED.
BUT WHENEVER YOU LOOK AT THE NEEDS OF OUR COUNTRY, WE DO NEED TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST INSTITUTIONAL BIAS, WHETHER IT IS-- OR OTHER INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT.
THE PRESIDENT HAS TO BE A HEALER.
YOU CAN BE A HEALER AT THE SAME TIME THAT YOU ARE SUPPORTING OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND I DON'T THINK THOSE ARE CON TRA DIK OTHER AT ALL.
AND WE NEED TO SHOW BRIDGE THOSE GAPS.
THE PRESIDENT I BELIEVE IN THIS CONVENTION WILL TRY TO DO IT IN HIS OWN WAY.
AND IT WILL BE THROUGH HIS OWN VOICE, WHICH HE HAS DONE BEFORE.
BUT IT WILL ALSO BE THROUGH SPEAKERS LIKE I MENTIONED THAT WILL BE ADDRESSING THE CONVENTION TONIGHT AND THROUGH OTHERS.
SO I HOPE THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE DIVISIVE, SIMPLY ONE THAT MOTIVATES THE BASE, BUT ALSO A CONVENTION THAT BROADENS AND MOVES VOTERS INTO THE REPUBLICAN COLUME FOR NOVEMBER.
>> Woodruff: I HOPE WE CAN CHECK BACK WITH YOU AT THE END OF THE WEEK TO SEE IF THE CONVENTION FULFILLED YOUR WISH.
TBOFER IN ASA HUTCHINSON JOINING US FROM LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS.
WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.
>> Woodruff: AND WE NOW WANT TO BRING IN SOME OTHER VOICES WHO HAVE JOINED US LAST WEEK AND ARE BACK WITH US AGAIN.
THROUGHOUT THIS COMING WEEK, THEY ARE MICHAEL NUTTER, A FORMER MAYOR OF PHILADELPHIA, CHRIS BUSKIRK THE EDITOR OF THE JOWCIAL AMERICAN GREATNESS JOINS US FROM PHOENIX, SARA SMARSH, AUTHOR OF THE BOOK HEARTLAND AND ELUANA JOHNSON EDITOR IN CHIEF OF THE WASHINGTON FREEBIE CON.
VERY GOOD TO SEE YOU, WERE YOU NOT WITH US LAST WEEK, SO WE ARE EMLY GIVING YOU A WELCOME TONIGHT.
SO ELIANA I WILL START WITH YOU, WHAT DO YOU SEE NEEDS TO HAPPEN TONIGHT, I WAS STRUCK BY WHAT GOVERNOR HUTCHINSON SAID, THAT TRUMP NEEDS TO NOT ONLY REACH OUT TO THE BASE LIKE HE HAS BEEN DOING BUT GO BEYOND THAT.
>> I THINK THAT RIGHT, I THINK WE HAVE HEARD QUITE A BIT FROM THE PRESIDENT ABOUT THE DANGERS POSED BY A DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATION.
HE TALKED ABOUT THAT A LOT, POINTING TO SOCIALISM AND OTHER EVILS.
WE HAVEN'T HEARD AS MUCH ABOUT WHAT HIS VISION IS FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS IF VOTERS GRANT HIM ONE.
AND I THINK DEMOCRATS LEFT SOME OPENINGS FOR HIM PARTICULARLY ON NEWLY AGGRESSIVE COMMUNIST CHINA, ON-- THEY BARELY TALKED ABOUT THE VIOLENCE THAT IS AFFLICTING MANY INNER CITIES.
I THINK THE PRESIDENT WOULD DO WELL TO FOCUS ON THAT.
AND ALSO HOW HE PLANS TO HELP THE ECONOMY RECOVER FROM THE PLACE IT IS IN RIGHT NOW.
>> Woodruff: MICHAEL NUTTER, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR TORCHT AND-- TONIGHT AND WHAT DO YOU THINK THE PRESIDENT SHOULD DO, WHAT THE PARTY NEEDS TO DO AND WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY WILL DO.
>> JUDYK I'M PROBABLY THE LAST PERSON IN THE UNIVERSE TO TRY TO GIVE DONALD TRUMP ADVICE BUT WHAT I WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT IS IF DONED A TRUMP CONTINUES THIS LINE OF ATTACK THAT HE TOOK EARLIER TODAY, ULTIMATELY QUESTIONING THE INTEGRITY OF THE ELECTION PROCESS HEAR IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
HE'S TRYING TO CREATE AND PLANT THE SEED IN PEOPLE'S MINDS THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE OF TWO THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN.
EITHER HE WINS, OR THE ELECTION IS STOLEN.
YOU KNOW, THERE IS ACTUALLY THE POSSIBILITY IN ANY ELECTION THAT YOU CAN LOSE.
AND SO QUESTIONING THE ELECTION PROCESS SUGGESTING THAT SHOW IT IS GOING TO BE STOLEN FROM HIM, AS OPPOSED TO AMERICANS GOING OUT TO VOTE.
JUDY, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT 29 OF THE 50 STATESES, SECRETARY OF STATESES ARE ACTUALLY REPUBLICAN.
YOU JUST HAD THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR OF ARKANSAS ON A SECOND AGO.
DONALD TRUMP SAYING THAT THE GOVERNOR AND SECRETARY OF STATE AND ARKANSAS CAN'T RUN AN ELECTION?
QUESTIONING THE CREDIBILITY OF EVERYONE WHO GETS ELECTED ACROSS THE UNITED STATES OR JUST BECAUSE HE IS BEHIND IN EVERY LEGITIMATE POLL IN THE COUNTRY.
THIS IS WRONG.
ST DANGEROUS.
AND AMERICA SHOULD BE RESISTING ANY IDEA THAT SHOW IF HE POSSIBLY LOSES, IT WAS ANYTHING OTHER THAN HIM NOT GETTING ENOUGH VOTES EITHER POPULAR VOTE OR THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE.
>> Woodruff: CHRIS BUSKIRK, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO OVERLAY THIS CONVENTION, DO YOU THINK?
>> I DONE THINK SO.
I THINK THE CASE THAT REPUBLICANS AND PRESIDENT TRUMP IN PARTICULAR WANT TO MAKE IS ONE THAT HAS BEEN ELUDED TO A COUPLE OF TIMES ALREADY, WHICH IS THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS CHANGED QUITE A BIT.
AND THE BASE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS CHANGED WHICH IS THIS IS NOW A WORKING AND MIDDLE CLASS PARTY STVMENT NO LONGER A PARTY OF BIG CORPORATIONS.
THE DEMOCRATS ARE HAVE SORT OF INHERITED THOSE WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS YOU SEE PEOPLE LIKE MITT ROMNEY, GEORGE W. BUSH STAYING AWAY.
THEY PROBABLY WEREN'T INVITED AND IT IS BECAUSE THEIR VIEWS ARE NOT -- WITH THE VIEWS OF THE REPUBLICAN BASE ANY MORE.
THE CASE THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE FROM TODAY AND THURSDAY EVERY DAY IS TO MAKE THE CASE DIRECTLY TO THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY WHICH IS THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE BETTER OFF IN A YEAR, TWO YEARS, IN FOUR YEARS IF YOU ELECT REPUBLICANS BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF THE MIDDLE CLASS, OF THE WORKING CLASS AND WE HAVE YOUR INTEREST AT HEART.
>> WHILE I'M TALKING TO YOU AND SARA SMARSH, I WILL COME TO YOU NEXT, I AM TOLD THAT THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION TONIGHT HAS GOTTEN UNDER WAY.
THEY WERE DUE TO GET UNDER WAY AT 8:30.
WE'RE GOING TO BE JOINING THEM AT 9:00 EASTERN, EASTERN TIME.
BUT WE WILL BE DIPPING IN FROM TIME TO TIME BEFORE 9:00.
AND THEN OF COURSE MORE OF THE CONVENTION STARTING AT 9:00.
BUT SARA, I WANT TO, I DO WANT TO COME TO THIS QUESTION ABOUT WHAT THE PRESIDENT NEEDS TO DO.
HOW MUCH DOES HE NEED TO REACH OUT.
HOW MUCH DOES HE JUST NEED TO CONTINUE TO SOLIDIFY THAT BASE THAT HAS STAYED WITH HIM AND STAYED WITH HIM FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
>> WELL, I THINK THAT WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO AND PERHAPS WHAT HE IS CAPABLE OF DOING ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS.
IF POLLING NUMBERS ARE CORRECT THEN HE ABSOLUTELY NEEDS TO STORT OF CHANGE UP HIS PERFORMANCE, HIS TO SHOW WHAT HE PULLS FORTH, TYPICALLY TENDS TO BE FALSEHOODS OTHERWISE KNOWN AS LIES, OFTEN RACIST DOG WHISTLES OR OUTRIGHT BIGOTRY.
AND THESE PIECES OF THE TRUMP PUZZLE HAVEN'T THUS FAR SPOKEN NECESSARILY TO INDEPENDENT VOTERS.
THEY BY AND LARGE HAVE UNFAVOURABLE VIEW OF HIM SINCE THE PANDEMIC HIT.
AND SO CERTAINLY WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO AND WHAT HE MIGHT BE BEING ADVISED TOWARD IS REACHING OUT IN THEIR DIRECTION, CHANGING HIS TACTIC-- TACTICS BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING TO INDICATE THAT HE CAN OR WILL DO THAT.
>> WHAT ABOUT THAT, ELIANA JOHNSON.
DOES HE HAVE THAT CAP AUTOMOBILE.
DOES HE HAVE THAT IN HIS DNA DO YOU THINK?
>> YOU KNOW, IT'S A TOUGH QUESTION.
I THINK WE HAVE SEEN THROUGHOUT, OVER THE PAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS THAT MORE PEOPLE APPROVE OF THE PRESIDENT'S JOB PERFORMANCE THAN APPROVE OF HIM PERSONALLY.
I THINK THAT THOSE NUMBERS SHOULD LAY A ROAD MAP FOR HIM OF WHAT TO FOCUS ON.
NOT TO PUT HIS PERSONALITY AT THE CENTER OF THIS BUT TO FOCUS ON POLICY AND THERE IS A VOTERS IN THERE, SUBURBAN WOMEN AND THE WORKING CLASS VOTERS WHO DEFECTED FROM OT BAMA COALITION IN 2016 THAT HE ABSOLUTELY HAS TO WIN BACK.
HE DOESN'T HAVE THEM IN HIS CORNER RIGHT NOW BUT WIN THEM BACK IF HE IS GOING TO WIN IN NOVEMBER.
>> MICHAEL NUTTER, YOU ARE SOMEBODY WHOS HAD WATCHED AND BEEN ENGAGED IN AMERICAN POLITICS FOR A LONG TIME.
HOW AMENABLE ARE VOTERS AT THIS POINT TO EITHER CHANGING THEIR MIND OR BEING OPEN TO A NEW ARGUMENT.
I MEAN WE ALL TALK ABOUT WHAT A POLARIZED POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT WE LIVE IN NOW.
HOW OPEN ARE VOTERS MINDS AT THIS POINT?
>> WELL, I THINK AS IT RELATES TO DONALD TRUMP, I MEAN I THINK THAT CAKE IS FAIRLY WELL BAKED.
I MEAN ALL THE THINGS WE LEARNED BEFORE THIS 2016 ELECTION, DURING THE 2016 ELECTION, AND THE THREE AND A HALF PLUS YEARS OF THIS ADMINISTRATION, YOU KNOW, THEY DO SOMETHING WEIRD EVERY DAY, BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK PEOPLE JUST KIND OF SHRUG THEIR SHOULDERS.
I THINK VOTERS, ANYONE WHO IS STILL UNDECIDED IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER OR NOT TO POSSIBLY BE FOR SWROA BIDEN OR WHETHER THEY ARE GOING TO VOTE AT ALL.
BUT I DON'T STEE ANYONE KIND OF LIKE ON THE FENCE ABOUT DONALD TRUMP.
YOU EITHER LOVE THE GUY AND YOU ARE PART OF THAT BASE OR YOU ARE REPULSED AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO NEXT.
>> CHRIS BUSKIRK, HOW DO YOU SEE THAT PERSUADABLE, NOT PERSUADABLE THING?
>> YEAH, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT CUTS ON THIS, SORT OF THE IDEALOGICAL CUT WHICH IS CONSERVATIVE, DEMOCRAT AND THEN CONSERVATIVE LIBERAL AND THEN THERE IS INDEPENDENTS IN THE MIDDLE.
I DON'T THINK THAT IS WHAT ONE WON TRUMP THE ELECTION IN 2016.
THIS IS THE DRUM I KEEP BEATING.
I THINK WHAT THE PRESIDENT NEEDS TO TAKE IS CLASS-BASED, WORKING CLASS, MID HE CLASS, I CAN GET YOU A JOB, I CAN MAKE THE ECONOMY BOOM AGAIN BE CAN I MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU TO BUY A HOUSE AND HAVE A FAMILY.
WHEN YOU START TO LOOK AT IT THAT WAY THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE PERSUADABLE BECAUSE THEY SEE SOMETHING THAT CAN MACK THEIR LIVES BETTER.
>> ALL RIGHT, WE ARE GOING TO COME BACK TO SARA.
AND ALL OF YOU IN JUST A MOMENT BUT RIGHT NOW WE WANT TO TURN TO SENATOR ROY BLUNT OF MISSOURI, HE IS A MEMBER OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY SENATE LEADERSHIP TEAM.
I SPOKE WITH HIM EARLIER, IN CHARLOTTE, FOR THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION.
I STARTED BY ASKING HIM WHAT HE THINKS PRESIDENT TRUMP NEED TOSES DO FOR THE NEXT FOUR DAYS.
>> SENATOR BLUNT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.
WHERE DO YOU THINK THIS CONTEST STANDS RIGHT NOW BETWEEN PRESIDENT TRUMP AND FORMER VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN?
AND WHAT DOES THE PRESIDENT NEED TO DO DURING THIS CONVENTION?
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT THE PRESIDENT NEEDS TO DO IS TALK ABOUT THE DECISIONS TO BE MADE AND WHAT IS GOING TO BE ON THE BALLOT.
THE VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN DID AN EFFECTIVE JOB OF SAYING THE CHARACTERS IS ON THE BALLOT.
I THINK THE PRESIDENT WILL DO AN EFFECTIVE JOB OF POINTING OUT THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS ON THE BALLOT.
THE FUTURE OF THE ECONOMY IS ON THE BALLOT, OUR SECURITY IS ON THE BALLOT.
AND IT IS NOT GOING TO WIND UP, I DON'T THINK, TO BE A POPULARITY CONTEST.
I THINK THIS IS AN ELECTION, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TAKE REAL SERIOUSLY BECAUSE THEY ARE BOTH THE COVID EVENTS WE HAVE GONE THROUGH AND THEN LOOKING BACK AT THE INCREDIBLE ECONOMIC SUCCESSES THAT THE PRESIDENT HAD THE FIRST THREE YEARS.
IF YOU ASKED THE QUESTION, JUDY, WERE YOU BETTER OFF IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR THAN WERE YOU THREE YEARS EARLIER, FOUR YEARS EARLIER, I THINK ALMOST ALL AMERICANS WOULD SAY WELL, WE CERTAINLY THOUGHT WE WERE.
AND THEN OF COURSE THIS VIRUS COMES ALONG IN A WAY THAT IMPACTED THE ECONOMY AND OUR LIFESTYLES IN WAYS THAT NOBODY WOULD HAVE ANTICIPATED.
>> WELL, I THINK AS YOU KNOW THERE IS A DEBATE ABOUT THE ECONOMY BECAUSE THE ECONOMY ALSO DID WELL UNDER PRESIDENT OBAMA.
AND IT IS POINTED OUT THAT THE GROWTH RATE UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP IS NOT BEEN AS HIGH AS IT WAS UNDER PRESIDENT OBAMA.
YOU ABOUT I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE PABD.
BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT FREAKILY SAYS THAT HE WAS THE ONE WHO SHUT IT DOWN, SHUT DOWN WHAT HE CALLS THE CHINA VIRUS, COMING INTO THIS COUNTRY.
AND YET THERE IS REPORTING, SENATOR BLUNT, "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL" HAS ARE REPORTED THAT TWICE IN JANUARY THE PRESIDENT REJECTED ADVICE TO PUSH CHINA FOR MORE TRANSPARENCY.
HE PRAISED CHINA'S HANDLING OF THE PANDEMIC UNTIL EARLY MARCH.
SO HOW MUCH OF THAT RECORD SHOULD BE ON THE LINE?
WITHIN WELL, YOU KNOW, THE PRESIDENT WANTS TO TALK ABOUT STOPPING TRAVEL, WHEN NOBODY THOUGHT THAT IT WAS TIME TO STOP TRAVEL.
AND LATER EVERYBODY DECIDED IT WAS.
NO MATTER WHAT YOU CALL THE VIRUS, I THINK WE ALL SHOULD AGREE IT STARTED IN CHINA AND THEY DIDN'T SHARE THE INFORMATION IN WAYS THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE.
THE PRESIDENT KNOWS THAT NOW.
WHAT HE OR NIBBLES KNEW ABOUT THAT IN JANUARY, I DON'T KNOW.
AND IN MANY WAYS, JUDY, WE'RE SORT OF BUILDING THE AIRPLANE AS WE FLY THE AIRPLANE.
AND IF THINGS LIKE WARP SPEED ON VACCINES ARE ARE OR SHANK TANK ON TESTS WORK, IF MORE THERAPEUTICS COME ALONG.
I THINK THE PRESIDENT AND THE ADMINISTRATION WILL HAVE HELPED THE NEXT PRESIDENT THAT HAS TO DEAL WITH THERE IN A SIGNIFICANT WAY.
>> I KNOW EVERYBODY IS HOPING FOR A VACCINE AND FOR THE BEST POSSIBLE TROOMENT FOR COVID.
BUT YOU SAID'S BUILDING THE AIRPLANE AS WE FLY THE AIRPLANE.
AT THE SAME TIME THE UNITED STATES TODAY HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST DEATH RATES FROM COVID PER CAPITA OF ANY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD COMPARED TO ADVANCING INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES LIKE GERMANY AND SOUTH KOREA.
THE UNITED STATES AGAIN DEATH PER CAPITA, CASES PER CAPITA, MUCH MORE SERIOUS, MUCH WORSE, SO TO WHAT EXTENT IS THE PRESIDENT RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT?
>> I DON'T FOE IF THE PRESIDENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT, I DO THINK THAT WHAT THE PRESIDENTS HAD DONE AGAIN AM RECALL ITS OF TRYING TO DEVELOP A VACCINE AND HAVING IT AVAILABLE AT BE EARLY TIME IS A SIGNIFICANT REACH BEYOND ANYWHERE WE HAVE EVER BEEN BEFORE.
IT LOOKS HICK THAT IS GOING TO WORK.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE KIND OF RECORD THAT THE PRESIDENT IS GOING TO BE JUDGED ON.
THIS IS A PROBLEM LIKE NOBODY HAS SEEN IN A RUN IN A HUNDRED YEARS AND I HOPE WE DON'T SEE IT IN A HUNDRED YEARS AGAIN.
AND THAT WHEN THESE THINGS DO ARRIVE, WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT WE LEARNED.
>> TWO OTHER THINGS I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT, SENATOR BLUNT, YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE AND YOU FOLLOW SO MANY OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS INCLUDING THE CREDIBLE REPORTING THAT THE RUSSIANS PAID A BOWNTEE TO THE TALIBAN TO KILL U.S.
TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN.
DID IT GIVE YOU PAUSE WHEN IT IS REPORTED PRESIDENT TRUMP OVER HIS PHONE CALLS, AND THERE HAVE BEEN MORE THAN ONE OF THEM WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN, SINCE THAT INFORMATION CAME OUT, HAS NOT RAISED IT WITH PRESIDENT PUTIN?
WELL, IT'S BEEN REPORTED.
IT CERTAINLY WOULDN'T SURPRISE ME IF IT IS TRUE.
WHETHER WE HAVE DETERMINED THE TO THAL TRUTHFULNESS OF THAT, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT I THINK WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT THE RUSSIANS ARE BAD ACTORS.
THEY WANT BAD THINGS TO HAPPEN IN OUR COUNTRY.
AND WHETHER THAT IS ACHIEVED BY INTERFERING WITH OUR ELECTIONS OR ENCOURAGING OUR ADVERSARIES OR IN ANY OTHER WAY, THEY ARE GOING TO DO IT AS LONG AS SOMEBODY LIKE PUTIN IS IN CHARGE.
AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HOPE ONCE WE HAVE THE CASE TO BE MADE, THAT THE PRESIDENT, THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND OTHERS ARE AGGRESSIVELY PUSHING BACK, THAT THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.
>> Woodruff: SHOULD THE PRESIDENT HAVE RAISED IT WITH PRESIDENT PUTIN?
>> DON'T KNOW THE CONTEXT OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WITH DO IF I GOOD TO RAISE IT WITH PRESIDENT PUTIN.
BUT I THINK IF THE PRESIDENT WAS CONFIDENT IN THE FACTS, THAT HE SHOULD RAISE IT WITH PRESIDENT PUTIN.
AND I HOPE THAT THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THOSE FACTS ALL ARE AVAILABLE TO THE PRESIDENT AND THEN IF HE RAISED IT, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT IS THE SECOND QUESTION.
AND I DON'T HEAR ANYTHING FROM THE OTHER SIDE ABOUT WHAT THEY WOULD DO ABOUT IT.
IN FACT I DIDN'T HEAR MUCH FROM THE OTHER SIDE AT ALL ABOUT ANY FOREIGN POLICY.
AND NOT MUCH AT THEIR CONVENTION ABOUT DOMESTIC POLICIES.
QUITE A BIT IN THEIR PLATFORM ABOUT DOMESTIC POLICY AND WHILE THE VICE PRESIDENT DOESN'T WANT TO SEEM TO EMBRACE ALL THE THINGS IN THE PLATFORM, THEY ARE THERE.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM.
>> Woodruff: SENATOR ROY BLUNT OF MISSOURI, WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Woodruff: AND NOW AMNA NAWAZ IS BACK TO TALK TO A LOCAL PUBLIC MED WHY REPORTER.
>> THAT'S RIGHT, JUDY.
AMONG THE SPEAKERS IS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER FROM MONTANA WHO RELIED ON THE PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM TO KEEP HER BUSINESS AFLOAT.
EVEN IN BIG SKY COUNTRY THE PANDEMIC IS FRONT AND CENTER AND THE PRESIDENT HOLDS SIGNIFICANTLY LEAD OVER JOE BIED EN.
SO LET'S CHECK IN WITH ANA RAU FROM MONTANA PBS FOR MORE.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
WE ARE HEARING FROM A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER WHO IS SHARING A STORY JUST IN A MINUTE ON THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION STAGE ABOUT FEDERAL FUNDS, YOU HAD THEY KEPT HER BUSINESS AFLOAT.
PUT THAT INTO CONTEXT FOR US.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE PANDEMIC AND THE ECONOMY IN MONTANA, WHAT HAS BEEN THE EFFECT AND WHERE DO THINGS STAND NOW?
>> JUST AS A SIDE TO THAT, WE RECEIVED $1.8 BILLION IN THOSE PAYCHECK PROTECTION ACT FUNS, SO OVER 22,000 BUSINESSES SOOFED THAT MONEY IN MONTANA, IT HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL.
THE ECONOMY IN MONTANA IS NOT TOO BAD.
IT DIDN'T GO QUITE AS ROUGH AS WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO.
I TALKED WITH SOMEONE WITH THE BUREAU OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC TODAY, HE SAID WE EXPECTED TOURISM TO BE TERRIBLE AND IT WAS BETTER THAN EXEMENTED.
HOTELS AND SOME OF THE RESTAURANTS ARE UNDER, ABOUT 40% UNDER NORMAL SPENDING BUT THEY HAVE CERTAINLY RESTRICTIONS ON THE NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS THEY CAN HAVE WITHIN THE RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS.
BUT CAMPGROUNDS HAVE BEEN PACKED AND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN VISITING GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, YELLOW STONE NATIONAL PARK SO IT HAS BEEN A GOOD TRAVEL DESTINATION, WHEN THEY FEEL LIKE THEY NEEDED SPACE THIS SUMMER.
INCOME TAX RECEIPTS ARE PRETTY GOOD, THEY ARE NOT AS BAD AS WE EXPECTED.
THEY DIDN'T TAKE THE TIP WE EXPECTED.
SO IT HAS BEEN KIND OF A MIXED BAG AND WE EXPECT TO SEE AM SO HE KOAFER A LITTLE SOONER IN SOME OF THE OTHER STATES POTENTIALLY AM BUT YOU NEVER KNOW WHICH DRK IT WILL GO.
>> WE SHOULD POINT OUT TO OUR VIEW ARES, THE OTHER WOMAN ON THE SCREEN IS THAT SMALL BUSINESS OWNER NAMED TANYA WEINREIS FROM MONTANA, SHARING HERR STORY.
LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT MONTANA IN THE 2020 ELECTION.
YOU GO BACK TO 16 AND TRUMP WON HANDILY, NOT REALLY AT PLAY AT THE PRESIDENTIAL LEVEL BUT THERE ARE SOME COMPETITIVES DOWN BALLOT RACES, WHAT ARE THE KEY ISSUES THAT VOTERS IN MONTANA ARE LISTENING FOR, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE MESSAGE ON THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION STAGE THIS WEEK?
>> WELL, I THINK THAT'S AN INTERESTING POINT THAT YOU MAKE, SINCE THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A PLATFORM.
I THINK IN TALKING WITH THE POLITICAL SCIENCE PLOF CERTIFICATE TODAY HE SAID HE THINKS MONTANA VOTERS ARE MOST INTERESTED IN KIND OF HEARING AN EMOTIONAL MESSAGE.
AND LESS ABOUT POLICY, MORE ABOUT EMOTION.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO WESTERN ISSUES THAT WILL BE INTERESTED TO ALL MONTANA VOTERS AND CROSS PARTY LINES, IT IS PUBLIC LAND, GUNS, ANOTHER ONE THAT CROSSES PARTY LINES, HEALTH CARE.
SO I THINK THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF ISSUES THAT IF THERE WAS A PLATFORM PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT.
BUT FROM WHAT I AM HEARING, WHAT HE SAID WAS THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN THAT.
THEY ARE JUST INTERESTED IN THE EMOTION, IN GETTING EXCITED FOR THE ELECTION AND HEARING WHAT TRUMP HAS TO SAY AND CONTINUING THAT KIND OF NARRATIVE THAT HE HAS GOING ON ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL.
>> VERY QUICKLY, JUST A FEW SECONDS LEFT ANNA, THERE IS ONE MESSAGE VOTERS NEED TO HEAR FROM THE PRESIDENT, WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT IS?
>> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION, I THINK PROBABLY WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HEAR IS THAT HE DOES HAVE A PLAN FOR THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY IN THE STATE AND HE HAS A PLAN FOR THE RECOVERY, THE CORONAVIRUS REKOAMPLE I THINK THOSE TWO THINGS, THEY WILL BE INTERESTED TO HEAR NO MATTER WHAT POLIT KL STRIPE, EVEN IF THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION, DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION, THEY WOULD LIKE TO HEAR PLANS FOR RECOVERY.
>> TWO ISSUES AT THE TOP OF AT LOT OF VOTERS, ANNA RAU FROM MONTANA PBS JOWNING US TONIGHT, THANKS SO MUCH.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> BACK TO YOU, JUDY.
>> Woodruff: THANK YOU, AMNA AND THANK YOU ANNA, WE APPRECIATE IT AND AS THE EARLY, THE FIRST HALF HOUR OF THIS REPUBLICAN CONVENTION CONTINUES, WHICH AGAIN WE PLAN TO JOIN AT 9:00 EASTERN I WANT TO TURN TO PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN AND NEWSHOUR REGULAR MICHAEL BESCHLOSS, WELCOME BACK, IT IS SO GOOD TO SEE YOU.
WE THINK ABOUT THIS CONVENTION AND HOW THIS PRESIDENT, IT IS WHAT I WAS SPEAKING WITH SOME OF OUR ANALYSTS ABOUT A MOMENT AGO.
YOU DONE SEE FORMER PRESIDENTS.
YOU DON'T IS HE FORMER REPUBLICAN NOMINEES FOR PRESIDENT.
THIS IS A PRESIDENT WHO STANDS ALONE IN MANY RESPECTS IN HIS PARTY.
PUT THAT IN SOME CONTEXT FOR US THROUGHOUT AMERICA'S THINKS TREE.
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, ONE THING WE WILL BE LOOKING AT TONIGHT AND ALL THIS WEEK JUDY IS HOW THIS REPUBLICAN CONGRESS VENGS DIFFERS FROM EARLIER REPUBLICAN CONVENTIONS AND YOU JUST PUT YOUR FINGER ON ONE OF THE WAYS THAT IT REALLY IS DIFFERENT FROM EVERYTHING WE KNOW ABOUT THIS WEEK, THIS IS GOING TO BE PRETTY MUCH A ONE-MAN SHOW.
DONALD TRUMP WILL BE ON EVERY SINGLE NIGHT WHICH IS SOMETHING WE HAVE NOT SEEN BEFORE.
TAND SORT OF HARKENS BACK TO 2016 WHEN DONALD TRUMP TOLD REPUBLICANS IN CLEVELAND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PROBLEMS AND I A BLOWN CAN FIX IT.
IT IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM EARLIER REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTS LIKE RICHARD NIXON WHO SAID THAT EVERY CABINET SHOULD HAVE A FUTURE PRESIDENT IN IT.
AND ADMINISTRATION SHOULD BE FULL OF LEADERS WHO WILL BE PROMINENT IN THE FUTURE.
I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH THAT HAS BEEN TRUE OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, LARGELY BECAUSE THE FOCUS HAS BEEN SO MUCH ON HIM.
AND THE OTHER THING VUDY YOU WERE SAYING IT A MOMENT AGO, USUALLY THIS MONDAY NIGHT OF A CONVENTION, WE'RE ALL DISCUSSING THE PLATFORMS, BUT THERE AIN'T NO PLATFORM.
THERE SAY ONE PAGE STATEMENT THAT WAS GIVEN OUT BY THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE SAYING WE SUPPORT DONALD TRUMP AND HIS POLICIES.
AND THAT'S ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW, LOOK AT TOWERING REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT LIKE LINCOLN, LIKE THEODORE ROOSEVELT, LIKE EISENHOWER, RONALD REAGAN.
THEIR PARTIES LOVED THEM BUT IN NONE OF THOSE CASES DID YOU HAVE A SITUATION WHERE THEY WERE BIV-- WERE GIVEN THAT KIND OF A BLANK CHECK.
IF YOU HAVE A PLATFORM, IT FORCES THE CONVENTION TO BE ABOUT THE FUTURE, AND ABOUT HOPE AND POSITIVE THINGS WITHOUT THOSE THINGS, I AM WAITING TO SEE WHETHER PRESIDENT TRUMP CAN GET AWAY FROM SIMPLY TALKING ABOUT NEGATIVE THINGS TO GET GIVING US A MUCH BETTER IDEA OF WHAT HE WOULD DO IN A SECOND TERM.
>> I THINK A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE-- EXACTLY.
I NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THIS CONVENTION, AT THIS CAMPAIGN AND ASKING IS THIS A PRESIDENT AND A MOVEMENT THAT JUST, THAT STANDS ALONE?
IS UNIQUE?
WE WON'T SEE THE LOOKING OF IF AGAIN, THERE WON'T BE A CONTINUATION OF IT OR IS IT THE BEGINNING OF A TURN, A NEW ERA IN REPUBLICAN POLITICS, IF YOU WILL?
>> RIGHT, AND THAT AS WE DISCUSSED LAST WEEK WAS A BIG THEME OF THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.
THEY SAID IF YOU RE-ELECT DONALD TRUMP AMERICA IS IN DANGER OF ONE-MAN RULE, LOSING OUR DEMOCRACY, MAYBE AN AUTHORITARIAN COUNTRY NEXT YEAR.
THE BEST WAY THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP CAN REBUT THIS IS TO SHOW WHAT HE WARNS TO DO IN THE FUTURE, AND SHOW THAT HE WANTS TO DO IT WITH A BROAD GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE CAPABLE OF LEADING THIS COUNTRY THROUGH THE NEXT COUPLE OF DECADES, NOT JUST AS THIS MOMENT.
>> SO STRIKING HOW BOTH SIDES ARIC MAK THE CASE THAT THIS IS A EXISTENTIAL MOMENT.
IF YOU ELECT THE OTHER GUY, IT IS THE END OF LIFE AS WE KNOW IT.
>> RIGHT.
>> IN SO MANY WORDS.
MICHAEL BESCHLOSS, THANK YOU.
WE WILL BE COMING BACK TO YOU TONIGHT AND THROUGH THE WEEK.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Woodruff: AND NOW TO REPORTERS COVERING THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE, CLOSELY, OUR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT YAMICHE ALCINDOR, CAPITOL HILL CORRESPONDENT LISA DES JARRED IBS AND ERIN HAHN WITH THE NEWLY LAUNCHED NEWS WEBSITE THE 19th.
YAMICHE I WILL START WITH YOU, AS YOU AND I HAVE DISCUSSED THE PRESIDENT HAD HIS CHANCE TO SAY SOMETHING EARLIER TODAY, TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM HIM AT LEAST ONCE MORE, MAYBE TWICE AND THEN EVERY NIGHT THIS WEEK.
THAT IS THE DONALD TRUMP WAY, IS SNTS IT?
>> ST THE DONALD TRUMP WAY, THE PRESIDENT FOR A LONG TIME HAS SEEN HIMSELF AS HIS BEST SURROGATE.
EVEN THOUGH OF COURSE PRESIDENT TRUMP, WE COULD ALSO CALL HIM PRESS SECRETARY TRUMP, CHIEF OF STAFF TRUMP BECAUSE HE FILLS THOSE ROLES ALONG WITH THE PRESIDENCY.
THE OTHER THING TO NOTE TONIGHT, WE ARE ALREADY SEEING A TASTE OF WHAT THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CON VNGS WILL BE LOO LIKE.
THERE ARE ALREADY SPEAK ARES TALKING AND THERE WAS ONE MAN, QUHARL CHARLIE KIRK, THE FOUNDER OF A STUDENT GROUP CALLED TURNING POINTS U.S.A.
HE SAID THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS THE BODY GUARD FOR WESTERN CIVILIZATION.
MATTHEW GAETZ ALSO SAID WE SHOULD BE CELEBRATING THE IDEA THAT AMERICA WAS FOUNDED AND COLONIZE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOKING AT THOSE STATEMENTS SAYING THIS HE ARE CULTURALLY INSENSITIVE AT BEST.
AND THIS OF COURSE COMES FROM PEOPLE THAT THINK THIS PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS USED MANY, MANY RACIST TERMS.
DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN REALLY TALKED ABOUT PEM NOT BEING OPTIMISTIC ABOUT AMERICA'S FOUNDING BUT DEMOCRATS SAY WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT OUR HISTORY, AT THE FACT THAT OUR FOUNDERS SOME OF THEM ENSLAVED BLACK PEOPLE AND THE LAND WAS STOLEN FROM NATIVE AMERICANS, THAT IS REALLY A CULTURAL DIFFERENCE.
THE REPUBLICANS SAYING THEY WILL BE OPTIMISTIC BUT I SHOULD TELL NEW THE FIRST FEW MINUTES WE ALREADY HEARD THEM TALK ABOUT MOBS AND ENDING LIFE AS WE KNOW IT EVEN THOUGH THEY SAID UPLIFTING WE HEARD DARK DARK TONES JUST IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF MINUTES OF THIS CONVENTION.
>> Woodruff: SPEAKING OF DEMOCRATS WHICH CAME UP IN SOME OF YOUR COMMENTS, YAMICHE.
I WILL TURN NOW TO LISA DESJARDINS WHO WAS OUR WOMAN AT THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION OR AT LEAST THE BIDENK THE JOE BIDEN OUTPAST FOR THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION LAST WEEK IN WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.
LISA, I MEAN WITH THAT PERSPECTIVE, WITH THAT EXPERIENCE IN MIND, THIS IS ALREADY FEELING LUKE A VERY DIFFERENT CONVENTION, ISN'T IT?
>> OH, INGRED-- INCREDIBLY DIFFERENT STARTING WHERE THAT ROLL CALL VOTE, I KNOW THIS CAME UP.
BUT THE BIDEN TEAM AND DEMOCRATS IN GENERAL WERE SHOCKED THAT THE TRUMP TEAM DID NOT SORT OF FOLLOW THEIR LEAD AND ALSO HAVE THOSE CINEMATIC MOMENTS WITH MANY REAL PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY SHOWING KIND OF DIVERSE LANDSCAPE AND DIVERSE CULTURES IN THIS COUNTRY.
INSTEAD WHAT WE SAW WAS SORT OF OLD SCHOOL FORMULA OF ONE PERSON AT THE PODIUM CALLING STATE BY STATE, BUT WITH EVEN LESS OF THE SORT OF SPARKLE AND ANIMATED THEME THAT WE GET MOST CONVENTIONS THIS MORNING.
AND ALSO DEMOCRATS ARE POINTING OUT THAT THERE WAS LESS DIVERSITY IN THE SPEAKERS WHO READ THE VOTES FOR STATES TODAY.
I DID MY OWN COUNT, JUDY, SOME 55 DELEGATIONS READ OUT THAWR VOTES TODAY, 42 OF THOSE WERE READ OUT BY MEN, SO THAT IS NOT PROPORTIONAL TO THE GENDER EQUITY IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO TELL BUT I LOOKED THROUGH ALL THE NAMES AND ONLY FIVE SEEM TO BE PEOPLE OF COLOR.
SO THERE YOU HAVE SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF OVER 85% WHITE AMERICANS.
NOW SOME OF THESE PEOPLE IN THE ROLL CALL THIS MORNING, THE REPUBLICAN REALLY CALL DID SAY THEY VEUL DIVERSITY, TALKED ABOUT LISS TORIC FIGURES OF COLOR.
BUT THE POINT IS THAT DEMOCRATS FEEL LIKE ALREADY THAT IS A BENEFIT TO THEM.
THAT THE REPUBLICANS ARE PRESENTING A PICTURE AND A MOOD THAT DOES NOT MATCH THE MOOD OF MOST PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY.
THEY'RE ALSO STRESSING THE IDEA THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND THE TRUMP WHITE HOUSE ARE IN SOME FORM OF CHAOS AND THEY WILL TRY AND ARGUE THAT THEY WOULD CONTINUE THIS IDEA OF CHAOS UNDER A TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
>> SO INTERESTING.
AND NOW I WANT TO BRING IN ERRIN HAHNES, GOOD TO YOU HAVE WITH US AGAIN.
ON THIS QUESTION OF CONVENTION WEREN'TING DIVERSITY, REACHING OUT TO A DIVERSE GROUP OF AMERICANS, I INTERVIEWED THE GOVERNOR OF ARKANSAS, REPUBLICAN, HE SAID YES, THE PRESIDENT GOOD HE IS REACHING TO THE BASE BUT HE NEEDS TO GO BEYOND THAT TO OTHER AMERICANS.
WHAT IS YOUR SENSE OF WHETHER, OF HOW RESPECTED OTHER AMERICANS ARE TO HEARING A MESSAGE LIKE THAT FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP.
>> WELL, I THINK THAT OTHER AMERICANS HAVE BEEN WAITING TO HEAR THAT MEGSAGE.
IT WAS FOUR YEARS AGO THIS MONTH THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP ASKED BLACK AMERICANS, YOU KNOW, AT A RALLY FEATURING A MOSTLY WHITE CROWD, ASKING BLACK VOTERS WHAT THE HELL DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE.
AND I THINK THAT IN THE MIDST OF THESE DUAL PANDEMICS OF CORONAVIRUS AND RACISM, A LOT OF BLACK PEOPLE ARE FEELING LUKE THEY HAVE LOST QUITE A BIT.
I MEAN JUST TODAY THE HEADLINES HAVE BEEN DOMINATED BY THE SHOOTING OF YET ANOTHER BLACK MAN, JACOB BLAKE IN KEN OPENNA WISCONSIN, IN FRONT OF HIS CHILDREN BY POLICE.
AND BLACK PEOPLE REALLY LOOKING FOR YOU KNOW, WHOEVER IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THIS COUNTRY TO STEP FORWARD WITH A PLAN FOR HOW THEY PLAN TO END, YOU KNOW, THESE KILLINGS OF BLACK PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN UNRELENTING, EVEN IN THE MIDST OF A PANDEMIC.
THERE CERTAINLY IS SOME DIVERSITY AMONG THE SPEAKERS, YOU SEE TIM SCOTT FROM SOUTH CAROLINA AND FORMER AMBASSADOR NIKKI HALEY, TONIGHTS ALEX JOHNSON, THE WOMAN THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP PARDONED IS GOING TO BE MAKING HER TESTIMONY THIS WEEK.
BUT YOU ALSO SEE A COUPLE LIKE THE McCLOSKEYS ON DISPLAY, WHO MADE HEADLINES FOR BRANDISHING WEAPONS AGAINST PEOPLE PROTEST-- PEACEFUL PROTESTERS IN ST. LOUIS.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S A DISCORD ANT MESSAGE THAT FRANKLY I THINK IS ALSO IN JUXTAPOSITION WITH THE RACIAL PLAYBOOK THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN GOING TO REPEATEDLY ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL AND THAT HE WITH FULLY EXPECT HIM TO CONTINUE TO HAMMER BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER.
>> Woodruff: AND YAMICHE, I AM LISTENING TO WHAT ERRIN HAS JUST SAID AND I'M THINK BEING THE PROGRAMMING OF THIS CONVENTION.
AS SHE JUST POINTED OUT, YES, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM TIM SCOTT AND FROM THE FORMER, DRUING A BLANK, NUKI HALEY TONIGHT.
WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM OTHERS, OTHER INDIVIDUALS OF COLOR BUT THIS IS NOT BEEN AN ADMINISTRATION THAT HAS LOOKED DIVERSE, LAS IT BEEN.
>> IT IS NOT AN ADMINISTRATION THAT HAS LOOKED DIVERSE.
THE PRESIDENT'S OWN CABINET IS NOT VERY DIVERSE.
THE PRESIDENT WHO THE PRESIDENT SPEAK TO AT HIS RALLIES WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LARGE CROWDS THAT TURN OUT TO SPEAK WITH HIM, ESPECIALLY EVEN DURING A PANDEMIC, THEY ARE USUALLY LARGELY WHITE CROWDSK I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHO VOTED FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP THERE IS A LOT OF FOCUS, I THINK SOMETIMES TO THE FRUSTRATION OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS THAT BLACK PEOPLE DIDN'T TURN OUT FOR HILLARY CLINTON.
WHAT WE KNOW IS 53% OF WHITE WOMEN VOTED FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP, SO HE OWNS A LOT OF HIS SUCCESS, HE OWES A LOT OF HIS SUCCESS TO WHITE VOTERS.
AND AS A RESULT HE IS REALLY TRYING HARD TO MAKE SURE HE GETS THOSE VOTERS RILED UP.
THAT IS THE FOCUS I HAVE BEEN HEARING FROM FROM THE CAMPAIGN.
HE IS FOCUSED ON HIS BASE AND TURNING OUT THOSE PEOPLE YZ THANK YOU-- .
>> Woodruff: THANK YOU, YAMICHE, WE WILL COME BACK TO ALL THREE OF YOU AS THE NIGHT GOES ON.
AS WE GET READY FOR THE 9:00 HOUR OF TONIGHT'S CONVENTION, WE WILL TAKE A SHORT BREAK FOR SOME OF OUR LOCAL PBS STATIONS, OUR COVERAGE WILL CONTINUE IN JUST ONE MINUTE, STAY WITH US.
SHALL D THE ATTACK ON OUR POLICE ARCH THE TERRORISM OF YOU ARE CITY, THREATEN OUR ANY POLITICS WHO DOES NOT GRASP THIS DANGER IS NOT FIT TO LEAD OUR COUNTRY.
>> Woodruff: GOOD EVENING I'M JUDY WOODRUFF WELCOME BACK TO OUR PBS "NEWSHOUR" SPECIAL COVERAGE OF THIS YEAR'S REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION.
THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC HAS DISRUPTED PLANS FOR THE TRADITIONAL IN-PERSON CONVE CONVENTION.
INSTEAD THIS YEAR THE REPUBLICANS HAVE PUT TOGETHER A VIDEO FEED THAT WILL INCLUDE REMOTE SPEECHES, WE'LL BE BACK FOR MORE ANALYSIS OF ALL THAT AND SOME OF THE LIVE PROGRAMMING HERE IN WASHINGTON IN JUST A MOMENT.
BUT NOW LET'S LISTEN TO THE CONTINUATION OF THE REPUBLICAN OFFICIAL CONVENTION PROGRAMMING.
>> WE WILL COMPLETELY REBUILD OUR DEPLETED MILITARY.
THE COUNTRIES THAT WE ARE PROTECTING AT A MASSIVE COST TO US WE'LL BE ASKED TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE.
WE WILL TAKE CARE OF OUR GREAT VETERANS LIKE THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN TAKEN CARE OF BEFORE.
>> HE SAVED ME.
THANKS TO HIM.
I'M HERE.
>> TO ME HE'S GIVING PEOPLE HO HOPE.
WHAT HE'S DOING FOR THE POOR PEOPLE, WHAT HE'S DOING FOR EVERYBODY.
>> WE ARE GOING TO APPOINT JUSTICES OF THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT WHO WILL UPHOLD OUR LAWS AND OUR CONSTITUTION.
>> BY SUPPORTING LAW ENFORCE.
, SO IMPORTANT FOR KEEPING AMERICA GREAT.
>> AS LONG AS I'M PRESIDENT I WILL NEVER DEFUND YOUR POLICE THAT I PROMISE YOU.
>> IT'S TIME TO DELIVER A VICTORY FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
WE ARE GOING TO START WINNING AGAIN.
IT'S CALLED PROMISES MADE, PROMISES MADE.
>> MY NAME IS AMY FORD.
I'VE BEEN A REGISTERED NURSE FOR 17 YEARS.
I'M FROM THE SMALL TOWN OF WILLIAMSTON, WEST VIRGINIA WHERE I'VE LIVED THE ENTIRE LIFE.
THE DAUGHTER OF A NURSE AND COAL MINER.
IEP THOUGH I WAS YOUNGEST OF FOUR CHILDREN, I WAS ALWAYS SOMEWHAT OF A CARETAKER.
IT CAME NATURAL FOR ME.
SO IT FELT RIGHT TO FOLLOW IN MY MOTHER'S FOOTSTEPS AND BECOME A N. AND THIS MARCH WHEN COVID-19 SENT OUR COUNTRY INTO CRISIS, I KNEW I HAD TO HELP ANY WAY THAT I COULD.
I DEPLOYED TO NEW YORK IN APRIL AND THEN TO SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, WORKING AT A COVID RELIEF NURSE IN BOTH STATES.
AS I CONTINUED WITH THE CHALLENGE OF TREATING OUR PATIENTS WHO HAD THEIR WORLDS TURNED UPSIDE DOWN, I NOTICE A POSITIVE CHANGE IN OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
PRESIDENT TRUMP RECOGNIZED THE THREAT THIS VIRUS PRESENTED FOR ALL AMERICANS EARLY ON.
AND MADE RAPID POLICY CHANGES.
AND AS A RESULT, TELEHEALTH SERVICES ARE NOW ACCESSIBLE TO MORE THAN 71 MILLION AMERICANS INCLUDING 35 MILLION CHIRP.
PRIOR TO COVID TELEHEALTH WAS NOT COVERED OR REIMBURSED UNDER MID CARE, MEDICAID OR CHP.
THIS LEFT OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS WITH NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO HAVE AN IN-PERSON OFFICE VISIT WITH THEIR PHYSICIANS.
INCREASING THEIR RISK OF EXPOSURE TO COVID-19 EXPONE EXPONENTIALLY.
THE EXPANSION OF TELEHEALTH SERVICES HAS ALSO RESULTED IN THE INTEGRATION OF VIDEO VISITS BETWEEN PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
ALLOWING LOVED ONES TO HAVE CONTACT AND VISUALIZATION AS WELL AS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF CARE.
TELEHEALTH HAS BEEN AUTO SEN SHALL DURING THIS PANDEMIC.
I DON'T WANT THE MEDIA TAKING MY PERSONAL STORY AND TWISTING IT SO LET ME BE CLEAR.
AS A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL, I CAN TELL YOU WITHOUT HESITATION DONALD TRUMP'S QUICK ACTION AND LEADERSHIP SAVED THOUSANDS OF LIVES DURING COVID-19.
AND THE BENEFITS OF THAT RESPONSE EXTEND FAR BEYOND CORONAVIRUS.
TELEHEALTH WILL CONTINUE TO AID MANY THAT ARE JUST UNABLE TO FIND TRANSPORTATION OR WAY TO THE DOCTOR FOR REGULAR CHECK UPS.
THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE IN RURAL AMERICA.
I LIVE IN A TOWN OF ABOUT 2,000 PEOPLE.
WE DO NOT HAVE BUSES, TRAINS, TROLLIES OR UBERS ABLE TO US.
IN ADDITION, THE UNAVAILABILITY OF SERVICES CAN ALSO HINDER TREATMENT FOR MANY.
SO INCREASED ACCESS TO T TELEHEALTH FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS HAS TRULY BEEN LIFE SAVING.
WE HAVE PRESIDENT TRUMP TO THANK.
>> FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, DEMOCRATS, THE MEDIA AND THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION GOT CORONAVIRUS WRONG.
THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SAID, AUTHORITIES HAVE FOUND NO CLEAR EVIDENCE OF HUMAN TO HUMAN TRANSMISSION.
>> OVERALL MOST PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE TERRIBLY CONCERNED.
>> EVERYTHING IS FINE HERE.
WE DO WANT TO SAY TO PEOPLE.
COME TO CHINATOWN.
HERE WE ARE, COME JOIN US.
>> WE DON'T EVEN THINK IT'S GOING TO BE AS BAD AS IT WAS IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
>> GO ABOUT YOUR LIVES.
GO ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS.
>> ONE LEADER TOOK DECISIVE ACTION TO SAVE LIVES.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP.
BANNING TRAVEL FROM CHINA AND CORONAVIRUS CENTERS, BIDEN CHARGED XENOPHOBIA BUT PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS RIGHT.
SIGNING THE CARES ACT PROVIDING IMMEDIATE RELIEF TO AMERICAN FAMILIES, WORKERS AND BUSIN BUSINESSES, DECLARING A NATIONAL EMERGENCY.
TOPPING INTO 42 BILLION IN EXISTING EMERGENCY FUND KNOWLEDGE, QUICKLY GETTING CRUCIAL PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT TO THE STATES.
SIGNING THE FAMILIES FIRST CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE ACT, ENSURING THAT AMERICAN FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES IMPACTED BY THE VIRUS RECEIVE THE STRONG SUPPORT THEY NEED, LAUNCHING OPERATION WARP SPEED TO FAST TRACK A VACCINE IN RECORD TIME.
>> HE SAIDER THAT I COULD HAVE HOPED FOR.
PROMISE MADE, PROMISE KEPT.
>> HE IS READY, WILLING AND ABLE TO HELP.
>> HE HAS BEEN RESPONSIVE.
HE'S DONE A LOT OF GOOD THINGS.
>> WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DID WAS PHENOMENAL ACCO ACCOMPLISHMENT.
>> IN OUR HOUR OF NEED, YOU ALL LITERALLY ARE HELPING US IN A BIG WAY.
WE WERE AT THE EDGE.
THIS IS LIFE OR DEATH STUFF.
WE ARE FOREVER THANKFUL FOR TH THAT.
>> SOON WE WILL EMERGE SAFER, STRONGER AND GREATER THAN EVER.
>> Woodruff: WE HAVE JUST HEARD A VIDEO, I'M WITH AMY WALTER HERE IN OUR STUDIO ON AGGRESSIVE DEFENSE, IN FACT TU TURNING IT AROUND SAYING OTHERS WERE TO BLAME FOR BAD DECISIONS.
OF COURSE THIS IS THE PRESIDENT, THIS IS THE ATTEMPT ON THE PART OF REPUBLICANS TO SAY, ALL THE BAD THINGS, ALL THE CRITICISM THAT'S BEEN HEAPED ON THE PRESIDENT, WE'RE HERE TO TELL YOU THEIR'S ANOTHER SIDE TO THAT STORY.
BUT IT'S A COMPLICATED STORY THAT WAS JUST ONE PART OF IT.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
LOOK, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN DOING FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
I WAS SURPRISED WE DIDN'T SEE THAT CHINA WAS INVOKED HERE AS WELL THAT SOMETHING THAT THE 39 DOES LIKE TO BRING UP A LOT.
THE FACT THAT CHINA SHOULD BE HELD MORE RESPONSIBLE THAN THEY HAVE BEEN FOR THE FACT THAT TH THEY, AS HE SAYS ALLOWED THIS VIRUS TO ESCAPE THE COUNTRY.
AGAIN, THIS IS -- THIS IS AN ARGUMENT THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN MAKING DAY IN AND DAY OUT AND IT REALLY HASN'T PENETRATED FOR MOST VOTERS.
HIS APPROVAL RATING ACTUALLY ON HANDLING THE CORONAVIRUS SINCE MARCH HAS ONLY GONE UP.
HIS DISAPPROVAL RATING ON THAT.
SO HIS -- THE PIECE THAT WE JUST SAW THERE IS DEFINITELY THE PIECE THAT THEY WOULD LIKE THE AMERICAN PUBLIC TO SEE.
BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY WHAT THE AMERICAN PUBLIC BELIEVES RIGHT NOW.
>> Woodruff: HAS BEEN BELIEVING.
EVEN THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR OF ARKANSAS WHO I TALKED TO JUST A LITTLE WHILE AGO, ON THE SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGED HE SAID, THIS IS NOT BEEN A PLUS FOR THE PRESIDENT.
IN TERMS OF PEOPLE'S UNDE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT COULD AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE IN THIS PANDEMIC.
IT'S EASY, AMY, TO GO BACK AND POINT FINGERS.
BUT IT'S I THINK ALSO CLEAR THAT DECISIONS WERE MADE ALONG THE WAY.
THERE WAS A RELUCTANCE TO TALK ABOUT MASKS AND TO TALK ABOUT IMPORTANCE OF MASKS.
THERE WAS RELUCTANCE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS WAS -- PEOPLE NEED TO KEEP SOCIAL DISTANCING, THAT BUSINESSES AND OTHER THINGS NEEDED TO CLOSE DOWN.
ALL THOSE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED.
>> AND MIXED MESSAGES.
>> Woodruff: AS WE HAVE -- I THINK THAT IS WHAT HAS BEEN PRETTY CLEAR THAT IS REALLY WHAT IS BOTTOM LINE, FRUSTRATION.
AS VOTERS WHY THEY DON'T THINK THE PRESIDENT HAS DONE PARTICULARLY GOOD JOB ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU COMPARE HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THEIR STATE'S GOVERNORS OR LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO THEY FEEL MORE CONFIDENT WITH AND LOT OF THAT WAS, WHAT THEY WERE SEEING FROM THE PRESIDENT AGAIN, HE WOULD COME TO THESE PRESS BRIEFINGS, GIVE OUT REALLY MIXED MESSAGES OR QUESTION THE SCIE SCIENCE, QUESTION SOME OF THE SCIENTISTSS BEHIND HIM SAYING THAT THE DISEASE IS GOING TO GO AWAY.
QUESTIONING GOVERNORS WHO PUT A PAUSE ON THEIR -- THE ECONOMIC OPENINGS IN THEIR OWN STATES.
SO, THAT STILL HASN'T BEEN FIX FIXED.
>> Woodruff: IN FACT THAT DISPUTE INSIDE THE ADMINISTRATION IS STILL ONGOING.
JUST IN THE LAST DAY OR TWO YOU HAD THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION APPROVE THE USE OF -- SO-CALLED CONVALESCENT PLASMA WHICH IS A TREATMENT BUT MEDICAL COMMUNITY IS NOT ENTIRELY BEHIND THAT.
SO YOU SEE THERE THE ANXIOUS DESIRE ON PART OF THE ADMINISTRATION, THE PART OF THE PRESIDENT TO GET SOMETHING OUT THERE THAT IS WORKING IT WAS RAM DECEMBER VEER WHICH IS ANOTHER KIND OF TREATMENT NOW CONVALESCENT PLASMA.
YOU HEAR THE WARNING FROM THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY FROM THE SCIENTISTS.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> Woodruff: WE'RE NOT THERE YET.
AMY WALTER HERE WITH ME IN THE STUDIO.
WE'LL COME BACK AT THE CONVENTION I JUST WANT TO EXPLAIN.
WE'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THE ATTENDEES AND OTHERS LISTENING TO DR. G.E.
GOLLY, HE IS A CHANCELLOR RATHER AT LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY.
BUT NOW LET'S LISTEN TO PRESIDENT TRUMP.
>> MOBILIZATION OF AMERICAN SOCIETY SINCE WORLD WAR II.
PATRIOTS OF EVERY RACE, COLOR AND CREED RALLIED TOGETHER TO DEFEAT THE INVISIBLE ENEMY AND SAVE THE LIVES OF THEIR FELLOW CITIZENS.
TODAY OUR HEARTS OVERFLOW WITH APPRECIATION FOR THE INCREDIBLE FRONT LINE WORKERS WHO RISK THEIR OWN HEALTH AND SAFETY TO KEEP AMERICA STRONG AND SAFE.
WHEN CRISIS CAME, MILLIONS OF EVERY DAY AMERICANS ROSE TO THE CHALLENGE.
IN THEIR ACTIONS WE SEE TRUE GREATNESS OF THE AMERICAN CHARACTER.
WE ALWAYS FIND A WAY TO VICTORY.
HISTORY WILL REMEMBER AND CELEBRATE THE HEROES OF 2020 FOR AS LONG AS OUR GREAT AMERICAN FLAG WAVES OVER THE A LAND THAT WE LOVE.
TO EVERY FRONT LINE WORKER, I OFFER THE SALUTE OF A NATION THAT IS FOREVER IN YOUR DEBT.
THANK YOU, GOD BLESS YOU.
AND GOD BLESS AMERICA.
THESE ARE MY FRIEND.
THESE ARE INCREDIBLE WORKERS THAT HELPED US SO MUCH WITH THE COVID.
WE CAN CALL IT MANY DIFFERENT THINGS FROM CHINA VIRUS, I DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH ALL THE NAMES BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE MAY GET INSULTED BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT IS.
THESE ARE GREAT, GREAT PEOPLE.
DOCTORS, NURSES, FIREMEN, POLICEMAN.
WE WANT TO THANK YOU ALL.
YOU HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLE.
WE WANT TO THANK YOU.
AND ALL OF THE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE THAT YOU REPRESENT, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
GREAT JOB.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
SO TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR STORIES.
WE'LL START WITH YOU.
>> I'M A POSTAL WORKER.
DELIVER TO SENIOR COMMUNITY DURING COVID-19.
>> WE'RE TAKING GOOD CARE OF OUR POSTAL WORKERS THAT I CAN TELL YOU.
BELIEVE ME.
WE'RE NOT GETTING RID OF OUR POSTAL WORKERS.
THEY LIKE TO SORT OF PUT THAT OUT THERE.
IF ANYONE DOES IT'S THE DEMOCRATS NOT THE REPUBLICANS, I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND THANK EVERYBODY IN THAT WHOLE BEAUTIFUL POST OFFICE SYSTEM.
WE APPRECIATE IT.
HOW ABOUT YOU.
>> I'M A TRUCKER.
>> GOOD.
>> I EBB SMALL BUSINESS IN OHIO.
HAULING STEEL MOSTLY.
SOME OF OUR CUSTOMERS ACTUALLY MADE HOSPITAL BEDS WITH THE MATERIAL.
>> THAT'S FANTASTIC.
CONGRATULATIONS.
I LOVE THE TRUCKERS.
YOU KNOW THEY'RE ON MY SIDE.
I THINK ALL OF THEM FRANKLY.
PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THEM.
HOW ABOUT YOU?
>> I'M A CUSTODIAN AT THE POST OFFICE AS WELL.
>> WHAT DO DO YOU EXACTLY?
>> CLEAN UP EVERYBODY'S MESS AND GERMS, ALL THAT.
>> CAN I TELL YOU THAT WORLD, THAT PROFESSION WILL NEVER BE OUT OF BUSINESS.
YOU KNOW THAT, RIGHT?
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
HOW ABOUT YOU?
>> I'M REGISTERED NURSE.
I WORK AT NEW JERSEY HOSPITAL.
IT'S CALLED -- I ALSO REPRESENT AN ORGANIZATION OF PROFESSIONAL NURSES CALLED THE NATIONAL 'SIX OF CATHOLIC NURSES.
BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU SIR AS A NURSING SUPERVISOR, I AM SO IN AWE OF YOUR LEADERSHIP.
HONESTLY, I KNOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE SAID OFTEN INTERESTING THINGS, BUT IT TAKES A TRUE LEADER TO BE ABLE TO IGNORE ALL THAT STUFF AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND NOT BE OFFENDED BY ALL THE WORDS BEING SAID.
YOU REALLY DO SHOW THAT POSITIVE SPIRIT TO US AND AS NURSES I APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT JUST AS AN INDIVIDUAL, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
>> I'M FOR THE NURSES.
I'M FOR THE DOCTORS.
I'M FOR EVERYBODY.
WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE THIS CHINA VIRUS GO AWAY AND IT'S HAPPE HAPPENING.
PLEASE, GO AHEAD.
>> I'M ALSO A NURSE.
I REPRESENT A SKILLED NURSING FACILITY COMPANY.
I WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR ADMINISTRATION FOR ALL THE SUPPLIES AND SUPPORT AND FUNDING THAT YOU'VE GIVEN THE SKILLED NURSING UNITS.
WITHOUT THAT WE COULDN'T DO AS WELL AS WE HAVE DONE.
I SPENT SOME TIME IN NEW JERSEY, I LIVE IN WEST VIRGINIA.
WENT TO NEW JERSEY DID SOME WORK THERE AND WE FINALLY STARTED TO SEE THINGS CHANGE AND TURN AROUND.
>> I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID.
BECAUSE WE HAVE DELIVERED BILLIONS EVER DOLLARS OF EQUIPMENT THAT GOVERNORS WERE SUPPOSED TO GIVE AND IN MANY CASES, THEY DIDN'T GET.
SO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAD TO HELP THEM AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT DID THIS INCREDIBLE WORK THEY NEVER GOT CREDIT FOR IT.
BUT YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE IT CAME FROM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU BOTH.
REALLY NICE.
PLEASE, GO AHEAD.
>> I'M A POLICE OFFICER IN ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO.
AND I CONTRACTED COVID IN LATE MARCH.
AND RECOVERED.
>> THAT MEANS WE DON'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID OF YOU AT ALL, RIGHT?
ONCE YOU RECOVERED YOU KNOW WE HAVE THE WHOLE THING WITH PLASMA HAPPENING THAT MEANS YOUR BLOOD IS VERY VALUABLE YOU KNOW THAT, RIGHT?
THANK THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
PLEASE.
>> DETENTION DEPUTY AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IN CALIFORNIA.
I ALSO CONTRACTED COVID.
END OF MARCH.
RECOVERED FROM THAT ALSO.
>> HOW LONG WAS YOUR PROBLEM?
>> I WAS SICK ABOUT TEN DAYS REALLY BAD.
I GOT EVERYTHING BESIDES THE COUGH.
BUT RECOVERED, I WAS OFF WORK FOR A MONTH AND A HALF.
I WORK IN OUR LOCAL COUNTY JAI JAILS.
>> DID THEY DO ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY TO HELP YOU RECO RECOVER.
>> THEY GAVE ME COUGH SYRUP.
>> I WON'T ASK YOU ABOUT THE HYDROXY CHLOROQUINE.
BECAUSE IT'S A SHAME WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO THAT ONE.
BUT I TOOK IT.
I TOOK THE Z PACK AND ZINC I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH, IT'S AN HONE OR TO HAVE YOU IN THE WHITE HOUSE YOU ARE FANTASTIC PEOPLE AND YOU REPRESENT.
YOU REPRESENT AN INCREDIBLE GROUP OF PEOPLE.
AND WE LOVE YOU ALL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
APPRECIATE IT.
>> GOOD EVENING I'M JIM JORDAN REPRESENTING THE 4th DISTRICT OF OHIO 9 REPUBLICAN PARTY IS THE PRO AMERICA PARTY.
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS THE PRO AMERICA CANDIDATE.
THIS ELECTION IS ABOUT WHO CAN PRESERVE THE VALUES, PRINCIPLES AND UPS TAKE SUBSTITUTIONS THAT MAKE AMERICA GREAT.
DON'T BELIEVE ME.
LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN AMERICAN CITIES.
CITIES ALL RUN BY DEMOCRATS.
CRIME, VIOLENCE AND MOB RULE.
DEMOCRATS REFUSE TO DENOUNCE THE MOB AND RESPONSE TO THE CHAOS, DEFUND THE POLICE, DEFUND BORDER PATROL AND DEFUND OUR MILITARY.
WHILE THEY'RE DOING ALL THIS ALSO TRYING TO TAKE AWAY YOUR GUNS.
LOOK AT THE POSITIONS THEY HAVE TAKE THE FAST FEW MONTHS.
DEMOCRATS WON'T LET YOU GO TO CHURCH BUT THEY WILL LET YOU PROTEST.
DEMOCRATS WON'T YOU LET YOU GO TO WORK, BUT LET YOU RIOT.
DEMOCRATS WON'T LET YOU GO TO SCHOOL BUT LET YOU GO LOOT.
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS AGAINST EACH OF THEIR CRAZY IDEAS.
HE'S ATTENTION ON THE SWAMP.
ALL OF THE SWAMP.
THE DEMOCRATS, THE PRESS AND THE NEVER TRIM OFFERS.
YOU TAKE ON THE SWAMP, THEY TRIED THE RUSSIA HOAX, MUELLER INVESTIGATION AND FAKE IMP IMPEACHMENT.
DESPITE OF THIS OPPOSITION THIS PRESIDENT HAS DONE WHAT HE SAID HE WOULD DO.
TAXES CUT.
REGULATIONS REDUCED.
ECONOMY GROWING.
LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT IN 50 YEARS.
EMBASSY IN JERUSALEM, A NEW U.S. AGREEMENT OF COURSE BUILDING THE WALL AND REBUILDING OUR ECONOMY AS WE SPEAK.
I LOVE THE PRESIDENT'S INTENSITY AND HIS WILLINGNESS TO FIGHT EVERY DAY IN WASHINGTON FOR OUR FAMILIES.
BUT WHAT I ALSO APPRECIATE ABOUT THE PRESIDENT, IS SOMETHING MOST AMERICANS NEVER GET TO SEE.
HOW MUCH HE TRULY CARES ABOUT PEOPLE.
OUR FAMILY HAS SEEN IT.
TWO YEARS AGO, OUR NEPHEW ELI WAS KILLED IN A CAR ACCIDENT.
HE LIVED A MILE UP THE ROAD FROM US, GREW UP WRESTLING AND T TRIPPING WITH OUR BIRX AVERAGES HIGH SCHOOL STATE CHAMPION, VARSITY ATHLETE FOR UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN.
A SATURDAY MORNING, THREE DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT, I WALK TO THE CAR TO HEAD UP TO ELI'S PARENTS HOME WHEN THE PRESIDENT CALLED.
WE TALKED ABOUT A FEW ISSUES THEN HE ASKED HOW THE FAMILY WAS DOING.
HE SAID THEY'RE DOING OKAY, MR MR. PRESIDENT BUT IT'S TOUGH.
THE PRESIDENT SAID, YEAH, LOSING A LOVED ONE IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT.
IT'S REALLY TOUGH WHEN THEY'RE SO YOUNG.
I THEN SAID, MR. PRESIDENT I'M WALKING INTO THEIR HOUSE RIGHT NOW.
OBVIOUSLY THEY DON'T KNOW THAT I'M TALKING TO YOU.
BUT IF YOU'D BE WILLING TO SAY HELLO TO ELI'S DAD YOU'D MAKE A TERRIBLE DAY.
WETS WHAT'S HIS NAME.
I SAID, PRESIDENT WANTS TO TALK TO YOU.
FOR THE NEXT FIVE MINUTES, FAMILY AND FRIENDS SAT IN COMPLETE SILENCE AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TOOK TIME TO TALK TO A DAD WHO WAS HURTING.
THAT'S THE PRESIDENT I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
PRESIDENT WHO SHARED PRIVATE MOMENTS LIKE THIS WITH SOLDIERS, VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIME AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD BUSINESSES DESTROYED BY THE MOB.
THAT'S THE INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS MADE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN WHO KNOWS AMERICA'S BEST DAYS ARE STILL FRONT MUCH US.
THAT'S WHY I'M BUSTING MY TAIL TO HELP HIM GET REELECTED.
I'M ASKING YOU TO DO THE SAME.
THANK YOU.
AND GOD BLESS OUR COUNTRY.
>> I'M NOT AN ACTOR.
A SENIOR OR POLITICS.
I'M HER SHALL WALKER.
MOST OF YOU KNOW ME AS A FOOTBALL PLAYER BUT I'M ALSO A FATHER, A MAN OF FAITH AND VERY GOOD JUDGE OF CHARACTER.
I'VE KNOWN DONALD TRUMP FOR 37 YEARS.
AND I DON'T MEAN JUST CASUAL RAN INTO HIM FROM TIME TO TIME.
I'M TALKING ABOUT A DEEP, PERSONAL FRIENDSHIP.
I WATCHED HIM AS OWNER OF A PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM, RIGHT AFTER HE BOUGHT THE TEAM HE SET OUT TO LEARN.
HE LEARNED ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE TEAM, THE PLAYER, THE COACHES.
EVERY DETAIL.
THEN HE USED WHAT HE LEARNED TO MAKE THE TEAM BETTER.
I WATCHED HIM IN THE BOARD ROOM.
HE CAN BE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BIG MEETING BUT IF ONE OF THE KIDS WAS ON THE PHONE, HE DROPPED EVERYTHING TO TAKE THE CALL.
HE TAUGHT ME THAT FAMILY SHOULD BE YOUR TOP PRIORITY.
I WATCHED HIM FEET JANITORS, SECURITY GUARDS AND WAITERS THE SAME WAY HE WOULD TREAT A V.I.P.
HE MADE THEM FEEL SPECIAL BECAUSE HE KNEW THEY WERE.
HE UNDERSTANDS THAT THEY ARE THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THIS COUNTRY RU RUN.
THEY CLEAN, THEY COOK, THEY BUILD, THEY DRIVE, THEY DELIVER.
HE TOLD ME, HERSCHEL, MAKE AN EFFORT TO GET TO KNOW PEOPLE.
REMEMBER THEIR NAMES.
THAT STUCK WITH ME.
ONE TIME I PLANNED TO TAKE HIS CDZ TO DISNEYWORLD WITH MY FAMILY AT THE LAST MINUTE, DONALD SAID HE'D LIKE TO JOIN U US.
SO THERE HE WAS.
IN A BUSINESS SUIT.
ON THE IT'S A SMALL WORLD RIDE.
THAT WAS SOMETHING TO SEE.
IT JUST SHOWS YOU WHAT A CARING, LOVING FATHER HE IS.
IT HURT MY SOUL TO HEAR TERRIBLE NAMES THAT PEOPLE CALL DONALD.
THE WORST ONE IS RACIST.
I TAKE IT AS A PERSONAL INSULT THAT PEOPLE WOULD THINK I'VE HAD 37 YEAR FRIENDSHIP WITH A RAC RACIST.
PEOPLE THINK THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
GROWING UP IN THE DEEP SOUTH I'VE SEEN RACISM OF CLOSE.
I KNOW WHAT IT IS.
AND IT ISN'T DONALD TRUMP.
JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE LOVES AND RESPECTS THE FLAG, OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM AND OUR COUNTRY, DOESN'T MEAN THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE.
I CARE ABOUT ALL THOSE THINGS.
SO DOES DONALD TRUMP.
HE SHOWS HOW MUCH -- IN A BLACK COMMUNITY THROUGH HIS ACTIONS.
HIS ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN STICKERS OR SLOGANS ON A JERSEY.
HE KEEPS RIGHT ON FIGHTING TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF BLACK AMERICANS AND ALL AMERICANS.
HE WORK NIGHT AND DAY.
HE NEVER STOPS.
HE LEAVES NOTHING ON THE FIELD.
SOME PEOPLE DON'T LIKE HIS STY STYLE.
THE WAY HE KNOCKS DOWN OBSTACLES THAT GET IN THE WAY OF HIS GO GOALS.
PEOPLE ON OPPOSING TEAM, BUT THAT'S HOW YOU GET THE JOB DONE.
I PRAY EVERY NIGHT THAT GOD GIVES HIM MORE TIME.
GIVE HIM FOUR MORE YEARS.
HE HAS ACCOMPLISHED SO MUCH ALMOST ALL BY HIMSELF ON A CONSTANT ATTACK.
BUT THERE ARE STILL MORE WORK TO BE DONE.
IF YOU LOVE AMERICA AND WANT TO MAKE IT BETTER, DONALD TRUMP IS YOUR PRESIDENT.
HE'S MY PRESIDENT.
AND I'M BLESSED TO CALL HIM A FRIEND.
>> Woodruff: ENDORSEMENTS DON'T GET ANY MORE HEARTFELT FROM HERSCHEL WALKER WHO WAS STAR PLAYER FOR DALLAS COWBOYS FOR 12 SEASONS.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME BEFORE THAT.
AND YOU HEARD HIM SAY, I'M TU TURNING NOW TO TWO OF OUR VERY FAMILIAR ANALYSTS, MARK SHIELDS AND "NEW YORK TIMES" COLUMNIST DAVID BROOKS.
DAVID, YOU DON'T HEAR MANY PEOPLE FLAT OUT SAY, I KNOW THE PRESIDENT, I'VE KNOWN HIM 37 YEARS AND HE'S NOT A RACIST.
>> HE KNEW HIM BECAUSE HE PLAYED FOR THE NEW JERSEY GENERALS WHO WAS USFL FOOTBALL TEAM.
USFL WAS A LEAGUE THAT TRIED TO RIVAL NFL AND DONALD TRUMP BOUGHT THE GENERALS ENDED UP DESTROYING THE LEAGUE IN ORDER TO TRY TO GET HIS TEAM AND NOT THE LEAGUE INTO THE NFL.
IT'S NOT A STORY OF FLOOR REWHAT DONALD TRUMP DID TO THE USFL.
HERSCHEL WALKER MADE A LEAP OVER TO THE NFL TO THE DALLAS COWB COWBOYS.
THAT REMIND ME OF SOMETHING WE'VE HEARD THIS AND COVID SEGMENT.
WHICH WAS YOU'VE GOT TO STAY CLOSE TO CREDIBILITY.
AND OBVIOUSLY IN EVERY POLITICAL CONVEHICLE THERE'S A DONE OF SPIN YOU PICK OUT THE FACTS THAT YOU LIKE.
FOR SWING VOTERS YOU HAVE TO STAY CLOSE TO WHAT THEY KNOW ALREADY EXISTS.
AND IN COVID, EVEN IN USFL CASE I'M NOT SURE THEY STAYED TOO CLOSE TO THE FACTS.
THE PARTS THEY'RE STRONGEST AT IS GOING AFTER WHAT HAS BEEN EXCESSES ON THE LEFT.
SO I WOULD SAY AN EXAMPLE OF THAT IS, WHEN MATT GEITZ SAID THEY WON'T LET YOU GO TO CHURCH BUT THEY LET YOU PROTEST.
THAT IS AN ARGUMENT I HEAR OFTEN FROM RELIGIOUS PEOPLE AND FROM CONSERVATIVES.
THAT'S THEIR STRONGEST CASE.
THE QUESTION CAN THEY MAKE THE CASE THE DEMOCRATS ARE TOO FAR LEFT WHEN JOE BIDEN IS THE NOMINEE IS HOPE QUESTION.
>> Woodruff: WE HEARD MORE OF THAT, MARK SHIELDS, FROM CONGRESSMAN JIM JORDAN OF OHIO.
SPOKE ABOUT THE CRIME, THE VIOLENCE, HE SAID MOB RULE ON THE STREETS OF THIS COUNTRY.
AS DAVID SAID, WON'T LET YOU GO TO CHURCH BUT THEY WILL LET YOU RIOT.
IT'S A PRETTY STARK CONTRAST THEY'RE PAINTING.
>> IT IS, JUDY.
I THINK GIVEN WHAT'S GONE UPON AND CONTINUES TO GO ON IN PORTLAND THAT IT WOULD BE AN ISSUE.
IT IS A DEMOCRATIC STATE.
IT'S A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR, DEMOCRATIC SENATORS.
DEMOCRATIC MAYOR.
AND IT SEEMS TO BE QUITE FRANKLY LAWLESS.
BUT DONALD TRUMP WEAKENED IF NOT CRIPPLED HIS OWN CREDIBILITY ON THE ISSUE BY THE TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE DAY AT ST. JOHN'S CHURCH WHEN HE USED CHEMICAL IRRITANTS AND OFFICIAL MILITARY POWER TO UPROOT PEACEFUL PROT PROTESTERS IN LAFAYETTE SQUARE SO HE COULD HOLD A BIBLE UPSIDE DOWN IN A PHOTO OP.
HIS CREDIT IT ON THIS ISSUE, AGREE WITH DAVID'S POINT EARL EARLIER, IS NOT THERE.
I THINK THEY'RE PLAYING -- THIS IS WHERE THEY'RE PLAYING A LITTLE DEFENSE.
WHEN JIM JORDAN SPOKE ABOUT DONALD TRUMP'S KINDNESS TO A FATHER WHO HAD LOST A CHILD.
BY SPEAKING TO HIM ON THE PHONE, THAT WAS A SIDE OF DONALD TRUMP, HERSCHEL WALKER SPOKE ABOUT DONALD TRUMP HE KNEW, THIS WAS A CERTAIN COMPETITION I THINK BASED UPON WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK AT THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION WHERE JOE BIDEN'S DOCUMENTED DECENCY WAS SORT OF ESTABLISHED.
BY SPEAKER AFTER SPEAKER AND PRESENTATION AFTER PRESENTATION.
SO -- AS FAR AS THIS CONVENTION IS CONCERNED.
I CAN ONLY COME BACK TO THE QUOTE OF MAE WEST, THE GREAT SORT OF EARTHY HOLLYWOOD STAR WHO SAID, TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING IS WONDERFUL.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE OPERATING O ON.
YOU CAN'T GO AN HOUR WITHOUT DONALD TRUMP BEING ON.
FDR WAS THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO SHOW UP IN 1932 TO ACCEPT THE NOMINATION.
WHICH HE DID IN CHICAGO FOR THE DEMOCRATS.
SINCE THEN THAT'S BEEN SORT OF TRADITIONAL THAT THE NOMINEE WOULD SHOW UP ON THE NIGHT IN WHICH HE OR SHE IN THE CASE OF KAMALA HARRIS ACCEPTED THE NOMINATION.
BUT DONALD TRUMP IS -- THIS IS WALL TO WALL DONALD TRUMP.
>> Woodruff: DAVID BROOKS, DONALD TRUMP IS NOT ANYTHING BUT COMFORTABLE APPEARING ON TELEVISION.
BUT IT'S A FINE LINE.
I'M TOLD WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION.
RIGHT NOW.
THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE, STATE REPRESENTATIVE VERNON JONES, HE IS A DEMOCRAT IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA AND LEGALS LISTEN TO HIM.
>> AS YOU CAN SEE, I'M A MAN OF COLOR.
AND I'M A LIFE LONG DEMOCRAT, TOO.
YOU MAY BE WONDERING, WHY IS A LIFE LONG DEMOCRAT SPEAKING AT THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION.
AND THAT'S A FAIR QUESTION.
AND HERE IS YOUR ANSWER.
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY DOES NOT WANT BLACK PEOPLE TO LEAD THEIR MENTAL PLANTATION.
WE'VE BEEN FORCED TO BE THERE FOR DECADES AND GENERATIONS.
BUT I HAVE NEWS FOR JOE BIDEN.
WE ARE FREE, WE ARE FREE PEOPLE WITH FREE MINDS.
AND I'M PART OF A LARGE AND GROWING SEGMENT OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY WHO ARE INDEPENDENT THINKERS AND WE BELIEVE THAT DONALD TRUMP IS THE PRESIDENT THAT AMERICA NEEDS TO LEAD US FORWARD.
THIS IS NO TIME FOR SLEEPING IN THE BASEMENT.
JOE BIDEN HAS HAD 47 YEARS TO PRODUCE RESULTS.
BUT HE'S BEEN ALL TALK AND NO ACTION.
JUST LIKE SO MANY OF THE DEMOCRATS WHO HAVE BEEN MAKING PROMISES TO THE BLACK VOTERS FOR DECADES.
WE'VE BEEN THEIR CAPTIVE AUDIENCE.
WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP SOUGHT TO EARN THE BLACK VOTE, THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEADERS WENT CRAZY.
NANCY PELOSI AND CHUCK SCHUMER LITERALLY STARTING WEARING CLOTHS AROUND THE U.S. CAPITAL.
AS IF PANDERING WERE ENOUGH TO KEEP US -- >> Woodruff: OF GEORGIA HE REPRESENTS THE SUBURB OF ATLA ATLANTA.
AND HE ENDORSED PRESIDENT TRUMP IN APRIL.
AND SAID HE ENDORSED HIM BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMY, BECAUSE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND I WANT TO BRING IN AS WE DIP IN TO AND -- AS WE LISTEN TO SOME OF THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE I WANT TO BRING BACK YAMICHE ALCINDOR OUR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT ANDLY SPA DESJARDINS OUR CAPITOL HILL CORRESPONDENT.
WE'RE SEEING AN AGGRESSIVE ATTEMPT ON THE PART OF THIS PARTY AND OF PRESIDENT TRUMP TO SAY, I'M NOT A RACIST.
WE HEARD THAT FROM RE HERSCHEL WALK ARE NOW HEARING NOW FROM STATE REPRESENTATIVE JONES OF GEORGIA SAYING THIS PRESIDENT DOES HAVE SUPPORT AMONG BLACK AMERICANS.
TO PUSH BACK ON THE NARRATIVE THAT THEY SAY IS NOT THE WHOLE PICTURE ABOUT HIM.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AS A WHOLE IN 2012 DID REALLY LONG AUTOPSY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO EXPAND THEIR BASE AND DIVERSIFY.
THEN CAME DONALD TRUMP HE DID THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT THE PARTY SAID HE FOCUSED ON RACIAL DIVISION, FOCUSED ON IMMIGR IMMIGRATION, CALLED IMMIGRANTS RAPISTS AND CRIMINALS.
WE NEEDED MORE POLICE NOT LESS POLICE.
THEN OF COURSE WHILE HE'S IN OFFICE PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS REALLY BEAT UP ON THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT HE'S CALLED PEOPLE ANARCHISTS, CALLED THEM NOT GOOD FOR AMERICA.
HE'S REALLY CALLED INTO QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT PEOPLE SHOULD BE TAKING TO THE STREETS AFTER WE SEE DEATHS LIKE JACOB BLAKE IN WISCONSIN OR GEORGE FLOYD IN MINNESOTA.
SOY THE RNC TONIGHT IS REALLY TRYING TO PUSH BACK ON THE NOTION.
BUT CRITICS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP SAY THAT NO MATTER WHAT PEOPLE AROUND HIM SAY, THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF HAS REALLY BEEN THE PERSON GIVING HIS CRITICS THEIR AMMUNITION.
HIS RESPONSE AFTER CHARLOTTESVILLE, THERE ARE FINE PEOPLE THAT GO TO NAZI RALLIES AS WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF THIS RACIAL RECKONING TALKING ABOUT THE IDEA THAT HE DOESN'T THINK THAT POLICE REFORM OR SYSTEMIC RACISM STREETS WIDESPREAD AS DEMOCRATS SEEM.
I THINK THAT THE PRESIDENT IN SOME WAYS TRYING TO PUSH BACK BY HAVING THESE PERSONAL TESTIMONIALS, PEOPLE WHO ARE CLOSE TO HIM SAYING LOOK, I KNOW PRESIDENT TRUMP, I KNOW HIS HEART.
>> Woodruff: LISA, WE KNOW THAT REPUBLICANS REALIZE THEY ARE BEING COMPARED WITH THE DEMOCRATS WHO OF COURSE HAD A VERY DIVERSE LOOKING CONVENTION, DELEGATES AND SUPPORTERS, SPEAKERS FROM EVERY ETHNIC GROUP IN THE COUNTRY.
BUT I WANT TO ASK YOU,LY IS, ABOUT WHAT WE HEARD A MOMENT BEFORE THAT THAT WAS FROM CONGRESSMAN JIM JORDAN OF OHIO.
WHO JUST THREW OUT IN A COUPLE OF WORDS, MOB RULE.
VIE LICENSE, HE PORTRAYED THE DEMOCRATS AS LETTING THE COUNTRY JUST RUN AMUCK.
MARK SHIELDS SAID, WHAT IS GOING ON IN PORTLAND GIVES THEM AN OPENING TO DO THAT.
HOW DID DEMOCRATS YOU TALKED TO, HOW DO THEY DEAL WITH THAT?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK THESE TWO IDEAS ARE CONNECTED AS ONE.
THE REPUBLICANS SAYING THAT DEMOCRATS ARE PANDERING ON THE OTHER HAND AND ON ONE HAND ALSO LETTING LOOSE MOB RULE.
DEMOCRATS SAY, NO, THE ISSUE IS THAT REPUBLICANS ARE NOT DEALING WITH THE REALITY OF AMERICA TODAY.
AND FROM THE DEMOCRATIC POINT OF VIEW THE REALITY OF AMERICA TODAY IS A PLACE WHERE RACIAL I INJUSTICE LIVES AND BREATHES AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
BUT IS NOT BEING ADDRESSED BY THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT.
SO THOSE TWO IDEAS I THINK FOR DEMOCRATS ARE CONNECTED.
AND I THINK IT'S ALSO CONNECTED TO THESE CONVENTIONS AND HOW YOU SEE THEM.
HOW DEMOCRATS SEE THEM.
THEY ZOO THEIR CONVENTION AS FORWARD LOOKING, TRYING TO ADAPT TO UNPRECEDENTED CRISIS.
BUT THEY WILL SAY REPUBLICAN CONVENTION SOMETHING MORE FROM THE PAST.
AS THEY -- DEMOCRATS WOULD SAY OUR GENERAL REPUBLICAN PHILOSOPHIES.
ONE OTHER THING I WANT TO MENTION IN AN EARLIER CONVERSATION YOU AND I HAD, JU JUDY, I TALKED HOW I WAS WA WATCHING REPUBLICAN ROLL CALL VOLT ONE OF MY FAVORITE PARTS OF ANY CONVENTION TODAY.
SORT OF NOTICING THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE PEOPLE WHO SPOKE FOR EACH STATE.
I MENTIONED THAT I LOOKED AT THE NAMES OF ALL THE SPEAKERS BUT I DID THAT BECAUSE I LOOKED UP EACH PERSON'S BIOGRAPHY.
I WAS NOT JUDGING WHO THEY WERE BY THEIR NAME I WANTED TO LOOK AT THEIR BIOGRAPHY AND SEE WHAT WE COULD TELL ABOUT THEIR DEMOGRAPHICS FROM THAT, THEIR FAMILY HISTORY, WHERE THEY ARE FROM, MEN, WOMEN, ALL OF THAT TO GET A SPENCE OF WHO WAS PRESENTING THE DELEGATES FOR EACH STATE FOR THE REPUBLICANS.
>> Woodruff: WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT.
WHICH IS WHAT MAKES YOU SUCH A GREAT REPORTER KIND OF THING THAT MAKES YAMICHE ALCINDOR SUCH A GREAT REPORTER.
WE'RE SO GRATEFUL TO THE TWO OF YOU TO BE HERE.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO TALK TO YOU THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.
BUT MEANTIME I WANT TO BRING IN SEVERAL OTHER OF OUR ANALYSTS WHO ARE WITH US THIS EVENING.
THEY ARE GARY ABERNATHY, CYNTHIA TUCKER AND OUR OWN AMY, YOU'RE RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF ME.
AMY, I AM GOING TO COME TO YOU FIRST ON THIS BECAUSE WE'RE RAISING PRETTY SENSITIVE ISSUE.
WHEN YOU TALK JUST FLAT OUT ABOUT WHETHER DONALD TRUMP IS RACIST OR NOT, WHICH IS NOW BEEN RAISED AT THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION.
YOU'RE GETTING INTO TRICKY TERRITORY AND HOW MUCH DOES IT MATTER HOW THEY TALK ABOUT IT AT THIS CONVENTION?
>> WELL, I THINK WHAT THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN DOING TODAY OR AT LEAST RNC AS HAS BEEN DOING TODAY IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SAW DEMOCRATS DOINGN THE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS AT THEIR CONVENTION.
WHICH IS TO TRY AND REACH OUT BEYOND THE BASE.
AND TO SAY, LOOK, I KNOW YOU HAVE ALL THESE IDEAS ABOUT WHO DONALD TRUMP IS FROM WHAT YOU'VE BEEN SEEING IN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA BUT LET ME TELL YOU SOME PERSONAL STORIES.
HERSHEL WALKER SITTING ON THEN NOT PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP BUT SITTING ON, IT'S A SMALL WORLD IN A SUIT RIDE WITH HIS KIDS.
HUMANIZING HIM BEYOND JUST THE RACE PIECE BUT HUMANIZING HIM AS A PERSON.
WE HAD THREE HIGH PROFILE AFRICAN AMERICANS COME ON THUS FAR, HERSCHEL WALKER A WOMAN WHO IS RUNNING IN MARYLAND FOR CONGRESS.
AND OF COURSE WE'LL SEE TIM SCOTT LATER ON TONIGHT, SENATOR FROM SOUTH CAROLINA TO MAKE THAT CASE.
THEY'RE TRYING TO BOTH HUMANIZE HIM IN A WAY THAT WE DON'T NORMALLY SEE OF PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT DONALD TRUMP.
LESS ABOUT THE BRASH HE'S GOING TO ROCK 'EM SOCK 'EM SAY THINGS AS THEY ARE.
MUCH MORE ABOUT WHO HE IS AS A PERSON.
>> Woodruff: PICK UP ON THAT, CYNTHIA TUCKER.
AND HOW MUCH MORE -- WE'VE BEEN WATCHING THIS MAN UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL FOR FIVE YEARS NOW, WHAT ARE WE THE MIDDLE OF 2015, HOW MUCH MORE OF THE PICTURE CAN BE FILLED OUT AT A CONVENTION LIKE THIS?
>> WELL, UNLIKE JOE BIDEN, MANY VOTERS ALREADY KNOW A LOT ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP BECAUSE HE'S BEEN THE PRESIDENT FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
HE'S BEEN IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT FROM THE MOMENT HE BEGAN HIS FIRST CAMPAIGN HE HAS GONE BEYOND RACISTS DOG WHISTLES TO FULL OUT SHOUTING, YAMICHE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT SOME OF THE RHETORIC HE USED IN HIS CAMPAIGN.
SO I THINK THAT FOR MANY BLACK AND BROWN VOTERS, MANY VOTERS OF COLOR THEIR OPINIO ABOUT DONALD TRUMP ARE ALREADY BAKED IN.
HE'S NOT GOING TO WIN OVER VERY MANY VOTES FROM BLACK VOTERS OR LATINO VOTERS.
I DO THINK, HOWEVER, HE HE WOULD LIKE TO INOCULATE HIMSELF A BIT AND WIN BACK SOME OF THE SUPPORT FROM COLLEGE EDUCATED WHITE WOMEN, SUBURBAN WIVES THAT HE TALKS ABOUT THAT HE HAS BEEN LOSING.
A LOT OF THOSE VOTERS DON'T WANT TO BELIEVE THAT THEY WOULD BE SUPPORTING A RACIST.
AND SO TO THE EXTENT THAT TRUMP CAN HUMANIZE HIMSELF AND SHOW THAT THERE ARE SOME PROMINENT BLACKS WILLING TO SPEAK UP FOR HIM, HE MAY BE ABLE TO WIN OVER SOME OF THOSE VOTERS WHO MAY BE WAIVERING A BIT.
>> Woodruff: GARY ABERNATHY, WHAT ABOUT THAT.
HOW DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, SOFTENING UP AN IMAGE OR SHIFTING AN IMAGINE ORDER TO APPEAL TO A WIDER GROUP OF VOTERS.
>> SURE.
WELL I'M GLAD THAT THEY'RE TACKLING THIS RACIST QUESTION HEAD ON.
I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT.
OF ALL THE THINGS -- PLACES LIKE WHERE I LIVE, PROBABLY THE MOST OFFENSIVE THING PEOPLE HEAR FROM THEIR POINT OF VIEW ABOUT THIS PRESIDENT THEY SUPPORT IS THAT HE IS A RACIST BECAUSE BY PROXY THEY FEEL LIKE IT'S CALL ALL OF THEM A ARRESTIST, THEY'RE SUPPORTING A RACIST.
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WHO SUPPORT DONALD TRUMP DON'T FEEL THAT THEY'RE RACIST, MAY NOT BE PARTICULARLY LIBERAL.
MAY NOT HAVE LIBERAL VIEWS ON RACE LIKE SOME PEOPLE.
BUT THAT'S A LONG WAY FROM BEING RACIST.
SO I THINK AGAIN WE'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
SO MUCH OF WHAT WE'RE HEARING TONIGHT THROUGHOUT THIS WEEK, JUDY, IS GOING TO BE REALLY REFLECTIVE OF THE TWO AMERICA, IS THAT WE'RE LIVING IN.
THE GUN ISSUE.
THE RACE ISSUE.
THINGS LIKE THAT.
WHAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT NO MATTER WHO WINS IN NOVEMBER, NO MATTER WHETHER TRUMP WINS OR BIDEN WINS THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE MAKE UP OF OUR COUNTRY THAT MUCH.
WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY FOR TH THESE -- FOR US AS AMERICANS WITH ALL THESE VERY DIVERGENT POINTS OF VIEW, LEFT AND FAR RIGHT TO LIVE TOGETHER, TO LOVE EACH OTHER AND TO CO-EXIST PEACEFULLY.
TRUST ME, ONE SIDE IS NOT GOING TO CONVERT THE OTHER SIDE ANY TIME SOON.
>> Woodruff: BUT I GUESS THAT RAISES FOR ME THE QUESTION, AMY, IS REELECTING DONALD TRUMP OR JOE BIDEN GOING TO BE THE ANSWER TO GETTING -- TO MAKING US COMFORTABLE LIVING WITH EACH OTHER OR NOT.
>> WELL, WHAT THE PRESIDENT HAS DONE DAY IN AND DAY OUT IS TO DRIVE WEDGE AND HE REVELS IN THE DIVIDING.
HE DOES NOT REVEL IN THE UNI UNITING.
SO IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT THAT HAS BEEN A POLITICAL STRATEGY THAT HE'S TAKEN INTO A GOVERNING STRATEGY AS WELL.
WITH THE KILLING OF GEORGE FLOYD, WHAT WE SAW WAS A RECKONING THAT WAS HAPPENING EVERYWHERE IN AMERICA.
DONALD TRUMP DID NOT TAKE IT AS SERIOUSLY AND WAS -- HIS APPROACH TO IT ESPECIALLY AS MARK POINTED OUT.
WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE PEACEFUL PROTESTERS ENFRONT OF THE WHITE HOUSE AND CLEARING THEM OUT WITH POLICE TO GO TO A PHOTO OP IT RUBBED SO MANY VOTERS THE WRONG WAY.
THERE'S A REASON THAT THE PRESIDENT'S APPROVAL RATING ON HANDLING RACE RELATIONS IS AT 3 35%.
AND A LOT OF IT WAS DRIVEN POST GEORGE FLOYD BUT IT REALLY HAS BEEN THESE LAST FOUR YEARS OF RHETORIC.
AND THAT HAS REALLY DRIVEN PEOPLE AWAY FROM EACH OTHER AND THAT'S JUST HASN'T CHANGED.
>> Woodruff: JUST IN THE FEW SECONDS, CYNTHIA TUCK IS HE THAT THAT SOMETHING THAT CAN CHANGE OR CAN BE MODIFIED SOMEHOW BY WATCHING A CONVENTION FOR A FEW NIGHTS?
>> I DON'T THINK SO.
I DON'T THINK THAT THERE WILL BE MUCH OF A CHANGE ON THAT SUBJ SUBJECT.
ABOUT WHAT VOTERS ALREADY THINK ABOUT THE PRESIDENT, AGAIN I THINK THAT FOR MOST OF US WHAT WOULD BELIEVE WE KNOW ABOUT THE PRESIDENT AND HIS RACIAL VIEWS IS ALREADY BAKED IN.
>> Woodruff: ALL RIGHT.
CYNTHIA TUCKER, GARY ABERNATHY AND AMY WALTER WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU.
RIGHT NOW WE DO WANT TO GO TO THE CONVENTION.
WE'RE A BOUT SEE A VIDEO ABOUT A MISSOURI COUPLE WHO WAVED GUNS AT PROTESTERS.
AND LET'S LISTEN TO THIS VIDEO THEN WE WILL HEAR FROM THEM.
>> THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS.
>> PROTESTS IN ST. LOUIS TURNED VIOLENT.
>> MARK SAYS HE AND HIS FAMILY HAVE BEEN THREATENED WITH VIOLENCE.
>> MISSOURI LAW YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO DEFEND YOUR HOME AND LIVES OF YOUR FAMILY.
>> SEARCH WARRANT HAS BEEN EXECUTED AT THE HOME OF MARK AND PATRICIA.
>> HUSBAND AND WIFE ATTORNEYS CHARGED WITH POINTING GUNS AT PROTESTERS.
>> THEY WERE SIMPLY TRYING TO PROTECT THEIR HOME.
>> GOOD EVENING, AMERICA.
WE ARE MARK AND PATTY McCLOSKY WHO ARE SPEAKING TO YOU TONIGHT FROM ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, WHERE WEEKS AGO YOU MAY HAVE SEEN US DEFENDING OUR HOME AS A MOB OF PROTESTERS DESCENDED ON OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> AMERICA IS SUCH A GREAT COUNTRY THAT NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OWN A GUN AND USE IT TO DEFEND YOURSELF, BUT THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS WILL OFFER YOU FREE ADVICE ON HOW TO USE IT.
AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT WE EXPERIENCED.
WHAT YOU SAW HAPPEN TO US COULD JUST AS EASILY HAPPEN TO ANY OF YOU WHO ARE WATCHING FROM QUIET NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND OUR COU COUNTRY.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT TONIGHT.
>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
WHETHER IT'S THE DEFUNDING OF POLICE, ENDING CASH BAIL SO CRIMINALS CAN BE RELEASED BACK OUT ON THE STREETS THE SAME DAY TO RIOT AGAIN OR ENCOURAGING WAR ANARCHY AND CHAOS ON OUR STREETS IT SEEMS AS IF DEMOCRATS NO LONGER VIEW THE GOVERNMENT'S JOB AS PROTECTING HONEST CITIZENS FROM CRIMINALS.
BUT RATHER PROTECTING CRIMINALS FROM HONEST CITIZENS.
NOT A SINGLE PERSON IN THE OUT OF CONTROL MOB YOU SAW AT OUR HOUSE WAS CHARGED WITH A CRIME.
BUT YOU KNOW WHO WAS?
WE WERE.
THEY HAVE ACTUALLY CHARGED US WITH FELONIES FOR DARING TO DEFEND OUR HOME.
ON TOP OF THAT, CONSIDER THIS.
THE MARKIST LIBERAL ACTIVISTS LEADING THE MOB TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD STOOD OUTSIDE OUR HOME WITH A BULL HORN SCREAM SNOOK YOU CAN'T STOP THE REVOLUTION" JUST WEEKS LATER THAT SAME MARXIST ACTIVIST WON DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION TO HOLD A SEAT IN THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
IN THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS THAT SAME AS WINNING THE GENERAL ELECTION.
THAT MARXIST REVOLUTIONARY IS NOW GOING TO BE THE CONGRESSWOMAN FROM THE FIRST DISTRICT OF MISSOURI.
THESE RADICALS ARE NOT CONTENT WITH MARCHING IN THE STREETS.
THEY WANT TO WALK THE HALLS OF CONGRESS, THEY WANT TO TAKE OV OVER.
THEY WANT POWER.
THIS IS JOE BIDEN'S PARTY.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE IN CHARMING OF YOUR FUTURE AND THE FUTURE OF YOUR CHILDREN.
>> THEY'RE NOT SALTS FILED WITH SPREADING THE CHAOS AND VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITIES THEY WANT TO ABOLISH THE SUBURBS ALTOGETHER BY ENDING SINGLE FAMILY HOME ZONING.
THIS FORCED REZONE WONG BRING CRIME, LAWLESSNESS AND LOW QUALITY APARTMENTS IN A NOW THRIVING SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOODS.
PRESIDENT TRUMP SMARTLY END UNDERSTAND GOVERNMENT OVER REACH BUT JOE BIDEN WANTS TO BRING IT BACK.
THESE ARE THE POLICIES THAT ARE COMING TO A NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR YOU.
SO MAKE NO MISTAKE.
NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE, YOUR FAMILY WILL NOT BE SAFE IN THE RADICAL DEMOCRATS OF AMERICA.
>> AT THIS MOMENT ENHISTORY, IF YOU STAND UP FOR YOURSELF AND FOR THE VALUES OUR COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON THE MOB SPURRED ON BY THEIR ALLIES IN THE MEDIA WILL TRY TO DESTROY YOU.
YOU HAVE SEEN US ON YOUR TV SCREENS AND TWITTER FEEDS.
YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT THE KIND OF PEOPLE WHO BACK DOWN.
THANKFULLY NEITHER IS DONALD TRUMP.
PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL DEFEND THE GOD-GIVEN RIGHT OF EVERY AMERICAN TO PROTECT THEIR HOMES AND THEIR FAMILIES.
BUT MORE THAN THAT, TRUMP'S VISION FOR AMERICA IS A COUNTRY WHERE YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK HARD AND BUILD THE LIFE YOU DREAM OF WITH A JOB YOU LOVE.
WITH YOUR CHILDREN BEING EDUCATED IN GREAT SCHOOLS.
IN A COMMUNITY WHERE YOUR FAMILY CAN PLAY IN THE BACK YARD WITHOUT FEAR.
OR SHIP IN A CHURCH WITHOUT SHAME.
AND EXPRESS YOUR BELIEVES WITHOUT RETRIBUTION.
TRUMP BROUGHT US THE GREATEST ECONOMY OUR COUNTRY HAD EVER SEEN.
THE DEMOCRATS HAVE BROUGHT US NOTHING BUT DESTRUCTION.
>> WHEN WE DON'T HAVE BASIC SAFETY AND SECURITY IN OUR COMMUNITIES, WE'LL NEVER BE FREE.
TO BUILD A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR OURSELVES, FOR OUR CHILDREN OR FOR YOUR COUNTRY.
THAT'S WHAT'S AT STAKE IN THIS ELECTION.
AND THAT'S WHY WE MUST REELECT DONALD TRUMP.
GOD BLESS YOU.
GOD BLESS THE PRESIDENT.
AND GOD BLESS THESE UNITED STATES.
>> Woodruff: THAT MESSAGE FROM MARK AND PATRICIA McC McCLOSKEY FROM ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, BOTH ARE ATTORNEYS.
AMNA THAT WAS IS BACK WITH REPORTER WHO COVERED THAT STORY.
AMNA.
>> THAT'S RIGHT, JUDY.
WE JUST HEARD FROM THEM AS YOU MENTIONED.
THE ST. LOUIS COUPLE WE ALL SAW IMAGES OF WAVING THEIR GUNS THE AT PROTESTERS.
LET'S CHECK IN WITH JASON FROM ST. LOUIS PUBLIC RADIO.
WELCOME TO YOU, THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.
THE STORE REAR WE ARE ALL FAMILIAR WITH IT NOW.
WE KNOW THESE IMAGES AND VIDEOS DEFENDING THEIR HOME THEY SAY AS BLACK LIVES MATTER MARCHERS WALKED PAST ON THEIR WAY TO ANOTHER PROTEST.
BUT THE MESSAGE THEY WERE DELIVERING TONIGHT ABOUT LAW AND ORDER, ABOUT THEIR GOD GIVEN RIGHT TO DEFEND THEIR HOME.
HOW DOES THAT MESSAGE RESONATE WITH MISSOURI VOTERS?
>> I THINK THE McCLOSK,Y SAGA IS LITMUS TEST HOW PEOPLE VIEW THIS MOVEMENT DECRYING POLICE KILLING BLACK PEOPLE.
IF YOU SUPPORT THAT, YOU SEE THEM AS THESE PRIVILEGED BUFF BUFFOONS WHO OVERREACTED TO PEOPLE THAT WERE OF NO HARM TO THEM WITH GUNS.
BUT IF YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT AND IF YOU'RE A MISSOURI REPUBLICAN YOU SEE THEM AS DEFENDING THEIR PROPERTY AGAINST AS THEY SAID, AN UNRULY MOB.
THE INTERESTING THING IS, THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN TESTED POLITICALLY IN ST. LOUIS WHEN NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS LIKE JOSH HOLLY, THE U.S.
SENATOR FROM HERE AND GOVERNOR MIKE PARSON, ASSAILED CIRCUIT ATTORNEY WHO SOME ALLUDED TO IN THAT ADDRESS FOR CHARGING THEM WITH UNLAWFUL USE OF A WEAPON.
AND EVEN REPUBLICANS HERE SAY THAT THAT ACTUALLY BACKFIRED AND PROBABLY LED TO GARDNER WINNING RE-ELECTION WITH 60% OF THE VO VOTE.
SO WHILE IT MAY BE RILING UP REPUBLICANS THROUGHOUT MISSOURI AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, IT ALSO ENERGIZED THE DEMOCRATS IN ST. LOUIS QUITE A BIT.
SO MUCH SO THAT THE PERSON THAT THEY WERE CRITICIZING TONIGHT WILL BE SERVING FOUR MORE YEARS IN OFFICE.
>> JASON, VERY BRIEFLY IF YOU CAN, MISSOURI WAS A BIG WIN FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP IN '16.
IT'S DEALING WITH THE SAME TWIN CRISES THE REST OF THE COUNTRY IS OVER 1500 COVID DEATHS, U UNEMPLOYMENT ROLLS HIGHER TODAY THAN THEY WERE AT THE PEAK OF THE GREAT RESECTION.
HOW DO MISSOURIANS BELIEVE THAT THE PRESIDENT IS HANDLING BOTH OF THOSE CRISES RIGHT NOW.
>> THAT'S GOING TO BE A BIG QUESTION IN NOVEMBER.
BECAUSE MISSOURI COULD BE A LITMUS TEST OF TRUMP'S OVERALL POPULARITY HE WON THIS STATE BY ALMOST 19 POINTS.
AND IF DEMOCRATS ARE ABLE TO MOBILIZE AND ORGANIZE A LOT BETTER THAN 2016 AND THEY CUT MARGIN DOWN TO SAY 2-5 TO 10 PERCENTAGE POINTS IT COULD BE A SIGNAL THAT HE'S NOT DOING WELL NATIONALLY.
REPUBLICANS HERE ARE HOPING FOR A REPEAT SO THEY CAN ELECT SOMEBODY LIKE GOVERNOR PARSON WHO IS RUNNING IN A COMPETITIVE RACE AGAINST DEMOCRATIC STATE AUDITOR.
A LOT OF BIG STAKES HERE IN MISSOURI AND TRUMP IS GOING TO BE THE BIG FACTOR OF HOW REPUBLICANS DO HERE.
>> THAT IS JAY ON FROM ST. L ST. LOUIS, PUBLIC RADIO.
THANKS TO YOU, JASON.
JUDY, BACK TO YOU.
>> Woodruff: THANK YOU, AMNA SO IMPORTANT TO HEAR THAT BACKGROUND.
WE'LL TURN YOU BACK OVER NOW TO THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE THAT IS KIMBERLY, HE IS A LAWYER, FORMER KNOCKS FUSE HOST, GIRLFRIEND OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S SON, DONALD TRUMP JUN JUNIOR.
>> AND EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE FOUGHT FOR AND HOLD DEAR.
THEY WANT TO STEAL YOUR LIBERTY, YOUR FREEDOM, THEY WANT TO CONTROL WHAT YOU SEE AND THINK.
AND BELIEVE SO THAT THEY CAN CONTROL HOW YOU LIVE.
THEY WANT TO ENSLAVE YOU TO THE WEAK, DEPENDENT, LIBERAL VICTIM IDEOLOGY TO THE POINT THAT YOU WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THIS COUNTRY OR YOURSELF.
HE WAS SPEAKING ABOUT THAT SHINING CITY ON A HILL.
AND RESTORING THE BEACON OF LIGHT THAT ONCE SHINED SO BRIGHT.
HIS PROMISE WAS TO PUT AMERICA FIRST AND HE HAS.
WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP CUT MIDDLE CLASS TAXES, PUTTING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BACK IN THE POCKETS OF WORKING CLASS AMERICANS, THAT BEE CONBEGAN TO FLICKER ONCE AGAIN.
WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP COMMANDED THE DEFEAT OF ISIS, TOOK OUT PAVED THE WAY FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
THAT BEACON STARTED TO GLOW.
WHEN HE NEGOTIATED HISTORIC TRADE DEALS WITH CANADA, MEXICO, JAPAN AND CHINA, BRINGING BACK THOUSANDS OF MANUFACTURING JOBS TO AMERICA, THAT BEACON SHINED BRIGHT ONCE AGAIN FOR THE WORLD TO SEE.
AMERICA, IT'S ALL ON THE LINE.
PRESIDENT TRUMP BELIEVES IN YOU.
HE EMANCIPATES AND LIFTS YOU UP TO LIVE YOUR AMERICAN DREAM.
YOU ARE CAPABLE, YOU ARE QUALIFIED, YOU ARE POWERFUL AND YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE YOUR LIFE AND DETERMINE YOUR DESTINY.
DON'T LET THEM STEP ON YOU.
DON'T LET THEM DESTROY YOUR FAMILIES, YOUR LIVES AND YOUR FUTURE.
DON'T LET THEM KILL FUTURE GENERATIONS BECAUSE THEY TOLD YOU AND BRAINWASHED YOU AND FED YOU LIES THAT YOU WEREN'T GOOD ENOUGH.
LIKE MY PARENTS, YOU CAN ACHIEVE YOUR AMERICAN DREAM.
YOU CAN BE THAT SHINING EXAMPLE TO THE WORLD.
MANIFEST AND BE THE CHANGE IN THIS COUNTRY THAT YOU DREAM, THAT YOU HOPE, THAT YOU BELIEVE IN.
STAND FOR AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT WHO IS FEARLESS, WHO BELIEVES IN YOU AND WHO LOVES THIS COUNTRY AND WILL FIGHT FOR HER.
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS THE LEADER WHO WILL REBUILD THE PROMISE OF AMERICA AND ENSURE THAT EVERY CITIZEN CAN REALIZE THEIR AMERICAN DREAM.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LEADERS AND FIGHTERS FOR FREEDOM AND LIB IRRELEVANT TEE AND THE AMERICAN DREAM, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!
>> I'M CONGRESSMAN STEVE SCAL SCALISE.
WE'RE FACING?
TOUGH CHALLENGES IN AMERICA.
THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME WE'VE BEEN HERE.
I'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH DONALD TRUMP OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AND IF THERE'S ONE CONSTANT THEME TO HOW HE APPROACHES PROBLEMS IS HOW MUCH HE CARES ABOUT THE HARD WORKING PEOPLE THAT WASHINGTON LEFT BEHIND.
I'VE SEEN THIS FIRSTHAND.
AFTER I WAS SHOT ON A BASEBALL FIELD BY A LEFTIST GUNMAN, FIRST RESPONDERS RUSHED ME TO A HOSPITAL WHERE I BATTLED FOR MY LIFE.
THAT SAME NIGHT, DONALD TRUMP CAME TO THE HOSPITAL ALONG WITH FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP.
THEY CONSOLED MY WIFE, JENNIFER.
THEY WERE THERE FOR MY FAMILY IN MY DARKEST HOURS.
DONALD TRUMP WOULD CALL TO CHECK ON ME THROUGHOUT THE FOLLOWING WEEKS JUST TO SEE HOW I WAS DOING.
THAT'S THE KIND OF PERSON HE IS.
THAT'S THE SIDE OF DONALD TRUMP THAT THE MEDIA WILL NEVER SHOW YOU.
LOOK, THERE'S A LOT AT STAKE.
THIS IS AN ELECTION BETWEEN A PARTY THAT WANTS TO BURN DOWN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OUR COUNTRY TO THE GROUND AND PARTY THAT WANTS TO REBUILD AND PROTECT OUR GREAT NATION.
THE LEFT WANTS TO DEFUND THE POLICE.
THIS IS PERSONAL TO ME.
I WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT THE BRAVERY AND HEROISM OF THE MEN AND WOMEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT WHO SAVED MY LIFE.
PRESIDENT TRUMP STANDS WITH THOSE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN.
JOE BIDEN EMBRACED THE LEFT'S INSANE MISSION TO DEFUND THEM.
THERE WON'T BE AN AMERICA TO LEAVE TO OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN WITHOUT THOSE BRAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS.
JOE BIDEN'S MADE CAREER IN WASHINGTON FOR 47 YEARS PROMISING THINGS HE'S NEVER DELIVERED.
AND JUST THREE SHORT YEARS, PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS DELIVERED HUGE WINS FOR AMERICAN FAMILIES.
WHILE JOE BIDEN MADE HOLLOW PROMISES WHEN HE CHAIRED THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, DONALD TRUMP TOOK ACTION AND DELIVERED CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM.
JOE BIDEN CLAIMS TO CARE ABOUT THE WORKING MAN.
BUT MILLIONS OF GOOD MANUFACTURING JOBS WERE SHIPPED OVERSEAS DURING THE OBAMA-BIDEN YEARS TO COUNTRIES LIKE CHINA.
DONALD TRUMP BROUGHT THOSE JOBS BACK.
I'VE SEEN HOW DEEPLY PRESIDENT TRUMP COMPARES ABOUT REBUILDING OUR EVAPORATING MIDDLE CLASS.
PRESIDENT TRUMP PLEDGED TO GIVE THE FORGOTTEN MEN AND WOMEN OF AMERICA A REAL SHOT AT THE AMERICAN DREAM.
AND AGAIN, HE DELIVERED.
THE LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN OVER 50 YEARS, WOMEN CREATING SMALL BUSINESSES AT RECORD PACE.
WAGES RISING, FASTESTEST BY THE WAY FOR LOWEST INCOME LEVELS.
WHAT CAN JOE BIDEN SAY TO THAT.
WHAT HAS JOE DONE IN HIS 47 YEARS IN WASHINGTON THAT CAN COMPARE TO THAT?
PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS DELIVERED FOR THE HARD WORKING OF THIS GREAT NATION.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE THAT KIND OF BOLD LEADERSHIP TO GET US OUT OF THIS COVID CRISIS.
AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP SAVED LIVES BY SHUTTING DOWN FLIGHTS FROM CHINA AND EUROPE, HE'S NOW FOCUSING THE FULL WEIGHT OF THE GOVERNMENT ON A REVOLUTIONARY PLAN TO CURE THIS VIRUS BY CUTTING RED TAPE AND EMPOWERING SCIENTISTS TO CREATE A VACCINE.
THIS IS VISIONARY LEADERSHIP IN ACTION.
AT A TIME WHEN WE CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER 47 YEARS OF HOLLOW PROMISES.
AMERICA'S BEEN THROUGH TOUGH TIMES BEFORE.
WHO BETTER TO LEAD US OUT OF THESE TIMES THAN THE PRESIDENT WHO ALREADY BUILT THE STRONGEST ECONOMY OUR COUNTRY HAS EVER SEEN.
DONALD TRUMP DID IT BEFORE, DONALD TRUMP WILL DELIVER FOR US AGAIN.
GOD BLESS YOU.
GOD BLESS THESE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
>> Woodruff: THAT WAS CONGRESSMAN STEVE SCALISE OF LOUISIANA.
THE SECOND RANKING REPUBLICAN IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
JOINING US ONCE AGAIN IS HISTORIAN MICHAEL BESCHLOSS.
MICHAEL, WE'RE HEARING TESTIMONIALS ABOUT THE PRESI PRESIDENT, ABOUT THE KIND OF PERSON HE IS THAT WE HEARD SEVERAL SPEAKERS SAY, YOU DON'T NORMALLY HEAR IN THE MEDIA BUT WE'RE HEARING THAT MIXED WIN SOME PRETTY STARK CONTRAST BEING PAINTED.
WE HEARD KIMBERLY SAY, AMERICA IS ALL ON THE LINE.
DON'T LET THE DEMOCRATS ENSLAVE YOU.
JUST DARK PICTURES BEING PAIN PAINTED.
CONGRESSMAN JIM JORDAN A LITTLE EARLIER SPOKE ABOUT MOBS IN THE STREET.
OF COURSE THE DEMOCRATS HAVE THEIR TURN LAST WEEK AT PAINTING A DARK PICTURE IF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S REELECTED.
WHEN HAVE WE LAST HAD AN ELECTION WHERE BOTH SIDES PAINTED THE OTHER SIDE AS LITERALLY THE END OF LIFE AS BEE KNOW IT.
>> RIGHT.
YES, EXACTLY.
BACK TO THE APOCALYPSE I THINK THIS YEAR.
AND I THINK MUCH OF WHAT WE HEARD TONIGHT REALLY HARKENS BACK TO 1968 AND THAT WAS A YEAR AS YOU KNOW WHEN GEORGE WALLACE, THE SEGREGATIONIST GOVERNOR OF ALABAMA WAS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT ON A THIRD PARTY S SAYING, THE SUBURBS ARE IN DANGER, THAT BLACK PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TAKE AWAY YOUR RIGHTS THEY'RE GOING TO COMPETE WITH YOU FOR JOBS AND THREATENING LAW AND ORDER.
RICHARD NIXON SAW THAT APPEAL, HE WAS WORRIED THAT WALLACE WOULD TAKE AWAY TOO MANY OF HIS VOTES AND NIXON CAVE UPTOWN VERSION OF THAT WHEN HE SPOKE TO HIS CONVENTION IN MIAMI BEACH, AUGUST OF 1968.
NIXON SAID, WE'RE FOR LAW AND ORDER BUT WE'RE ALSO FOR JUST JUSTICE.
SO I THINK WHAT WE'RE HEARING TONIGHT IS THAT OLD STRATEGY, NIXON ONCE SAID TO HIS SPEECH WRITER WILLIAM SAPPHIRE IN PRIVATE, HE SAID, PEOPLE REACT TO FEAR NOT LOVE.
THEY DON'T TEACH THAT IN SUNDAY SCHOOL BUT IT'S TRUE.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHETHER THAT'S RIGHT OR NOT.
>> Woodruff: SEE WHETHER THAT'S RIGHT OR NOT.
LLOOKING AT WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST THIS IN COUNTRY, MICHAEL, WHEN YOU'VE HAD AN ELECTION WHERE THE TWO SIDES WERE LITERALLY AT EACH OTHER'S THROATS PAINTEING THE OTHER SIDE IN THE DARKEST POSSIBLE WAY, NOT THAT THEY DON'T -- SURE THEY ALWAYS GO AT EACH OTHER BUT THIS IS -- EACH SIDE NOW IS PAINTING THE OTHER SIDE AS JUST SPINNING LIFE OUT OF CONTROL.
IS IT -- HAS THE COUNTRY COME TOGETHER IN THOSE MOMENTS AFTER THOSE ELECTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN SO DIVISIVE?
>> I DON'T THINK I HAVE EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE WHAT WE'RE SEEING THIS YEAR.
ONE PARTY SAYING DO NOT LET THEM TAKE AWAY YOUR DEMOCRACY, WHICH IS WHAT PRESIDENT OBAMA SAID TO THE DEMOCRATS LAST WEEK.
AND NOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE A LOT MORE AUGUST PEOPLE THAN KIMBERLY GUILLOFOYLE IF DEMOCRATS ARE ELECTED YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A NATION OF CHAOS AND ANARCHY.
YOU'LL HEAR THAT FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP WHEN HE ACCEPTS THIS NOMINATION.
IT MAKES IT ALL HARDER FOR NEW PRESIDENT TO COME IN AND SAY AS NIXON OF ALL PEOPLE SAID HIMSELF IN 1968, AFTER THE ELECTION, BRING US TOGETHER.
>> Woodruff: I'M ASKING YOU, MICHAEL, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH BEER ALL LASER FOCUSED ON THIS OWEL, WE'VE GOT 75 DAYS TO GO.
I HAVEN'T COUNTED IT YOU.
>> WHO IS COUNTING?
>> Woodruff: WHO IS COUNTING UNTIL NOVEMBER 3.
WE MAY KNOW THE RESULTS THAT NIGHT IT'S VERY POSSIBLE WE'LL STILL BE COUNTING.
AND THERE'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER ADMINISTRATION WHETHER IT'S SAME ADMINISTRATION TERM TWO, PRESIDENT TRUMP OR WHETHER IT'S PRESIDENT BIDEN.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE -- THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME EFFORT TO HAVE THE COUNTRY WORK TOGETHER AND STAND EACH OTHER ENOUGH TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND THAT IS GOING TO BE TOUGH COMING OUT OF THIS.
>> I THINK IT WILL.
I'M NOT SURE PRESIDENT TRUMP WANTS TO DO THAT.
THIS IS NOT A CRITICISM.
THIS IS JUST HIS APPROACH TO THINGS.
YOU GO BACK TO THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS WHICH WAS CALLED AS YOU REMEMBER, AMERICAN CARNAGE.
INAUGURAL WHAT VIRTUALLY EVER OTHER PRESIDENT HAS USED TO BIND UP THE MAKE'S WOUNDS AFTER TOUGH COME PAINS.
PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS SAYING THAT'S NOT MY APPROACH AND MUCH OF HIS PRESIDENCY LAST THREE AND HALF YEARS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT AS WELL.
SO I THINK IF WE'RE TRYING TO BE OPTIMISTIC THAT SOMEONE IS GOING TO BIND THIS COUNTRY TOGETHER, EITHER BECAUSE THEY WANT TO OR THEY'RE ABLE TO.
IT'S GOING TO BE VERY HARD, I THINK WE ARE AT RISK OF SEEING ONE OF THE ANGRIEST CAMPAIGNS OF ALL TIME.
>> Woodruff: MAYBE FOLLOWED BY ANGRY AFTERMATH.
YOU REMIND US OF THE AMERICAN CARNAGE, THE LINE THAT CAME OUT OF THAT INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
MICHAEL BESCHLOSS, THANK YOU.
WE'RE GOING BACK NOW TO THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION AND WATCH THIS VIRGINIA -- WATCH THIS VIDEO.
>> WE COME TOGETHER TO IMAGINE A FUTURE.
DETERMINED BY THE SHINING LIGHT OF OUR HOPES AND VALUES AND FAITH.
A COUNTRY WHERE WE ARE JUDGED BY OUR CHARACTER WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT FOR ALL.
THE BELIEF THAT ALL ARE CREATED EQUAL, THAT LIVES MATTER IRRESPECTIVE OF RACE, CREED OR COLOR.
COMMITTED TO EXCELLING BEYOND OUR DREAMS.
FOUR YEARS AGO WE FACED AN HISTORIC CROSS ROAD, CAREER POLITICIANS PROMISING CHANGE EVERY ELECTION.
BUT DELIVERING EMPTINESS.
WE CHOSE A DIFFERENT PATH, A MAN WHO IS NOT A POLITICIAN.
A MAN WHO CARES.
A FAN WHO WORKS TIRELESSLY FOR YOU.
STILL, POLITICIANS SPUN THEIR DECEPTIONS AND OBSTRUCTIVE PROGRESS, FANNING THE FLAMES OF LAWLESSNESS.
WE ALL KNOW THAT IT IS EASY TO CRITICIZE, IT TAKES A TRUE LEADER TO SOLVE PROBLEMS.
COVID-19 WHILE OTHERS CRITICIZED WITHOUT SOLUTIONS, PRESIDENT TRUMP SWIFT ACTION SAVED LIVES.
AND LEADING DEMOCRATS WANT TO KEEP BUSINESSES CLOSED DOWN, OUR PRESIDENT LEADING THE WAY FOR A FULL ECONOMIC RECOVERY.
WE ARE AMERICA.
WE AS AMERICANS WORK TOGETHER TO OVERCOME CHALLENGES, WRITE OUR OWN STORIES.
AMERICA.
LAND OF PROMISE.
LAND OF OPPORTUNITY.
LAND OF HEROES.
LAND OF GREATNESS.
>> I THOUGHT I HAD BEEN FORGOTTEN.
I NEARLY GAVE UP HOPE.
>> I WAS SO AFRAID.
>> I BELIEVED I WOULD DIE HERE.
>> AMERICAN HOSTAGES, FORGOTTEN AND WASTING AWAY IN FAR-OFF PRISONS.
WRONGFULLY DETAINED BY FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS.
AMERICANS WERE BEATEN, ABUSED, STARVED, AND LEFT FOR DEAD.
UNTIL PRESIDENT BUMP STEPPED IN.
>> THE THREE AMERICAN HOSTAGES ARE FINALLY BACK ON U.S.
SOIL AFTER BEING HELD CAPTIVE IN NORTH KOREA.
>> WHERE AMERICAN PASTOR, AND ANDREW, HAS BEEN RELEASED.
>> AN AMERICAN JAILED IN EGYPT IS BACK IN THE U.S.
THIS MORNING AFTER INTERVENTION BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
>> A TOUGH AND SKILLED NEGOTIATOR, PRESIDENT TRUMP SUCCESSFULLY WON THE RELEASE OF DETAINEES AND PRISONERS AMONG THE MOST OF ANY PRESIDENT IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
WHILE FAMILIES WAITED IN DESPAIR FOR NEWS OF THEIR LOVED ONE.
PRESIDENT TRUMP PROVIDED A NEW SPARK OF HOPE BY BRINGING OUR HOSTAGES HOME.
>> WE HAVE DANNY BIRCH BACK HOME WHERE HE SHOULD BE.
HE WAS IN YEMEN IN A VERY HORRIBLE SITUATION.
YESTERDAY THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT SECURED THE RELEASE OF CAITLIN, JOSHUA BOYLE AND THEIR THREE CHILDREN.
TODAY WE ARE BRINGING HOME ANOTHER AMERICAN CITIZEN.
JUST HAD NEWS THAT TURKEY RELEASED A PRISONER THAT WE WERE TRYING TO GET TO THE UNITED STATES.
>> HUNDRED ADMINISTRATION, AMERICA HAS NOT AND WILL NOT TURN ITS BACK ON OUR PEOPLE.
PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL BRING THEM HOME.
>> DIPLOMACY, NEGOTIATION SKI SKILLS, PERSEVERANCE, FAITH.
INGREDIENTS OF HOPE WHEN THERE IS NO HOPE.
NO AMERICAN SHOULD EVER BE LEFT BEHIND.
PRIORITY, FREEING AMERICAN HOSTAGES.
>> WE HAVE SIX INCREDIBLE PEOPLE WHO WERE HELD HOSTAGE BY VARIOUS COUNTRIES AND I'M VERY PLEASED TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT WE TE BROUGHT BACK OVER 50 HOSTAGES FROM 22 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, WE WORKED VERY HARD ON IT, AMBASSADOR O'BRIEN AND OTHERS, AND I WILL TELL YOU, WE WERE VERY PROUD OF THE JOB WE DID, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK MAJOR PASTOR BRUNSON TO SAY A FEW WORDS SO WE CAN GO THROUGH AND JUST GIVE US A LITTLE HISTORY OF WHAT HAPPENED AND HOW IS LIFE TREATING YOU.
>> I WAS HELD IN TURKEY FOR TWO YEARS AND YOU TOOK UNPRECEDENTED STEPS, ACTUALLY, TO SECURE MY RELEASE AND YOUR ADMINISTRATION REALLY FOUGHT FOR ME.
AND I THINK IF YOU HADN'T DONE THAT I MAY STILL BE IN TURKEY.
I AM VERY GRATEFUL.
>> 28 YEARS, RIGHT?
THEY HAD YOU SCHEDULED FOR A LONG TIME.
>> YES.
>> WE HAD TO GET YOU BACK AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT TO ME, PRESIDENT ERDOGAN WAS VERY GOOD, AND I KNOW THEY HAD YOU SCHEDULED FOR A LONG TIME AND A VERY INNOCENT PERSON, AND HE ULTIMATELY AFTER WE HAD A FEW CONVERSATIONS HE AGREED.
SO WE APPRECIATE THAT.
AND WE APPRECIATE THE PEOPLE OF TURKEY AND YOU STILL APPRECIATE THE PEOPLE OF TURKEY, I UNDERSTAND, RIGHT?
>> I LOVE THE TURKISH PEOPLE.
>> IT IS GREAT TO HAVE YOU BACK, ANDREW.
THANK YOU.
>> PLEASE.
>> MR. PRESIDENT, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> THANK YOU.
>> MY NAME IS SAM GOODWIN FROM ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI AND HELD IN SYRIA FOR 63 DAYS.
AND I THINK I SPEAK FOR MY FELLOW FORMER HOSTAGES AND DETAINEES HERE WHEN I SAY I AM AS GRATEFUL AS I AM ANYTHING TO BE HOME SAFELY AND THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION AND OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE, PARTICULARLY BACHELOR O'BRIEN WAS INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE AND HELPFUL TO MY FAMILY AND CAN'T SAY ENOUGH NICE THINGS ABOUT HIM.
THANK YOU FOR PROMOTING HIM.
AND JUST REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE.
SO THANK YOU.
>> WE GOT YOU BACK.
>> YOU GOT ME BACK, YES.
>> WE GOT YOU ALL BACK AND WE SOMEWHERE SOME MORE THAT WE ARE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW TO GET BACK THAT WE BETTER DO.
PLEASE, GO AHEAD.
>> MY NAME IS MICHAEL -- MR. PRESIDENT, I DO ONCE AGAIN IT IS AN HONOR TO BE HERE AND HONOR TO MEET YOU IN PERSON.
BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENED WITH ME IS I WENT AND TRAVELED OVER TO THE COUNTRY OF IRAN.
IT TURNED OUT IT WAS A MAJOR, MAJOR TRAP AND I WAS APPREHENDED THERE.
I WENT THROUGH A LOT IN THEIR INJUSTICE SYSTEM TEXAS IRANIAN JUSTICE SYSTEM, IT IS AN IRANIAN OPPRESSIVE TERRORIST REGIME YOU KNOW WHAT I AM TAU ABOUT WHAT YOU DID, SIR YOU WERE ABLE TO GET ME OUT OF THAT PRISON IN RECORD TIME.
IT WAS AMAZING.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU ALL.
>> THE HONOR IS ALL MINE.
>> PLEASE.
>> MY NAME JOSH AND MY WIFE, WE WERE HELD HOSTAGE IN VENEZUELA FOR TWO YEARS.
>> I KNOW WELL.
>> YOU HELPED US GET OUT, WORKED ON THAT AS WELL AND IT WAS A GREAT HONOR TO BE ABLE TO MEET YOU RIGHT WHEN WE GOT BACK.
I REMEMBER A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKED ME WHAT WAS IT LIKE MEETING PRESIDENT TRUMP?
IT IS LIKE I WAS BLOWN AWAY.
JUST GOT RELEASED AFTER TWO YEARS AND THEN SHAKING THE HAND OF THE PRESIDENT IN THE OVAL OFFICE.
I DON'T REALLY REMEMBER A WHOLE LOT OF IT SO IT IS NICE TO MEET YOU AGAIN AND IT IT HAS BEEN GR.
GREAT TO BE BACK AND HELPING PEOPLE THROUGH SITUATIONS THAT THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH AND WE STARTED OUR FAMILY.
>> THE GREAT PEOPLE OF UTAH REALLY WANTED ME TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE TWO OF YOU, AND WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT AND LITTLE BIT OF A MIRACLE, I THINK, FRANKLY.
>> IT WAS.
>> BECAUSE IT WAS A VERY HOSTILE PERIOD, AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYBODY WORKING SO HARD WITH US, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO GET YOU BOTH BACK AND ARE YOU LIVING IN UTAH NOW, I HOPE.
>> WE ARE STILL YOU TANCHT GOOD.
SAY HELLO TO THE FOLKS IN UTAH BECAUSE THEY WERE GREAT PEOPLE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CONGRATULATIONS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> PLEASE.
>> BRIAN -- UNEXPECTED TRIP THERE IN ISLAND, I WAS NOT GOING TO INDIA, I WAS GOING THROUGH ISLAND TO NEPAL.
>> WORKING FOR THE LAST 18 YEARS.
BUT ON BEHALF OF MY FAMILY, MYSELF, AND MYSELF THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP FOR GETTING US OUT AND GETTING US HOME.
THE DARKEST MOMENT OF OUR WHOLE TIME TOGETHER, YOUR LETTER TO MY WIFE, KAY, AND IT REALLY GAVE HER THE HOPE AND THE PEACE AND FROM THAT TIME FORWARD, AS MORE PEOPLE GOT INVOLVED, ESPECIALLY THE AMBASSADOR THERE, IN INDIA, THINGS BECAME MORE PEACEFUL AND THE HOPE WAS THERE FOR THE LAST FOUR MONTHS THAT WE REALLY WOULD GET TO COME HOME BECAUSE THEY PLANNED FOR KEEPING ME FOR THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
THE ORIGINAL CHARGE THING WAS 35 QUERS.
>> RIGHT.
>> AND THAT WAS CLEARED AND THEN THEY CAME UP WITH NEW CHARGES TO DO A SEVEN YEARS TERM.
>> YOU RESPONDED VERY WELL TO, THEY RESPONDED VERY WELL TO MY REQUEST AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
>> I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DID.
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING WITH US.
WE HAVE A FEW MORE PEOPLE WANT TO GET GET BACK AND WE WILL GET THEM BACK AND THEY WILL BE BACK VERY SOON.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
APPRECIATE IT.
GREAT STORIES.
>> PRESIDENT TRUMP AS YOU JUST HEARD HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH SIX PEOPLE WHO WERE HELD CAPTIVE THE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.
THEY WERE BROUGHT BACK BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND AS YOU COULD TELL, PRESIDENT TRUMP HIMSELF PERSONALLY INVOLVED.
LET'S BRING IN A NUMBER OF OUR CORE ANALYSTS.
THEY ARE MARK SHIELDS, DAVID BROOKS, GARY ABERNATHY, CYNTHIA TUCKER AND OUR OWN AMY WALTER HERE AT THE TABLE.
WITH ME, MARK I AM GOING TO COME TO YOU.
HOW MUCH DOES IT THEM IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHO DONALD TRUMP IS IN OUR COMPREHENSION OF WHAT KIND OF LEADER HE IS WHEN WE SEE THIS SORT OF SCENE OF HIM AND WE HEAR ABOUT WHAT HE HAS DONE WITH THESE HOSTAGES?
>> WELL, IT IS A NEW WRINKLE, JUDY.
THIS IS A PART, NOT PART OF THE NARRATIVE.
IT WASN'T DURING HIS CAMPAIGN.
THERE WAS NEVER AN ATTEMPT TO INTRODUCE THE KINDER, GENTLER, SOFTER SIDE OF DONALD TRUMP.
I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK PART OF THIS IS A RESPONSE, YES, TO JOE BIDEN CAMPAIGN LAST WEEK IN WHICH HE SAID DECENCY IS ON THE BALLOT, COMPASSION IS ON THE BALLOT, INTEGRITY IS ON THE BALLOT.
BALLOT.
IN 2020.
BUT I THINK ALSO IT HAD TO BE SPURRED IN PART BY THE REVELATIONS OF HIS SISTER WHO HAS KNOWN HIM UNLIKE THE OTHERS FOR SOME 76 YEARS FORMER FEDERAL JUDGE WHO SAID DONALD HAS NO PRINCIPLES.
HE IS OUT FOR DONALD, PERIOD, YOU CAN'T TRUST HIM.
HE HAS A LACK OF PREPARATION, THE LYING, WHAT THEY ARE DOING WITH KIDS AT THE BORDER, MY GOD IF YOU WERE A RELIGIOUS PERSON YOU WANT TO HELP PEOPLE, NOT THIS.
I THINK THAT MUST HAVE STUNG DEEPLY, AND THIS IS SOMEWHAT DAMAGE CONTROL, AS WELL.
>> YOU ARE REFERRING TO THE AUDIOTAPES THAT WERE RELEASED BY THE PRESIDENT'S NIECE, MARY TRUMP, THE DAUGHTER OF HIS LATE BROTHER, SHE WAS SPEAKING WITH HER AUNT OVER A, OF COURSE DAVID BROOKS OF SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS SHE RECORDED HER AUNT WITHOUT LETTING HER AUNT KNOW, BUT IN THE COURSE OF THAT CONVERSATION MARY ANN TRUMP WAS PRETTY CANDID IN HER ASSESSMENT OF HER BROTHER.
YOU PUT THAT TOGETHER WITH WHAT WE ARE SEEING AT THIS CONVENTION, DAVID, AND AGAIN, A SIDE OF THE PRESIDENT WE DON'T NORMALLY SEE, BUT IT IS ONE WITH THEY ARE HAPPY TO TELL US ABOUT.
>> YES.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS A NICE SEGMENT TO BE HONEST.
IT WAS NICE TO SEE THE PEOPLE BACK AND IT SEEMED LIKE GOOD PEOPLE, TRULY GRATEFUL.
THERE ARE A LOT OF ELEMENTS IN THIS CONVENTION, THE FIRST IS A LOT OF CONVENTIONS ARE GEARED TOWARDS SWING VOTERS.
SOMETIMES THE CONVENTIONS ARE GEARED TOWARD WINNING OVER DONALD TRUMP TO HIMSELF.
AND SO IT IS DESIGNED TO MAKE HIM FEEL AFFIRMED AND TO MAKE HIM FEEL VALIDATED SO HE CAN SAY, YEAH, I LOOKED GOOD ON THAT ONE, NOT NECESSARILY THE WAY YOU WIN ELECTIONS BUT THERE HAS BEEN THAT CULTISH QUALITY AND THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF GOOD SPEECHES I AM GETTING E-MAILS AND TEXTS FROM PEOPLE NOT PARTICULARLY POLITICAL BUT LIKE, THEY LIKED STEVE SCALISE AND HERSCHEL WALKER, SO I WORRY THAT DONALD TRUMP IS DOING SOMETHING THAT HE IS REALLY GOOD AT, WHICH IS TROLLING US AND GETTING THE MEDIA TO REACT AGAINST HIM AND THEN GENERATING SUPPORT THAT WAY.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING HE IS EXCELLENT AT AND DON'T WANT TO FALL IN THAT TRAP OF BEING REFLEXIVELY ATTENDANT TRUMP, SOMETIMES I CERTAINLY DO FALL INTO THAT TRAP.
OVERALL, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE AGENDA IS CLEAR WHICH IS HE HAS GOT TO SHOW THAT THIS COUNTRY IS ON THE VERGE OF CHAOS, THIS COUNTRY IS ON THE VERGE OF SOME FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT IN VALUES AND SOCIETY AND THAT IS THE ARGUMENT.
THAT'S THE ONLY ARGUMENT HE HAS GOT AND THAT ARGUMENT PEAKS UP EVERY FIVE MINUTES OR SO, AND A LOT WILL DEPEND FRANKLY ON HOW MUCH CHAOS THERE IS OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, HOW MUCH CRIME RISES OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, I THINK IT IS A HARDER ARGUMENT TO MAKE WITH JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS AT THE TOP OF THE TICKET ON THE OTHER SIDE.
>> WHAT ABOUT THAT CYNTHIA TUCKER?
I MEAN, CAN THEY SUCCEED AT PAINTING THE PRESIDENT A LITTLE BIT WARMER AND FUZZIER, IF YOU WILL, AT THE SAME TIME THEY MAKE US REALLY MORE AFRAID OF THE DEMOCRATS AND THE MOB RULE OUT IN THE STREETS?
>> WELL, I AM FINDING SO FAR TONIGHT THAT FOR ME THERE IS A LOT OF DISSONANCE.
I FOUND THE SEGMENT ON THE HOSTAGES AFFECTED.
I THOUGHT THOSE WERE NICE MOMENTS, EVEN SEEING THE PRESIDENT WITH THEM.
HE MOSTLY LET THEM TALK, LET THEM TALK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS WELL DONE.
HOWEVER, WE HAD ALSO HEARD FROM THE MCCLOSKEYS AND MY GOODNESS, THEY WERE THROWBACKS TO AN ERA OF THE 1960S OF WHEN NEIGHBORHOODS WERE INTEGRATING AND WHITE SEGREGATIONISTS WERE SAYING, PUTTING OUT THE MOST FEARFUL THINGS ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE MOVED INTO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO FOR ME, THESE MOMENTS ARE BOUNCING BETWEEN THE WARM AND THE FUZZY AND THE REALLY, REALLY DARK AND SCARY.
AND OVER FOUR NIGHTS WE WILL SEE WHICH MOMENTS WIN OUT.
>> AND WHAT ABOUT THAT, GARY ABERNATHY, DO YOU THINK THERE IS A CONSISTENT MESSAGE COMING HERE OR BEING MOVED FROM ONE SIDE OF THE PINBALL MACHINE TO ANOTHER?
>> YES.
RIGHT, RIGHT.
WELL, I DON'T REALLY THINK WARM AND FUZZY IS EVER THE TARGET FOR TRUMP.
I THINK THEY ARE BEYOND TRYING TO CONVINCE ANYBODY THAT TRUMP IS WARM AND FUZZY.
WE TALKED LAST WEEK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FACT THAT DEMOCRATS TEND TO WIN THE EMPATHY VOTE, REPUBLICANS SELDOM DO ANYWAY AND TRUMP IS CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO GET THAT, BUT I THE DID THINK THAT HE DOES HAVE A LOT TO RUN ON.
HE HAS SOME POSITIVE THINGS, YOU KNOW, THE HOSTAGES COMING HOME, THAT IS A POSITIVE.
AND AS FAR AS HIS SUPPORTERS ARE CONCERNED, HE HAS TRIED TO KEEP VIRTUALLY EVERY CAMPAIGN PROMISE.
NOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL SAY, WE DON'T WANT HIM TO KEEP HIS CAMPAIGN PROMISES BECAUSE WE DIDN'T LIKE HIM AND DIDN'T WANT HIM TO BUILD A WALL AND TEAR UP TRADE AGREEMENTS AND SO ON BUT HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO DO THOSE THINGS AND HE HAS DONE THOSE THINGS.
PROBABLY MORE THAN ANY PRESIDENT I CAN REMEMBER THE KIND OF JUDGES AND JUSTICES HE HAS APPOINTED.
HE REALLY TRIED TO DO THAT.
SO IT IS GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO WATCH THIS WEEK, YOU KNOW, DESPITE WHAT ANY POLLS SAY RIGHT NOW OR WHERE ANYONE IS AT, THE ELECTION REALLY STARTS AFTER THESE TWO CONVENTIONS ARE OVER AND WE GET TO SEPTEMBER AND MOST AMERICANS FINALLY START TO TUNE IN AND PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT IS GOING ON.
IT IS A RESET AND EVERYTHING STARTS NOW.
>> AND AMY, I MEAN GIVEN THAT AND GIVEN IT REALLY IS SERIOUSLY -- WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING IT VERY CLOSE AND THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF AMERICANS WHO MAY NOT BE HANGING ON EVERY WORD THE WAY WE ARE, BUT IS IT COMING -- IS THERE ONE MESSAGE THAT IS COMING THROUGH TONIGHT THAT YOU THINK IS GOING TO BE THERE AND STAY THERE?
>> THE ONE MESSAGE, AND THE IT WAS INTERESTING THAT DAVID BROUGHT UP STEVE SCALISE, BECAUSE HE HAD A QUOTE HERE AT THE VERY END, HE SAID WHO BETTER TO LEAD US OUT OF THE TOUGH TIMES WE ARE IN THAN THE PRESIDENT WHO ALREADY BUILT THE STRONGEST ECONOMY OUR COUNTRY HAS EVER SEEN.
THAT'S ACTUALLY A MESSAGE THAT REPUBLICANS WOULD LIKE THE PRESIDENT TO DELIVER OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BECAUSE IT IS AN ADVANTAGE YOU SEE IT IN THE POLLING, I HEAR ABOUT IT IN PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING FOCUS GROUPS, WITH SUBURBAN VOTERS, THE SENSE THAT THIS COVID THING WASN'T DONALD TRUMP'S FAULT, THE ECONOMY CRASHING, NOT DONALD TRUMP'S FAULT.
I DON'T REALLY LIKE THE WAY HE HAS HANDLED THE COVID CRISIS BUT IF THE ECONOMY IS GOING TO COME BACK HE IS SOMEBODY WHO UNDERSTANDS HOW TO BRING THE ECONOMY BACK AND JUST DRIVE THAT OVER AND OVER THE AND OVER AGAIN.
AND SCALISE IS ONE OF THE ONLY ONES TO ACTUALLY MAKE THIS VERY CASE, INSTEAD WE HAVE SEEN A LOT MORE FROM SOME OF THE SPEAKERS NOT THE INDIVIDUALS, NOT THE SERVED THE REGULAR PEOPLE LIKE WITH THE HOSTAGES AND OTHERS.
>> RIGHT.
>> BUT WITH WITH THE PLANNED SPEAKERS A LOT MORE ON THE GRIEVANCE POLITICS AND THIS IDEA OF DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO GO CRAZY.
>> WELL, WHILE YOU HAVE BEEN TALKING, SCARY LEFT VIDEO HAS BEEN SHOWING AND NOW WE SEE NIKKI HALEY FORMER U.N.
AMBASSADOR -- >> AT THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION, I WILL START WITH A LITTLE STORY.
IT IS ABOUT AN AMERICAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS, AND IT IS ABOUT A SPEECH SHE GAVE TO THIS CONVENTION.
HE IS CALLED FOR THE REELECTION OF THE REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT SHE SERVED AND SHE CALLED OUT HIS DEMOCRATIC OPPONENT, A FORMER VICE PRESIDENT FROM A FAILED ADMINISTRATION.
THAT AMBASSADOR SAID, AND I QUOTE, DEMOCRATS ALWAYS BLAME AMERICA FIRST.
THE YEAR WAS 1984.
THE PRESIDENT WAS RONALD REAGAN, AND AMBASSADOR JANE KIRKPATRICK'S WORDS ARE JUST AS TRUE TODAY.
JOE BIDEN AND THE DEMOCRATS ARE STILL BLAMING AMERICA FIRST.
DONALD TRUMP HAS ALWAYS PUT AMERICA FIRST.
AND HE HAS EARNED FOUR MORE YEARS AS PRESIDENT.
IT WAS AN HONOR OF A LIFETIME TO SERVE AS THE UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS.
NOW, TO THE U.N. IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.
IT IS A PLACE WHERE DICTATORS, MURDERERS AND THIEVES DENOUNCE AMERICA AND THEN PUT THEIR HANDS OUT AND DEMAND THAT WE PAY THEIR BILLS.
WELL, PRESIDENT TRUMP PUT AN END TO ALL OF THAT.
WITH HIS LEADERSHIP, WE DID WHAT BARACK OBAMA AND JOE BIDEN REFUSED TO DO.
WE STOOD UP FOR AMERICA AND WE STOOD AGAINST OUR ENEMIES.
BARACK OBAMA AND BIDEN LET NORTH KOREA THREATEN AMERICA.
PRESIDENT TRUMP REJECTED THAT WEAKNESS AND WE PASSED THE TOUGHEST SANCTIONS ON NORTH KOREA IN HISTORY.
BARACK OBAMA AND BIDEN LET IRAN GET AWAY WITH MURDER AND LITERALLY SENT THEM A PLANEFUL OF CASH.
PRESIDENT TRUMP DID THE RIGHT THING AND RIPPED UP THE IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL.
BARACK OBAMA AND BIDEN LED THE UNITED NATIONS TO DENOUNCE OUR FRIEND AND ALLY ISRAEL.
PRESIDENT TRUMP MOVED OUR EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM AND WHEN THE U.N.
TRIED TO CONDEMN US, I WAS PROUD TO CAST THE AMERICAN VETO.
THIS PRESIDENT HAS A RECORD OF STRENGTH AND SUCCESS, THE FORMER VICE PRESIDENT HAS A RECORD OF THE WEAKNESS AND FAILURE.
JOE BIDEN IS GOOD FOR IRAN AND ISIS, GREAT FOR COMMUNIST CHINA AND HE IS A GOOD SEND TO EVERYONE WHO WANTS AMERICA TO APOLOGIZE, ABSTAIN AND ABANDON OUR VALUES.
DONALD TRUMP TAKES A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
HE IS TOUGH ON CHINA AND HE TOOK ON ISIS AND WON.
AND HE TELLS THE WORLD WHAT IT NEEDS TO HEAR.
AT HOME, THE PRESIDENT IS THE CLEAR CHOICE ON JOBS AND THE ECONOMY.
HE HAS MOVED AMERICA FORWARD, WHILE JOE BIDEN HAS HELD AMERICA BACK.
WHEN JOE WAS VP, I WAS GOVERNOR OF THE GREAT STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD RUN.
MANUFACTURERS OF ALL KINDS KNOCKED TO OUR STATE FROM OVERSEAS, CREATING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN JOBS.
PEOPLE WERE REFERRING TO SOUTH CAROLINA AS THE BEAST OF THE SOUTHEAST, WHICH I LOVED.
EVERYTHING WE DID HAPPENED IN SPITE OF JOE BIDEN AND HIS OLD BOSS.
WE CUT TAXES, THEY RAISED THEM.
WE SLASHED RED TAPE.
THEY PILED ON MORE MANDATES, AND WHEN WE BROUGHT IN GOOD PAYING JOBS BIDEN AND BARACK OBAMA SUED US.
I FOUGHT BACK AND THEY GAVE UP.
A BIDEN HARRIS ADMINISTRATION WOULD BE MUCH, MUCH WORSE.
LAST TIME JOE'S BOSS WAS BARACK OBAMA.
THIS TIME IT WOULD BE PELOSI, SANDERS, AND THE SQUAD.
THEIR VISION FOR AMERICA IS SOCIALISM AND WE KNOW THAT SOCIALISM HAS FAILED EVERYWHERE.
THEY WANT TO TELL AMERICANS HOW TO LIVE, WHAT TO THINK, THEY WANT A GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER OF HEALTHCARE.
THEY WANT TO BAN FRACKING AND KILL MILLIONS OF JOBS.
THEY WANT MASSIVE TAX HIKES ON WORKING FAMILIES.
JOE BIDEN AND THE SOCIALIST LEFT WOULD BE A DISASTER FOR OUR ECONOMY, BUT PRESIDENT TRUMP IS LEADING A NEW ERA OF OPPORTUNITY.
BEFORE COMMUNIST CHINA GAVE US THE CORONAVIRUS, WE WERE BREAKING ECONOMIC RECORDS LEFT AND RIGHT.
THE PANDEMIC HAD SET US BACK BUT NOT FOR LONG.
PRESIDENT TRUMP BROUGHT OUR ECONOMY BACK BEFORE AND HE WILL BRING IT BACK AGAIN.
THERE IS ONE MORE IMPORTANT AREA WHERE OUR PRESIDENT IS RIGHT.
HE KNOWS THAT POLITICAL CORRECTNESS AND CANCEL CULTURE ARE DANGEROUS AND JUST PLAIN WRONG.
IN MUCH OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, IT IS NOW FASHIONABLE TO SAY THAT AMERICA IS RACIST.
THAT IS A LIE.
AMERICA IS NOT A RACIST COUNTRY.
THIS IS PERSONAL FOR ME.
I AM THE PROUD DAUGHTER OF INDIAN IMMIGRANTS.
THEY CAME TO AMERICA AND SETTLED IN A SMALL SOUTHERN TOWN.
MY FATHER WORE A TURBAN.
MY MOTHER WORE A SARI.
I WAS A BROWN GIRL IN A BLACK AND WHITE WORLD.
WE FACED DISCRIMINATION AND HARDSHIP, BUT MY PARENTS NEVER GAVE IN TO GRIEVANCE AND HATE.
MY MOM BUILT A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.
MY DAD TAUGHT 30 YEARS AT A HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE AND THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH CAROLINA CHOSE ME AS THEIR FIRST MINORITY AND FIRST FEMALE GOVERNOR.
AMERICA IS A STORY THAT IS A WORK IN PROGRESS.
NOW IS THE TIME TO BUILD ON THAT PROGRESS AND MAKE AMERICA EVEN FREER, FAIRER AND BETTER FOR EVERYONE.
THAT IS WHY IT IS SO TRAGIC TO SEE SO MUCH OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY TURNING A BLIND EYE TOWARDS RIOTS AND RAGE.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE KNOW WE CAN DO BETTER AND OF COURSE WE VALUE AND RESPECT EVERY BLACK LIFE.
THE BLACK COPS WHO HAVE BEEN SHOT IN THE LINE OF DUTY, THEY MATTER.
THE BLACK SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WHO WATCHED THEIR LIFE'S WORK GO UP IN FLAMES, THEY MATTER.
THE BLACK KIDS WHO HAVE BEEN GUNNED DOWN ON THE PLAYGROUND, THEIR LIVES MATTER TOO.
AND THEIR LIVES ARE BEING RUINED AND STOLEN BY THE VIOLENCE ON OUR STREETS.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS.
IT WASN'T LIKE THIS IN SOUTH CAROLINA FIVE YEARS AGO.
OUR STATE CAME FACE-TO-FACE WITH EVIL, A WHITE SUPREMACIST WALKED INTO MOTHER EMMANUEL CHURCH DURING BIBLE STUDY.
12 AFRICAN-AMERICANS PULLED UP A CHAIR AND PRAYED WITH HIM FOR AN HOUR.
THEN HE BEGAN TO SHOOT.
AFTER THAT HORRIFIC TRAGEDY, WE DIDN'T TURN AGAINST EACH OTHER.
WE CAME TOGETHER BLACK AND WHITE, DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN TOGETHER WE MADE THE HARD CHOICES NEEDED TO HEAL AND REMOVED A DIVISIVE SYMBOL PEACEFULLY AND RESPECTFULLY.
WHAT HAPPENED THEN SHOULD GIVE US HOPE NOW.
AMERICA ISN'T PERFECT BUT THE PRINCIPLES WE HOLD DEAR ARE PERFECT.
THERE IS ONE THING I HAVE LEARNED IT IS THAT EVEN ON OUR WORSE DAY, WE ARE BLESSED TO LIVE IN AMERICA.
>> IT IS TIME TO KEEP THAT BLESSING ALIVE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.
>> THIS PRESIDENT AND THIS PARTY ARE COMMITTED TO THAT NOBLE TASK.
>> WE SEEK A NATION THAT RISES TOGETHER, NOT FALLS APART IN ANARCHY AND ANGER.
WE KNOW THAT THE ONLY WAY TO OVERCOME AMERICA'S CHALLENGES IS TO EMBRACE AMERICA'S STRENGTHS.
WE ARE STRIVING TO REACH A BRIGHTER FUTURE WHERE EVERY CHILD GOES TO A WORLD CLASS SCHOOL CHOSEN BY THEIR PARENTS, WHERE EVERY FAMILY LIVES IN A SAFE COMMUNITY WITH GOOD JOBS, WHERE EVERY ENTREPRENEUR HAS THE FREEDOM TO ACHIEVE AND INSPIRE, WHERE EVERY BELIEVER CAN WORSHIP WITHOUT FEAR AND EVERY LIFE IS PROTECTED.
WHERE EVERY GIRL AND BOY, EVERY WOMAN AND MAN OF EVERY RACE AND RELIGION HAS THE BEST SHOT AT THE BEST LIFE IN THIS ELECTION WE MUST CHOOSE THE ONLY CANDIDATE WHO HAS AND WILL CONTINUE DELIVERING ON THAT VISION.
PRESIDENT TRUMP AND VICE PRESIDENT PENCE HAVE MY SUPPORT, AND AMERICAN HAS OUR PROMISE.
WE WILL BUILD ON THE PROGRESS OF OUR PAST AND UNLOCK THE PROMISE OF OUR FUTURE.
THAT FUTURE STARTS WHEN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE REELECT PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP:THANK:THK YOU, GOOD NIGHT AND MAY GOD ALWAYS BLESS AMERICA.
>> >> GOOD EVENING, AMERICA.
I AM DONALD TRUMP, JR. WE ARE HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THE GREAT AMERICAN STORY, TO TALK ABOUT THIS COUNTRY WE ALL LOVE, THIS LAND OF PROMISE AND OPPORTUNITY, OF HEROES AND GREATNESS.
JUST A FEW SHORT MONTH AGO, WE WERE SEEING THE AMERICAN DREAM BECOME A REALITY FOR MORE OF OUR CITIZENS THAN EVER BEFORE.
THE GREATEST PROLONGED ECONOMIC EXPANSION IN AMERICAN HISTORY, THE LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN NEARLY 50 YEARS, THE LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE EVER FOR BLACK AMERICANS, HISPANIC AMERICANS, WOMEN, AND PRETTY MUCH EVERY OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC GROUP.
AND THEN COURTESY OF THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY, THE VIRUS STRUCK.
THE PRESIDENT QUICKLY TOOK A ACTION AND SHUT DOWN TRAVEL FROM CHINA.
JOE BIDEN AND HIS DEMOCRAT ALLIES CALLED MY FATHER A RACIST AND A XENOPHOBE FOR DOING I THIS THEY PUT POLITICAL CORRECTNESS AHEAD OF THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
FORTUNATELY, THE AS THE VIRUS BEGAN TO SPREAD THE PRESIDENT ACTED QUICKLY AND ENSURED VENTILATORS GOT TO HOSPITALS THAT NEEDED THEM THE MOST AND DELIVERED PPE TO OUR BRAVE FRONTLINE WORKERS AND RALLIED THE MIGHTY PRIVATE SECTOR TO TACKLE THIS NEW CHALLENGE.
THERE IS MORE WORK TO DO BUT THERE IS A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.
JOB GAINS ARE OUT PACING WHAT THE SO-CALLED EXPERTS EXPECTED.
BUT BIDEN'S RADICAL LEFT WING POLICIES WOULD STOP OUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY COLD.
HE ALREADY IS TALKING ABOUT SHUTTING THE COUNTRY DOWN AGAIN.
IT IS MADNESS.
DEMOCRATS CLAIM TO BE MORE WORKERS BUT THEY HAVE SPENT THE ENTIRE PANDEMIC TRYING TO SNEAK A TAX BREAKS FOR MILLIONAIRES IN MILLIONAIRE STATES INTO THE RELIEF BILL AND THEN ATTACKED MY FATHER FOR SUSPENDING THE PAYROLL TAX FOR MIDDLE CLASS WORKERS.
IN FACT, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, JOE BIDEN'S ENTIRE MICK PLATFORM SEEMS DESIGNED TO CRUSH THE WORKING MEN AND WOMEN.
HE SUPPORTED THE WORST TRADE DEALS IN THE HISTORY OF THE PLANET.
HE VOTED FOR THE NAFTA NIGHTMARE.
DOWN THE TUBES WENT OUR AUTO INDUSTRY.
HE PUSHED FOR TPP, GOODBYE, MANUFACTURING JOBS.
BEIJING BIDE AGAIN IS SO WEAK ON CHINA THAT THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY RECENTLY ASSESSED THAT THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY FAVORS BIDEN.
THEY KNOW HE WILL WEAKEN US ECONOMICALLY AND ON THE WORLD STAGE.
WIDEN, BIDEN ALSO WANTS TO BRING IN MORE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO TAKE JOBS FROM AMERICAN CITIZENS.
HIS OPEN BORDER POLICIES WOULD DRIVE WAGES DOWN FOR AMERICANS AT A TIME WHEN LOW-INCOME WORKERS WERE GETTING REAL WAGE INCREASES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MODERN HISTORY.
HE HAS PLEDGED TO REPEAL THE TRUMP TAX CUTS WHICH WERE THE BIGGEST IN OUR COUNTRY.
AFTER EIGHT YEARS OF BARACK OBAMA AND BIDEN'S SLOW GROWTH, TRUMP'S POLICIES HAVE BEEN LIKE ROCKET FUEL TO THE ECONOMY AND ESPECIALLY TO THE MIDDLE CLASS.
BIDEN HAS PROMISED TO TAKE THAT MONEY BACK OUT OF YOUR POCKET AND KEEP IT IN THE SWAMP A.
THAT MAKES SENSE, THOUGH, CONSIDERING JOE BIDEN IS BASICALLY THE LOCKNESS MONSTER OF THE SWAMP.
FOR THE PAST HALF CENTURY, HE HAS BEEN THE LURKING AROUND IN THERE ..
HE SIX HIS HEAD UP EVERY NOW AND THEN TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT, THEN HE DISAPPEARS AND DOESN'T DO MUCH INBETWEEN.
SO IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR HOPE, LOOK TO THE MAN WHO DID WHAT THE FAILED BARACK OBAMA BIDEN ADMINISTRATION NEVER COULD DO AND BUILD THE GREATEST ECONOMY OUR COUNTRY HAS EVER SEEN, AND PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL DO IT AGAIN.
WE WILL BE STRONGER THAN EVER BECAUSE WHEN WE PUT OUR MIND TO IT, THERE IS NO OBSTACLE THAT AMERICA CAN'T SURMOUNT.
EXCEPT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE THIS TIME.
IN THE PAST, BOTH PARTIES BELIEVED IN THE GOODNESS OF AMERICA.
WE AGREED ON WHERE WE WANTED TO GO, WE JUST DISAGREED ON HOW TO GET THERE.
THIS TIME, THE OTHER PARTY IS ATTACKING THE VERY PRINCIPLES ON WHICH OUR NATION WAS FOUNDED, FREEDOM OF THOUGHT, FREEDOM OF SPEECH, 42 FREEDOM OF RELIGION, THE RULE OF LAW.
THOMAS JEFFERSON FAMOUSLY SAID I HAVE SWORN UPON THE ALTAR OF GOD ETERNAL HOSTILITY AGAINST EVERY FORM OF TYRANNY OVER THE MIND OF MAN.
OUR FOUNDERS BELIEVED THERE WAS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN PROTECTING OUR GOD GIVEN RIGHT TO THINK FOR OURSELVES.
NOW, THE LEFT THEY ARE TRYING TO CANCEL ALL OF THOSE FOUNDERS.
THEY DON'T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND THIS IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE.
IN ORDER TO IMPROVE IN THE FUTURE, WE MUST LEARN FROM OUR PAST, NOT ERASE IT.
SO WE ARE NOT GOING TO TEAR DOWN MONUMENTS AND FORGET THE PEOPLE WHO BUILT OUR GREAT NATION.
INSTEAD, WE WILL LEARN FROM OUR PAST SO WE DON'T REPEAT ANY MISTAKES.
AND WE WILL WORK TIRELESSLY TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF ALL AMERICANS.
JOE BIDEN AND THE RADICAL LEFT ARE NOW COMING FOR OUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
THEY WANT TO BULLY US INTO SUBMISSION.
IF THEY GET THEIR WAY, IT WILL NO LONG PER THE SILENT MAJORITY.
IT WILL BE THE SILENCED MAJORITY.
THIS HAS TO STOP.
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION USED TO BE A LIBERAL VALUE.
AT LEAST BEFORE THE RADICAL LEFT TOOK OVER.
NOW THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS THE HOME OF FREE SPEECH, THE PLACE WHERE ANYONE FROM ANY BACKGROUND CAN SPEAK THEIR MIND AND MAY THE BEST IDEAS WIN.
PEOPLE OF FAITH ARE UNDER ATTACK.
YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO GO TO CHURCH BUT MASS CHAOS IN THE STREETS GETS A PASS.
IT IS ALMOST LIKE THIS ELECTION IS SHAPING UP TO BE CHURCH, WORK AND SCHOOL VERSUS RIOTING, LOOTING AND VANDALISM, OR IN THE WORDS OF BIDEN, AND THE DEMOCRATS, PEACEFUL PROTESTING.
ANARCHISTS HAVE BEEN FLOODING OUR STREETS AND DEMOCRAT MAYORS ARE ORDERING THE POLICE TO STAND DOWN.
SMALL BUSINESSES ACROSS AMERICA, MANY OF THEM MINORITY-OWNED ARE BEING TORCHED BY MOBS.
THE DEMOCRAT MAYORS PRETEND IT IS NOT HAPPENING.
THEY ACTUALLY CALLED IT A SUMMER OF LOVE.
AND THAT BRINGS ME TO ANOTHER IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE.
EVERY AMERICAN MUST BE FREE TO LIVE WITHOUT FEAR OF VIOLENCE IN YOUR COUNTRY, IN YOUR COMMUNITY COMMUNITIES AND IN YOUR HOMES.
ALL MEN AND WOMEN ARE CREATED EQUAL AND MUST BE TREATED EQUALLY UNDER THE LAW.
THAT IS WHY WE MUST PUT AN END TO RACISM AND WE MUST ENSURE, ENSURE THAT ANY POLICE OFFICER WHO ABUSES THEIR POWERS IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
WHAT HAPPENED TO GEORGE FLOYD IS A DISGRACE AND IF YOU KNOW A POLICE OFFICER YOU KNOW THEY AGREE WITH THAT TOO.
BUT WE CAN NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT OUR POLICE ARE AMERICAN HEROES.
THEY DESERVE OUR DEEPEST APPRECIATION.
BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT THE DEMOCRATS SAY, YOU AND I BOTH KNOW WHEN WE DIAL 911, WE DON'T WANT IT GOING TO VOICE MAIL.
SO DEFUNDING THE POLICE IS NOT AN OPTION.
EVERYTHING STARTS WITH SAFETY AND SECURITY.
YOU CAN'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE WITHOUT IT.
YOU CAN'T FOCUS ON BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE FOR YOUR CHILDREN WITHOUT THE PEACE OF MIND THAT THEY CAN STUDY SAFELY IN THEIR CLASSROOMS.
PLAY SAFELY IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND SLEEP SAFELY IN THEIR BEDS.
BUT SAFETY IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.
TRUMP'S AMERICA IS A LAND OF OPPORTUNITY.
A PLACE OF PROMISE.
I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GROW UP IN A FAMILY THAT COULD AFFORD THE BEST SCHOOLS AND THE FINEST UNIVERSITIES, BUT A GREAT EDUCATION CANNOT BE THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT OF THE RICH AND POWERFUL, IT MUST BE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL.
AND THAT'S WHY MY DAD IS PRO SCHOOL CHOICE.
THAT IS WHY HE IS CALLED EDUCATION ACCESS THE CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE NOT JUST OF OUR TIME BUT OF ALL-TIME.
IT IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT TOO MANY AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND HISPANIC AMERICAN CHILDREN ARE STUCK IN BAD SCHOOLS, JUST BECAUSE OF THEIR ZIP CODE.
>> DONALD TRUMP WILL NOT STAND FOR IT.
IF DEMOCRATS REALLY WANTED TO HELP MINORITIES IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, INSTEAD OF BOUGH TO BIG MONEY, UNION BOSSES, THEY WOULD LET PARENTS CHOOSE WHAT SCHOOL IS BEST FOR THEIR KIDS.
THEY WOULD LIMIT IMMIGRATION TO PROTECT AMERICAN WORKERS, THEY WOULD SUPPORT THE POLICE WHO PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
THEY WOULD LEARN HOW TO NEGOTIATE TRADE DEALS THAT PRIORITIZE AMERICA'S INTERESTS FOR A CHANGE.
THEY WOULD END THE ENDLESS WARS AND QUIT SENDING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO SOLVE PROBLEMS IN FOREIGN LANDS.
THEY WOULD CUT TAXES FOR FAMILIES AND WORKERS.
THEY WOULD CREATE OPPORTUNITIES ZONES THAT DRIVE INVESTMENT INTO INNER CITIES.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF DEMOCRATS CARED FOR THE FORGOTTEN MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR COUNTRY, THEY WOULD DO EXACTLY WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP IS DOING.
AMERICA IS THE GREATEST COUNTRY ON EARTH, BUT MY FATHER'S ENTIRE WORLD VIEW RESOLVES AROUND THE IDEA THAT WE CAN ALWAYS DO EVEN BETTER.
IMAGINE THE LIFE YOU WANT TO HAVE, ONE WITH A GREAT JOB, A BEAUTIFUL HOME, A PERFECT FAMILY, YOU CAN HAVE IT.
IMAGINE THE COUNTRY YOU WANT TO LIVE IN, ONE WITH TRUE, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, WHERE HARD WORK PAYS OFF AND JUSTICE IS SERVED WITH COMPASSION AND WITHOUT PART Y'ALL AT THIS.
YOU, PARTIALITY, YOU CAN HAVE IT ..
IMAGINE A WORLD WHERE THE EVILS OF COMMUNISM AND RADICAL ISLAMIC TERRORISM ARE NOT GIVEN A CHANCE TO SPREAD, WHERE HEROES ARE CELEBRATED AND THE GOOD GUYS WIN.
YOU CAN HAVE IT.
THAT IS THE LIFE, THAT IS THE COUNTRY, THAT IS THE WORLD WITH THAT DONALD TRUMP AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY ARE AFTER, AND, YES, YOU CAN HAVE IT.
BECAUSE UNLIKE JOE BIDEN AND THE RADICAL LEFT DEMOCRATS, OUR PARTY IS OPEN TO EVERYONE.
IT STARTS BY REREJECTING RADICALS WHO WANT TO DRAG US INTO THE DARK AND EMBRACING THE MAN WHO REPRESENTS A BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL FUTURE FOR ALL.
IT STARTS BY REELECTING DONALD J. TRUMP PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
THANK YOU.
AND GOD BLESS AMERICA.
>> THAT'S THE PRESIDENT'S OLDER SON, OLDER SON, DONALD TRUMP, JR.
SPEAKING IN AN AUDITORIUM THAT IS MAINLY EMPTY HERE IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
THE MELON AUDITORIUM A HISTORIC BUILDING IN OUR CITY.
I AM NOW JOINED BY OUR TWO CORRESPONDENT WHO COVER THE WHITE HOUSE AND COVER CAPITOL HILL, YAMICHE ALCINDOR, OF COURSE IS AT THE WHITE HOUSE THIS EVENING.
SHE IS THERE ALONG WITH LISA DESJARDINS.
YAMICHE, THIS WAS AN AGE BRING THE SPEECH FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP'S SON DONALD TRUMP, JR. AT ONE POINT HE DESCRIBED IT AS YOU COULD ALMOST SAY DESCRIBING WHAT THE DEMOCRATS WANT, WORK, CHURCH AND SCHOOL PITTED AGAINST RIOTING, LOOTING AND VANDALISM.
AND TRULY JUST GOING AFTER THE DEMOCRATS CHAPTER AND VERSE HERE HERE.
THIS IS A CENTRAL PART OF THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE, IS IT NOT?
>> IT IS, JUDY, AND THAT'S WHY I DESCRIBED AT THE BEGINNING THERE WAS REALLY THIS TENSION BETWEEN THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN SAYING THERE WAS GOING TO BE AN UPLIFTING FEELING THIS THIS CONVENTION AND THE REALITY WHICH IS THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP OFTEN TALKS ABOUT FEAR, AND WHAT YOU SAW WAS DONALD TRUMP, JR. IS HIM MAKING THE CASE THAT DEMOCRATS ARE DANGEROUS AND WILL DESTROY THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE AND DESTROY THE IDEALS OF AMERICA.
HE MADE THE CASE THAT THE DEMOCRATS WANT TO CANCEL FOUNDERS, NOW I SHOULD SAY, DEMOCRATS AS WELL AS RACIAL SCHOLARS HAVE BEEN MAKING A LOT OF, PAYING A LOT OF ATTENTION TO THE FOUNDING OF AMERICA, THE FACT THAT AFRICAN AMERICANS WERE ENSLAVED, THE FACT THAT THE LAND WAS 0 SOLELY BY, WAS STOLEN FROM NATIVE AMERICANS.
BUT HERE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS MADE THE CASE OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT THEY ARE FOCUSING TOO MUCH ON THE FOUNDING OF AMERICA AND THE PROBLEMS OF AMERICA MEANS THERE IS GOING TO BE THIS DANGER OF TAKING AWAY ALL OF THE GREATNESS THAT IS AMERICA WE HEARD OVER AND OVER AGAIN, RACIAL THEME, AS PART OF THIS CONVENTION, WE WE HEARD SOMEONEY THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS TRYING TO KEEP BLACK PEOPLE ON A MENTAL PLANTATION, THEY ALSO SAID THEY WERE TRYING TO BRING 0 OUT OF CONTROL MOBS TO A NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR YOU AND THE CASE THEY WERE TRYING TO SAY THE DEMOCRATS WANT TO ENSLAVE PEOPLE AND KEEP THEM IN A VICTIM IDEOLOGY.
WHILE YES, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP SHOULD BE THE MAN ELECTED THE TONE OF THIS HAS REALLY BEEN AN ANGRY TONE AND ONE THAT HAS REALLY GONE THROUGH THE ENTIRE CONVENTION.
>> AND JUST TO CONTINUE THAT THEME, LISA DESJARDINS, BEFORE WE HEARD FROM DONALD TRUMP, JR., WE HEARD FROM NIKKI HALEY, OF COURSE THE FORMER GOVERNOR OF SOUTH CAROLINA, FORMER AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS AT ONE POINT SHE SAID IT IS FASHIONABLE IN THE DEMOCRATI PARTY TO SAY AMERICA IS RACIST BUT IS A LIE, THIS IS NOT A RACIST CUB AND PROCEEDED TO TALK ABOUT HER OWN FAMILY'S EXPERIENCE, SHE IS THE DAUGHTER OF INDIAN IMMIGRANTS AND GREW UP IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
BUT THEY ARE TRYING TO TACKLE THIS QUESTION OF RACE WHICH IS FRONT AND CENTER IN OUR COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.
>> AND, HALEY, OF COURSE IS A VERY IMPORTANT SPEAKER FOR REPUBLICANS, BECAUSE SHE IS A FEMALE FOR OF COLOR THAT COULD SPEAK TO THOSE ISSUES AND SHE SAID FOR ME THIS IS PERSONAL.
HE IS SAID AMERICA IS NOT A RACIST COUNTRY.
HE IS ACCUSED DEMOCRATS OF SAYING THAT AMERICA IS A RACIST COUNTRY.
I THINK DEMOCRATS IN RESPONSE WOULD SAY, NO, WE ARE POINTING OUT SYSTEMIC RACISM THAT LIVES IN THIS COUNTRY, WE ARE NOT SAYING THAT AMERICA IN ITS CORE AND ITS FOUNDING IN ANY OF ITS POSSIBILITIES IS RACIST, WE ARE SAYING THAT RACISM EXISTS IN THIS COUNTRY, IS PERVASIVE IN THIS COUNTRY AND WE NEED TACKLE IT.
BUT WHAT YOU SEE IN THIS CONVENTION, WHETHER IT IS HALEY, WITH SORT OF A MORE CALM DEMEANOR OR DONALD TRUMP, JR. OR THE GUILFOYLE WITH EMOTIONAL TONAL YOU SEE REPUBLICANS TALK ABOUT IDENTITY, DEMOCRATS ARE TALKING ABOUT IT TOO AND SEEING THESE TWO DIFFERENT VISIONS OF WHICH KIND OF IDENTITY IS AT AT STAKE.
AGAIN DEMOCRATS SAY WHAT REPUBLICANS IS DOING THROUGH LOOKING AT AN IDENTITY OF THE PASS AND STOKING FEAR IN ONE GROUP OF AMERICANS PRIMARILY WHITE AMERICANS, SAYING DEMOCRATS WILL TAKE YOUR GUNS, TAKE YOUR GOD, ALSO FORCE YOU DO NOT BE ABLE TO SPEAK YOUR MIND AS WE HEARD FROM DONALD TRUMP, JR. DEMOCRATS SAY, ALL OF THAT IS UNTRUE, THAT IS NOT WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DO INSTEAD THIS IS JUST BASED ON FEAR TACTICS.
THIS IS THE DEMOCRATS' ARGUMENT.
ONE THING TO NOTE THIS IS ABOUT VOTES AND SOME DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH TONIGHT HAVE SAID, HEY, WE ARE ON OFFENSE, CLEARLY, WE DON'T SEE THAT FROM REPUBLICANS TONIGHT.
THEY ARE GOING FOR THEIR CORE AUDIENCE, ALSO I THINK REPUBLICANS ARE HOPING TO RAISE SOME MONEY FROM THIS.
THEY ARE PUTTING ON THEIR OWN FEED, NAMES OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONATED MONEY.
>> IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN'T SEE HERE IN OUR STUDIO, BUT YOU ARE SAYING VIEWERS AT HOME, WHETHER THEY ARE WATCHING ON TELEVISION OR ONLINE ARE SEEING THAT.
LISA DESJARDINS, YAMICHE ALCINDOR, BOTH OF WHOM HAVE COVERED THIS, ARE COVERING THIS ELECTION, HAVE BEEN COVERING THIS PRESIDENT, BEEN COVERING THE CONGRESS FOR US FOR MONTHS AND HAVE CERTAINLY SEEN THIS STORY, UP CLOSE, AND NOW THE FINAL SPEAKER OF THE EVENING IS THE REPUBLICAN SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, TIM SCOTT.
>> THE GREAT STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
TO ALL OF YOU TUNING IN AND PARTICIPATING IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS, GOD BLESS YOU, THIS ISN'T HOW I PICTURED TONIGHT BUT OUR COUNTRY IS EXPERIENCING MANAGER NONE OF US ENVISIONED.
FROM A GLOBAL PANDEMIC TO THE DEATHS OF GEORGE FLOYD AND BRIANNA TAYLOR, 2020 HAS TESTED OUR NATION IN WAYS WE HAVEN'T SEEN FOR DECADES.
REGARDLESS OF THE CHANCE PRESENTED TO US, EVERY FOUR YEARS AMERICANS COME TOGETHER TO VOTE.
TO SHARE STORIES OF WHAT MAKES OUR NATION STRONG AND THE LESSONS WE HAVE LEARNED, CAN STRENGTHEN IT FOR FURTHER GENERATIONS BECAUSE WHILE THIS ELECTION IS BETWEEN DONALD TRUMP AND JOE BIDEN, IT IS NOT SOLELY ABOUT DONALD TRUMP AND JOE BIDEN.
IT IS ABOUT THE PROMISE OF AMERICA.
THIS IS ABOUT YOU AND ME, OUR CHANNELS AND HEARTBREAKS, HOPES AND DREAMS, IT IS ABOUT HOW WE RESPOND WHEN TACKLING CRITICAL ISSUES LIKE POLICE REFORM, WHEN DEMOCRATS CALL OUR WORK A TOKEN EFFORT AND WALKED OUT OF THE ROOM DURING NEGOTIATIONS, BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO ISSUE MORE THAN THEY WANTED A SOLUTION.
DO WE WANT A SOCIETY THAT BREATHES SUCCESS OR A CULTURE THAT CANCELS EVERYTHING IT EVEN SLIGHTLY DISAGREES WITH?
I KNOW WHERE I STAND.
BECAUSE YOU SEE, I AM LIVING MY MOTHER'S AMERICAN DREAM.
MY PARENTS DIVORCED WHEN I WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD AND WE MOVED IN WITH MY GRANDPARENTS INTO A TWO-BEDROOM HOME WITH ME, MY MOM AND MY BROTHER SHARING A ROOM AND ONE BED.
MY MOM WORKED 16 HOURS A DAY TO KEEP FOOD ON THE TABLE AND A ROOF OVER OUR HEADS.
HE IS KNEW THAT IF WE COULD FIND THE OPPORTUNITY, BIGGER THINGS WOULD COME.
I THOUGHT I HAD TO USE FOOTBALL TO SUCCEED IN LIFE, AND MY FOCUS ON ACADEMICS FADED AWAY.
MY FRESHMAN YEAR, I FAILED OUT AND FAILED FOUR SUBJECTS, SPANISH, ENGLISH, WORLD GEOGRAPHY, AND EVEN CIVICS.
TRUST ME, THOUGH, AFTER SEVEN YEARS IN THE SENATE, I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE IN CONGRESS WHO FAILED CIVICS.
BUT EVEN WHILE I WAS FAILING THE NINTH GRADE, MY MOTHER ALWAYS SAID TO ME, TIMMY, IF YOU WOULD JUST SHOOT FOR THE MOON, EVEN IF YOU MISS, YOU WILL BE AMONG THE STARS.
HE IS NEVER LOST FAITH IN ME, EVEN WHEN I LOST FAITH IN MYSELF.
BECAUSE OF HER ENCOURAGEMENT, I WITNESSED, I WENT WITH BACK TO SCHOOL AND CAUGHT UP.
THE NEXT YEAR I MET MY THE MENTOR, MUNIZ A CHICK-FIL-A OPERATOR AND JOHN SAW SOMETHING IN MYSELF I COULD NOT SEE IN MYSELF AND STARTED TEACHING ME VALUABLE LIFE LESSONS LIKE HAVING A JOB WOULD BE A GOOD THING BUT CREATING JOBS WOULD BE EVEN BETTER.
THAT HAVING AN INCOME COULD CHANGE MY LIFESTYLE, BY CREATING A, BUT CREATING A PROFIT COULD CHANGE MY COMMUNITY.
HE PLANTED THE SEEDS OF WHAT WOULD BECOME OPPORTUNITY ZONES.
THIS INITIATIVE THAT THE PRESIDENT AND I WORKED TOGETHER ON IS NOW BRINGING MORE THAN $75 BILLION OF PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT INTO DISTRESSED COMMUNITIES.
I TOOK THOSE LESSONS TO HEART AND STARTED PUTTING THE PIECES OF MY LIFE BACK TOGETHER.
I REALIZED A QUALITY EDUCATION IS THE CLOSEST THING TO MAGIC IN AMERICA.
THAT'S WHY I FIGHT TO THIS DAY FOR SCHOOL CHOICE, TO MAKE SURE EVERY CHILD AND EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD HAS A QUALITY EDUCATION.
I DON'T CARE IF IT IS PUBLIC, PRIVATE, CHARTER, VIRTUAL, OR A HOMESCHOOL.
WHEN A PATIENT HAS A CHOICE THEIR KID HAS A BETTER CHANCE.
AND THE PRESIDENT HAS FOUGHT ALONGSIDE ME ON THAT.
LATER IN LIFE, I STARTED MY OWN SMALL BUSINESS.
THAT IS WHY I KNOW IT IS CRITICAL FOR US TO HAVE A TAX CODE THAT ENCOURAGES GROWTH.
WE ACTUALLY SAW REF.
>> #01: US TO THE TREASURY INCREASE AFTER WE LOWERED TAXES IN 2017.
REST ASSURED THAT DEMOCRATS DO NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT.
AFTER STARTING MY SMALL BUSINESS AND SPENDING SOME TIME IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, I DECIDED TO RUN FOR CONGRESS IN 2010.
BUT THIS IS BASED IN COMARLS ON THE, SOUTH CAROLINA WHERE THE CIVIL WAR STARTED.
AGAINST A SON OF OUR LEGENDARY SENATOR, STROM THURMOND, YOU MAY BE ASKING YOURSELF, HOW DOES A POOR BLACK KID FROM A SINGLE PARENT HOUSEHOLD RUN AND WIN IN A RACE CROWDED WITH REPUBLICANS AGAINST A THURMOND?
BECAUSE OF THE EVOLUTION OF THE SOUTHERN HEART.
THE IN AN OVERWHELMINGLY WHITE DISTRICT THE VOTERS JUDGED ME NOT ON THE COLOR OF MY SKIN BUT ON THE CONTENT OF MY CHARACTER.
WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT ONLY WANTS YOU TO BELIEVE IN THE BAD NEWS, RACIALLY, ECONOMICALLY, AND CULTURALLY POLARIZING NEWS.
THE TRUTH IS, OUR NATIONS ARE ALWAYS BENT BACK TOWARDS FAIRNESS.
WE ARE NOT FULLY WHERE WE WANT TO BE BUT I THANK GOD ALMIGHTY WE ARE NOT WHERE WE USED TO BE.
WE ARE ALWAYS STRIVING TO BE BETTER.
WHEN WE STUMBLE, AND WE WILL, WE PICK OURSELVES BACK UP AND TRY AGAIN.
WE DON'T GIVE IN TO CANCEL CULTURE OR THE RADICAL AND FACTUALLY BASELESS BELIEF THAT THINGS ARE WORSE TODAY THAN IN THE 1860S OR THE 1960S.
WE HAVE WORK TO DO BUT I BELIEVE IN THE GOODNESS OF AMERICA, THE PROMISE THAT ALL MEN AND ALL WOMEN ARE CREATED EQUAL.
AND IF YOU WATCHING TONIGHT, I AM BETTING YOU DO TOO.
OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS, WE HAV MADE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS TOWARDS THAT PROMISE.
PRESIDENT TRUMP BUILT THE MOST INCLUSIVE ECONOMY EVER, 7 MILLION JOBS CREATED PRECOVID-19 AND TWO-THIRDS OF THEM WENT TO WOMEN, AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND HISPANICS.
THE FIRST NEW MAJOR EFFORT TO TACKLE POVERTY IN A GENERATION, OPPORTUNITY ZONES.
WE PUT HARD EARNED TAX DOLLARS BACK IN PEOPLE'S POCKETS BY CUTTING THEIR TAXES, ESPECIALLY FOR SINGLE PARENT HOUSEHOLDS LIKE THE ONE I GREW UP IN, CUTTING SINGLE MOTHERS' TAXES 70 PERCENT, ON AVERAGE P PRESIDENT TRUMP SUPPORTED THESE TAX CUTS FOR THOSE SINGLE MOMS AND OTHER WORKING FAMILIES AND SIGNED THESE POLICIES INTO LAW AND OUR NATION IS BETTER OFF FOR IT.
SO I AM GOING TO ASK YOU, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, NOT TO SIMPLY LOOK AT WHAT THE CANDIDATES SAY, BUT TO LOOK BACK AT WHAT HE THEY HAVE DONE.
THIS ELECTION IS ABOUT YOUR FUTURE AND IT IS CRITICAL TO PAINT A FULL PICTURE OF THE RECORD OF DONALD TRUMP AND JOE BIDEN.
JOE BIDEN SAID IF A BLACK MAN DIDN'T VOTE FOR HIM, HE WASN'T TRULY BLACK.
JOE BIDEN SAYS, BLACK PEOPLE ARE A MONOLITHIC COMMUNITY.
IT WAS JOE BIDEN WHO SAID POOR KIDS CAN BE JUST AS SMART AS WHITE KIDS.
AND WHILE HIS WORDS ARE ONE THING, HIS ACTIONS TAKE IT TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL.
IN 1994, BIDEN LED THE CHARGE ON A CRIME BILL THAT PUT MILLIONS OF BLACK AMERICANS BEHIND BARS.
PRESIDENT TRUMP'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM LAW FIXED MANY OF THE DISPARITIES BIDEN CREATED AND MADE OUR SYSTEM MORE FAIR AND JUST FOR ALL AMERICANS.
JOE BIDEN ALSO FAILED OUR NATION TO HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.
HEAPING BLAME ON THEM AS THEY FIEWT ENSURE OUR YOUNG FOLKS HAD ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION.
ONCE AGAIN, TO CLEAN UP JOE BIDEN'S MESS PRESIDENT TRUMP SIGNED INTO LAW HISTORICALLY HIGH FUNDING FOR HBCS AS WELL AS A BILL TO GIVE THEM PERMANENT FUNDING FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER.
AND NOW JOE BIDEN WANTS TO COME FOR YOUR POCKETBOOKS.
UNLESS, OF COURSE, YOU ARE A BLUE STATE MILLIONAIRE.
I AM SERIOUS.
THAT IS ONE OF THEIR SOLUTIONS FOR THE PANDEMIC.
THEY WANT TO TAKE MORE MONEY FROM YOUR POCKET AND GIVE IT TO MANHATTAN ELITES AND HOLLYWOOD MOGULS SO THEY GET A TAX BREAK.
REPUBLICANS, HOWEVER, PASSED PRESIDENT TRUMP'S ONCE IN A GENERATION TAX REFORM BILL THAT LOWERED TAXES FOR SINGLE MOMS, WORKING FAMILIES, AND THOSE IN NEED.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT JOE BIDEN SAYS HE WILL DO, LOOK AT HIS ACTIONS.
LOOK AT HIS POLICIES.
LOOK AT WHAT HE ALREADY DID AND WHAT HE DIDN'T DO WHILE HE HAS BEEN IN WASHINGTON FOR 47 YEARS.
>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS SEE THOSE FAILURES, BECAUSE THEY THINK WE ARE HAVING A POLICY DEBATE ON TWO SIDES OF AN ISSUE.
THAT IS NOT WHAT IS HAPPENING.
OUR SIDE IS WORKING ON POLICY, WHILE JOE BIDEN'S RADICAL DEMOCRATS ARE TRYING TO PERMANENTLY TRANSFORM WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN AMERICAN.
MAKE NO MISTAKE, JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS WANT A CULTURAL REVOLUTION, A FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT AMERICA.
IF WE LET THEM THEY WILL TURN OUR COUNTRY INTO A SOCIALIST UTOPIA, AND HISTORY HAS TAUGHT US THAT PATH ONLY LEADS TO PAIN AND MISERY, ESPECIALLY FOR HARDWORKING PEOPLE HOPING TO RISE.
INSTEAD, WE MUST FOCUS ON THE PROMISE OF THE AMERICAN JOURNEY.
I KNOW THAT JOURNEY WELL.
MY GRANDFATHER'S 99TH BIRTHDAY WOULD HAVE BEEN TOMORROW.
GROWING UP, HE HAD TO CROSS THE STREET IF A A WHITE PERSON WAS COMING.
HE SUFFERED THE INDIGNITY OF BEING FORCED OUT OF SCHOOL AS A THIRD GRADER TO PICK COTTON AND HE NEVER LEARNED TO READ OR WRITE.
YET HE LIVED LONG ENOUGH TO SEE HIS GRANDSON BECOME THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO BE ELECTED TO BOTH THE UNITED STATES HOUSE AND THE UNITED STATES SENATE IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY.
OUR FAMILY WENT FROM COTTON TO CONGRESS IN ONE LIFETIME.
AND THAT IS WHY I BELIEVE THE NEXT AMERICAN CENTURY CAN BE BETTER THAN THE LAST.
THERE ARE MILLIONS OF FAMILIES JUST LIKE MINE ALL ACROSS THIS NATION FULL OF POTENTIAL, SEEKING TO LIVE THE AMERICAN DREAM.
AND I AM HERE TONIGHT TO TELL YOU THAT SUPPORTING THE REPUBLICAN TICKET GIVES YOU THE BEST CHANCE OF MAKING THAT DREAM A REALITY.
GOD BLESS YOU AND, FATHER, PLEASE CONTINUE BLESSING THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
GOD BLESS.
>> YOU HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO THE JUNIOR SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
HE IS REPUBLICAN TIM SCOTT.
HE IS THE ONLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN REPUBLICAN SENATOR AND WE HAVE HEARD A PRETTY PASSIONATE SPEECH FROM SENATOR SCOTT ADVOCATING, OF COURSE FOR THE REELECTION OF PRESIDENT TRUMP.
JOINING ME HE IS THE LAST SPEAKER OF THIS FIRST NIGHT OF THE PUBLIC NATIONAL CONVENTION SPEAKING FROM AN AUDITORIUM IN DOWNTOWN WASHINGTON, THE MELON AUDITORIUM.
JOINING ME NOW, FAMILY CAST WHO HAS BEEN WITH US ALL NIGHT AND BE WITH US FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK, MARK SHIELDS, DAVID BROOKS, GHARIB ABERNATHY, CYNTHIA TUCKER AND HERE AT THE TABLE WITH ME, AMY WALTER, AMY, WE HEARD TIM SCOTT OVER AND OVER AGAIN CONTINUE BELIEVE WHAT THE DEMOCRATS ARE TELLING YOU, THINGS ARE NOT AS BAD AS THEY SAY THE AND THE PRESIDENT HAS DONE MUCH MORE AND WILL DO MUCH MORE FOR THIS COUNTRY.
THAN THEY HAVE LED YOU TO BELIEVE.
>> WELL, AND SPECIFICALLY, WHAT SENATOR SCOTT WAS TALKING ABOUT, WAS DOING MORE FOR BLACK AMERICANS THAN JOE BIDEN HAD DONE.
OF COURSE, THE PRESIDENT HAS MANY TIMES NOT SHOWN THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY, SPECIFICALLY, CALLING BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT A SYMBOL OF HATE, HE TWEETED THAT OUT.
HE QUESTIONED RECENTLY IF SENATOR KAMALA HARRIS WAS INDEED A U.S. CITIZEN AND THUS QUALIFIED TO BE VICE PRESIDENT.
THAT'S ON TOP OF OF COURSE THE BIRTHER QUESTIONS HE HAD ABOUT PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA.
BUT LET ME JUST SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT TONIGHT.
I THINK WHAT BOTH SENATOR SCOTT AND NIKKI HALEY DID DELIVER ON WAS WHAT YAMICHE MENTIONED EARLY ON WAS THE SENSE OF OPTIMISM THAT REPUBLICANS SAID WAS MISSING FROM THE DEMOCRATS AND THAT THEY WOULD DELIVER, I THINK BOTH OF THEM DELIVERED THAT.
WHAT IS THE MOST SURPRISING TO ME, THOUGH,,I GUESS UNDERSTANDABLE GIVEN THE PRESIDENT'S APPROVAL RATINGS ON HIS HANDLING OF THE CORONAVIRUS, BUT REALLY ELEMENT NO DISCUSSION FROM ANY OF THE PRIME TIME SPEAKERS ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC, ABOUT THE REASON THAT WE ARE NOT ALL SITTING AROUND THE TABLE TONIGHT IS BECAUSE WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF A TERRIBLE PANDEMIC THAT IS AFFECTING EVERY SINGLE ASPECT OF OUR LIVES.
>> YOU ARE RIGHT.
>> EARLIER IN THE EVENING WE DID SEE THE PRESIDENT WITH A GROUP AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> SO-CALLED FRONTLINE WORKERS.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> NURSES.
ONE POLICEWOMAN, SO THERE WAS SOME MENTION.
>> BUT THERE WAS A LOT MORE LOOKING BACKWARDS RATHER THAN HERE IS -- >> HERE IS WHAT HE IS GOING TO DO.
>> LOOKING BACK CERTAINLY IN THE LAST HOUR.
DAVID BROOKS, LISTENING TO TIM SCOTT IT WAS QUITE AN INDICTMENT OF THE DEMOCRATIC VISION, I MEAN AT THE VERY END, I NOTICED HE SAID THEY WILL TURN OUR COUNTRY INTO A SOCIALIST UTOPIA.
AND THAT WAS ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE THAT HE SAID ABOUT HOW THE DEMOCRATS HAVE IT WRONG.
>> JUST POINTING OUT UTOPIA THAT'S A GOOD THING, I THINK HE MEANT DYSTOPIA, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY CAN'T REMAIN MORALLY HEALTHY OR POLITICALLY SUCCESSFUL AS AN ALL WHITE PARTY.
AND SOME PEOPLE GET THAT, TIMOTHY SCOTT GETS IT, HE IS A VERY GOOD GUY AND I I THINK HE IS A VERY GOOD SENATOR.
MAX ALVAREZ THE CUBAN IMMIGRANT WHO GAVE THE BEST SPEECH OF THE NIGHT GETS IT, IT IS INTERESTING THE BEST SPEECH WAS GIVEN BY IMMIGRANT IN A DONALD TRUMP CONVENTION SO THEY ARE TRYING TO SHOW AT LEAST THOSE TWO SPEAKERS , A COUPLE OF OTHERS INCLUDING NIKKI HALEY THAT AMERICA IS STILL A LAND OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL PEOPLE, OF ALL DIFFERENT TYPES.
YOU CAN'T RUN THAT CONSEQUENCE ON THE SAME NIGHT YOU ARE RUNNING THE MCINCLUDES MCCLUSKYN WHICH IS GET THOSE PEOPLE OFF MY LAWN, YOU CAN'T RUN IT THE SAME NIGHT AS DONALD TRUMP, JR. IS SAYING, RIOTING, LOOTING AND VANDALISM, WHICH IS THE UPDATE I GUESS OF WHAT WAS USED TO GET GEORGE MCGOVERN, AMNESTY AND ABORTION, YOU CAN'T SAY WE WANT YOU AND THEN ALSO SAY WE DON'T WANT YOU.
AND I AM NOT SURE ANYBODY IS GOING TO FALL FOR THIS.
SO FOR ME TONIGHT THE SPEECHES WERE WITH BETTER THAN I THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE, BUT THIS IS A PARTY FOLDED IN AGAINST ITSELF TRYING AT SOME LEVEL FOR SOME PEOPLE TO APPEAL TO WHAT SHOULDN'T BE.
>> Woodruff: MARK SHIELDS, THERE WERE TWO DIFFERENT TONES TONIGHT.
YOU HAVE TO SAY.
THE ONE ANGRY TONE, ONE WE HEARD FROM DONALD TRUMP JUNIOR AND THEN ALMOST A PLEADING MIXED IN WITH SOME -- WITH A LOT OF CRITICISM FROM A SENATOR TIM SCOTT AND FROM NICKI HALEY.
>> AND KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE GAVE THIS ALMOST FRENETIC SPEECH THAT ONE MIGHT GIVE TO AN EXCITED RALLY OF THOUSAND TO BALL FIELD TO EMPTY ARENA.
JUST SEEMED BIZARRE.
IF I WAS SCHEDULING I WOULD HAVE HAD HERSCCHEL WALKER SPEAK LATE, RATHER THAN DONALD TRUMP JUNIOR OR MISS GUILFOYLE, I THOUGHT THAT TIM SCOTT MESSAGIVITY WAS INTERESTING, THE ONLY LIVE SPEECHES TONIGHT AFTER THE PRESIDENT CRITICIZED TOO MANY TAPED SPEECHES LAST WEEK AT THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION ONLY LIVE ONES I THINK WERE GOVERNOR HAL HALEY, SENATOR SCOTT, AND CHAIRMAN -- CHAIRWOMAN McDANIEL.
EVERYBODY ELSE WAS ON TAPE.
BUT TO ME MOST INTERESTING SPEECHES WERE QUITE FRANKLY WALKER, SCOTT AND HALEY AND HA HALEY, MAKING -- PUTTING BEST SPIN THAT THEY POSSIBLY COULD ON THE TRUMP STORY.
>> Woodruff: GARY, WHAT ABOUT THIS JUXTAPOSITION OF, I DON'T KNOW, THE NIKKI HALEY MESSAGE AND -- EVEN TIM SCOTT MESSAGE WITH THE ANGRIER MESSAGE FROM DONALD TRUMP JUNIOR AND SOME OF THE OTHERS.
CERTAINLY McCLOSKEYS.
>> DAVID MENTIONED NEEDING TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE.
WE CAN'T JUST BE THE PARTY, CAN'T BE THE PARTY OF THE WHITE PEOPLE.
I REMEMBER EIGHT YEARS AGO THERE WAS A BIG POSTMORTEM VERY HIGHLY PUBLICIZE THE AT THE RNC WE HAVE TO DO, THIS REACH OUT TO MORE MINORITIES, BRING MORE PEOPLE IN.
THEN DONALD TRUMP WON THE 2016 NOMINATION.
IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL TO BRING MORE MINORITIES INTO, TIM SCOTT MADE IT -- HE WAS THE BEST SPEAKER OF THE NIGHT, I THOUGHT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO WIN THE PRESIDENCY BY DOING WHAT TRUMP DID FOUR YEARS AGO HE'S TROUBLING DOWN.
THE McCLOSKEYS IT WAS A SHAME, FOR MOST AMERICANS THEY HAD A POWERFUL ARGUMENT ABOUT RIGHT TO DEFEND YOUR PROPERTY.
I DON'T KNOW OF ANYBODY BLACK OR WHITE THAT REALLY WANTS HUNDREDS OF MARCHERS, PROTESTE, RYE ITERS SHOWING UP UNANNOUNCED ON YOUR LAWN.
BUT AGAIN I THINK THAT IS GOOD ARGUMENT.
THEY VEERED OFF INTO SOMETHING THAT DO TRACKED.
YOU KNOW WHO WAS BEST.
DONALD TRUMP, YOU ARE GOING TO SEE TRUMP HIMSELF EVERY NIGHT BECAUSE WHEN TRUMP IS ON THE SCREEN IT WAS THE MOST WATCH WATCHABLE.
HE'S A NATURAL SHOW MAN, VERY NATURAL ON TELEVISION I THINK EVERY NIGHT WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE OF PRESIDENT TRUMP HIMSELF.
>> Woodruff: NO QUESTION.
WE ARE GOING TO SEE MORE.
SAW HIM SEVERAL TIMES TONIGHT MORE OF HIM TOMORROW NIGHT AND NEXT NIGHT AND SO TILL HE GIVES ACE ACCEPTANCE SPEECH MAYBE BE MULTIPLE ACCEPTANCE SPEECHES SO TO SPEAK.
HOW EFFECTIVE IS A TIM ASK THE OR A NIKKI HALEY THIS IS PRIME TIME HOUR.
MOST PEOPLE ARE PAYING ATTEN ATTENTION, WATCHING.
ARE THESE MESSAGES THAT THEY CARRY THE KINDS OF MESSAGES THAT CHANGE MINDS, WIN PEOPLE OVER?
>> TIM SCOTT AND IN THIS CASE KEY HALEY ARE EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE SPOKES PERSONS FOR THE IDEA THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS FORWARD LOOKING AND INCLU INCLUSIVE.
BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE JUST AREN'T VERY MANY NIKKI HALEYS AND TIM SCOTTS, THEIR SPEECHES WERE NOT ANGRY ESPECIALLY TIM SCOTT IT WAS HOPEFUL.
AGAIN, FORWARD LOOKING.
HE USED HIS OWN PERSONAL STORY VERY EFFECTIVELY.
BUT I COME BACK TO THIS IDEA OF DISSONANCE.
THAT THERE WAS SO MUCH ANGER.
THERE WAS SO MUCH OF REPRIZE OF PRESIDENT TRUMP'S AMERICAN CARNAGE THAT IF DEMOCRATS ARE ELECTED THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE CRIMINALS, RIOTERS, LOOT LOOTERS, THE UNSPOKEN NOTION OF COURSE ALMOST SPOKEN BY McC McCLOSKEY, IS THAT WILL BE BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE THAT YOU WON'T BE SAFE FROM.
IT IS HARD FOR ME TO WRAP AROUNA CONVENTION THAT OFFERS THOSE DUALING VISIONS.
>> Woodruff: DUALING VISIONS FOR SURE.
I WANT TO ALSO IN THIS CONVERSATION, AMY, WALTER, TALK ABOUT THE FACTUAL NATURE OF WHAT WE WERE HEARING BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT THROWN OUT TONIGHT ABOUT THE ECONOMY, ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S PERFORMANCE ON THE ECONOMY.
AS YOU SAID THEY STAYED AWAY FROM THE PANDEMIC, FROM MA MANAGEMENT OF THE CORONAVIRUS ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S POSITION ON GUNS VERSUS DEMOCRATS THAT THEY WOULD UNDUE THE SECOND AMENDMENT THAT WE'D HAVE A -- BASICALLY A LAWLESS COUNTRY.
I WISH I COULD FIND MY NOTES I WAS WRITING DOWN WHAT DRUM JUNIOR WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THE COUNTRY IF DEMOCRATS WERE IN CHARGE.
AGAIN, BOTH SIDES, TO SAY COUNTRY IS GOING TO HELL IF THE OTHER SIDE IS ELECTED.
HOW MUCH OF THAT IS THERE ARE KERNEL OF TRUTH IN THERE SOMEWHERE?
>> LOOK, THESE CONVENTIONS REALLY ARE THUS FAR AIMED AT THE PEOPLE -- THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WATCHING ARE PEOPLE PRETTY MUCH CONVINCED THAT THEY'RE GOING TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE WATCHING RIGHT NOW.
REALLY MORE NOR CHEERING ON YOUR TIME.
THAN IN TRYING TO DECIDE IF YOU LIKE THAT TEAM.
BUT I THINK WHAT THE REPUBLICANS ARE SHOWING TONIGHT IS, THE REAL CHALLENGE THEY HAVE IN TRYING TO TURN JOE BIDEN INTO SOMETHING REALLY DARK AND SCARY.
TURNING HIM IN TO THIS MONSTER, SOMEBODY WHO IS GOING TO UNLEASH THIS CRAZINESS.
IT'S ALSO VERY DIFFICULT WHEN YOU ARE THE INCUMBENT PARTY THAT ALL THESE BAD THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING OUT IN THE COUNTRY HAVE NO RELATION TO YOU, YOU DON'T ACCEPT ANY OF THE BLAME OR RESPONSIBILITY.
THESE ARE DEMOCRATIC CITIES, RUN BY DEMOCRATIC MAYORS, IT'S THEIR FAULT.
AND WHATEVER IS HAPPENING IN THIS COUNTRY IN PLACES THAT LIKE ME, WELL THEN I WILL SAY THAT THAT'S OKAY OR I'LL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT.
SO THAT'S REALLY THE BIG CHALLENGE IN RUNNING AS AN INCUMBENT AS OPPOSED TO FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN THIS SAME MESSAGING WORKED BECAUSE HE WAS THE OUTSIDER, IT HAD BEEN EIGHT YEARS OF ONE PARTY IN CHARGE.
>> Woodruff: DAVID BROOKS JUST VERY QUICKLY HE'S NO LONGER THE OUTSIDER.
HE'S BEEN IN CHARGE FOR GOING ON FOUR YEARS.
THE OTHER POINT -- OTHER THING THEY WENT AFTER JOE BIDEN HE'S BEEN IN WASHINGTON FOR 47 YEARS.
AND LOOK WHAT HE'S DONE.
DO YOU REALLY WANT MORE OF HIM?
>> THAT'S PROBABLY EFFECTIVE.
THE BEIJING BIDEN IS NOT GOING TO WORK.
MAKING HIM SEE SCARY.
ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN HAS THROWN OUT TWITTER THEY DON'T REACT TO T PICK.
BUT I THINK THAT IS WHAT UNDERLYING ARGUMENT IS OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING AHEAD WHO DON'T DESERVE TO GET AHEAD.
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE STARTING TO BE ABLE TO LIVE THE AMERICAN DREAM THEY SHOULD BE YOUR ENEMIES.
IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT POINT.
I THINK WHAT WE SAW ALL NIGHT WAS REALLY THIS ATTACKING OF ANY SORT OF RACIAL RECOGNITION.
WE DIDN'T HEAR THE NAME -- FROM I COULD HEAR.
A NAME OF LOT OF VICTIMS OF POLICE SHOOTINGS.
THEY ARE THREE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE KILLED.
WE DIDN'T HEAR THOSE FACTS.
WE HEARD A SUPPORT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT FOR THE IDEA THAT THINGS SHOULD NOT CHANGE.
I THINK REPUBLICAN PARTY IS GOING TO BE HAPPY ABOUT THIS CONVENTION.
BUT IT IS QUESTIONABLE BECAUSE THEY WERE SAYING SO MUCH THAT THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE UPLIFTING CONVENTION OF COURSE WE SAW WAS IN THE THAT.
>> Woodruff: WE DIDN'T HEAR FROM 'BROUGHT VICTIMS OF POLICE VIOLENCE WE DID HEAR FROM McCLOSKEY COUPLE IN ST. LOUIS WHO WERE SUED OR RATHER WERE ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH FELONIES BECAUSE THEY C CHALLENGED, WAVED THE GUN AT THE BLACK LIVES MATTER DEMONSTRATORS OUTSIDE THEIR HOME.
QUICKLY, LISA, JUST SUPPOSE WHAT DEMOCRATS WERE SAYING LAST WEEK WITH THE PUSHBACK WE'RE HEARING ALL NIGHT LONG FROM THESE REPUBLICANS WHETHER IT WAS ANGRY PUSHBACK OR MILDER PUSHBACK?
>> THE DEMOCRATS WERE TRYING TO PRESENT AN IDEA OF A UNITED AMERICA, OF AMERICA GREATER THAN WHAT IT IS NOW IN TERMS OF VALUE SYSTEM A.ND AND JOE BIDEN OF MORALS AND CHARACTER WHO CAN GET THE COUNTRY BACK.
BUT I WILL POINT OUT ALREADY SEEN A LITTLE BIT PERHAPS OF REACTION TO THE REPUBLICANS, JOE BIDEN CAMPAIGN SPEAKING OF TWITTER DID IN FACT TWEET OUT A VIDEO TONIGHT AND WHAT WAS IT?
IT OF THE PROMINENT REPUBLICANS INCLUDING NIKKI HALEY SPEAKING AGAINST PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYING EVERYTHING THAT HE'S A COOK.
HE REPRESENTS EVERYTHING SHE DOESN'T WANT TO TEACH KINDERGARTEN CHILDREN.
TRYING TO BRING UP THE FACT HERE SOME ARE REPUBLICANS SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF PRESIDENT TRUMP WHO JUST A FEW YEARS AGO SAW HIM AS A LIAR, DECEITFUL, SOMEBODY THEY DIDN'T WANT TO BE AROUND.
REPUBLICANS KEPT PROSECUTING THIS CASE THAT DEMOCRATS AND JOE BIDEN IN PARTICULAR WOULD BRING SOCIALISM, MAYBE EVEN COMMUNISM TO THIS COUNTRY.
TO THAT DEMOCRATS HAVE EASY ANSWER, JOE BIDEN IS NOMINEE.
HE WAS SELECTED BY DEMOCRATS.
NOT -- BERNIE SANDERS, FOR EXAMPLE, CAMPAIGNED ON THE IDEA OF DIFFERENT FORMS OF SOCIALISM.
HOW DID JOE BIDEN BECOME N NOMINEE.
IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OF PROBABLY THE STATE THAT WAS SHINING STAR, SOUTH CAROLINA.
EVEN THOUGH NIKKI HALE YES, AND TIM SCOTT PRESENTED REPUBLICAN CASE THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO PRESENT IT EVEN KEEL.
SOUTH CAROLINA, JUDY IS A STATE WHERE DEMOCRATS THINK THEY CAN MAKE SOME GAINS.
IN FACT THERE'S A SENATE CANDIDATE, JAMIE HARRISON, TRYING TO UNSEAT LINDSEY GRAHAM.
HARD TO SAY IF HE'S AHEAD YOU NOW BUT THAT GAP IS GETTING SMALLER I'M SURE LINDSEY GRAHAM IS COMFORTABLE WITH THAT IS WHERE JOE BIDEN PUSHED FORWARD THE IDEA OF HIMSELF AS A MODERATE TO BECOME THE CANDIDATE FOR THIS COUNTRY.
THAT IS DEMOCRAT'S ANSWER OF PART OF IT AT LEAST TO THIS OKAY COULD YOU SAKES OF SOCIALISM.
LOOK HOW WHERE HE WON GIGGEST -- >> Woodruff: JUST ONE OF NUMBER OF CHARGES THAT WAS THROWN AROUND TONIGHT ABOUT SOCIALISM.
ABOUT DOING AWAY WITH THE SECOND AMENDMENT.
JUST GO DOWN THE LIST.
THAT THE COUNTRY WILL BE TURNED INTO A TERRIBLE NIGHTMARE OF A PLACE IF THE PRESIDENT IS NOT REELECTED.
LISA DESJARDINS, YAMICHE, TURN TO MY COLLEAGUE SHE'S LET US TO KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR.
I KNOW YOU'VE DONE A LITTLE SLEUTHING REPORTING ON SOMETHING THAT WAS SAID TONIGHT, TOO.
>> Reporter: WAR KEEPING AN EAR OUT FOR TO YOU KEY FACTS THAT WE DIDN'T IN FACT.
LOT OF INFORMATION THROWN OUT.
AMONG THOSE JOBS THAT WERE CREATED DURING THE PRESIDENT'S FIRST THREE AND HALF YEARS.
WE DIDN'T HEAR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS DURING THE PANDEMIC.
HEARD NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT CONTRACTED AND RECOVERED FROM COVID-19.
WE DID NOT HEAR MUCH ABOUT 177,000 WHO HAVE LOST A LOVED ONE DURING THE PANDEMIC.
DIDN'T HEAR THESE NUMBERS.
LATEST COVID-19 NUMBERS IN THE U.S.
FACT THAT THE U.S.
STILL LEADS THE WORLD WHEN IT COMES TO BOTH INFECTIONS, 5.7 MILLION CASES HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND DEATHS AS I MENTIONED OVER 177,000.
WE STILL GOT THREE NIGHTS AHEAD LET'S SEE IF THOSE NUMBERS COME UP.
WE HAVE THREE MORE NIGHTS AHEAD.
TOMORROW NIGHT A KNEW LATE OF SPEAKERS THAT INCLUDE SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE POMPEO WHO RAISED SOME EYEBROWS IS DELIVER HIS MARKS WHILE ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS OVERSEAS.
WE'LL HEAR FROM HIM TOMORROW.
SENATOR RAND PAUL WILL ALSO DELIVER REMARKS TOMORROW.
THREE MEMBERS OF THE TRUMP FAMILY WILL SPEAK AT THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION.
SECOND NIGHT.
TIFFANY AND FIRST LADY MELANIA WILL BE DELIVERING HER SPEECH.
GOING TO BE WATCHING ALL OF THOSE, RIGHT HERE.
>> Woodruff: YES, WE ARE.
BY THE END OF THE WEEK HERE FROM MOST MEMBERS OF THE TRUMP F FAMILY.
WOMAN NANA WAS THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING US UP TO DATE.
THANK TO ALL OF OUR ANALYSTS, OUR REPORTERS AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR OUR LIVE COVERAGE OF THIS FIRST NIGHT OF THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION.
PLEASE STAY WITH US ALL WEEK ONLINE ON THE NEWS HOUR FOR THIS SPECIAL COVERAGE.
I'M JUDY WOODRUFF FOR ALL OF US AT THE "NEWSHOUR," PLEASE STAY SAFE AND WE WILL SEE YOU SOON.
>> THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING.
Donald Trump Jr.’s full speech | 2020 RNC Night 1
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: Special | 10m 25s | Donald Trump Jr.’s full speech at the Republican National Convention (10m 25s)
Kimberly Guilfoyle’s full speech | 2020 RNC Night 1
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: Special | 6m 14s | Kimberly Guilfoyle’s full speech at the Republican National Convention (6m 14s)
Nikki Haley’s full speech | 2020 RNC Night 1
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: Special | 9m 26s | Nikki Haley’s full speech at the Republican National Convention (9m 26s)
Sen. Tim Scott’s full speech | 2020 RNC Night 1
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: Special | 11m 47s | Tim Scott’s full speech at the Republican National Convention (11m 47s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipSupport for PBS provided by:
Major corporate funding for the PBS News Hour is provided by BDO, BNSF, Consumer Cellular, American Cruise Lines, and Raymond James. Funding for the PBS NewsHour Weekend is provided by...