Stage set for President Trump’s RNC acceptance speech
Vice President headlined night 3 of the convention - NBC's Peter Alexander reports
WASHINGTON, D.C. (KYMA, KECY/NBC News) - Baltimore's Fort McHenry, the birthplace of the National Anthem, provided the backdrop for the formal launch of President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence's reelection bid.
"We will make America great again...again." Pence told supporters.
The Republican ticket greeting the closely-packed crowd, with few masks visible.
On the convention's third night, Pence spoke to those in the path of Hurricane Laura.
"This is a serious storm. We urge all those in the affected areas to heed state and local authorities. Stay safe." said the vice president.
Reacting to the latest round of social unrest, without any mention of Jacob Blake, the Black man wounded Wednesday by police in Wisconsin.
"We will have law and order on the streets of this country." Pence promised the crowd.
The violent protests in Wisconsin just one of several incidents taking place during the Trump administration, but Pence argued things would only get worse if Joe Biden win.
"The hard truth is… you won't be safe in Joe Biden's America." he said.
Pence heads the White House Coronavirus Task Force. Wednesday night he struck an optimistic tone, in spite of nearly 180,000 deaths.
"Joe Biden said "no miracle is coming." What Joe doesn't seem to understand is that America is a nation of miracles." said the vice president.
Kellyanne Conway was among the night's featured speakers. Conway is one of the president's fiercest defenders. She'll leave the White House in a matter of days.
"Our responsibility is to focus on those who have far less than us." said Conway.
The president's daughter-in-law, Lara, a campaign advisor, addressed he convention. As did Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany. She shared her personal story about getting a preventative mastectomy to reduce her risk for breast cancer.
"I can tell you that this President loves the American people, stands by Americans with pre-existing conditions." McEnany said.
But the president has repeatedly pushed proposals that would undercut Obamacare's protections for pre-existing conditions.
Also, a moving display from 25-year-old Madison Cawthorn. Cawthorn's a Congressional candidate left paralyzed from the waist down by a car accident.
"Be a radical for liberty be a radical for our republic for which I stand one nation under god with liberty and justice for all." he said as he rose from his wheelchair to stand before the crowd. He then recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
President Trump's acceptance speech will be the highlight of the final night of the convention. Primetime coverage begins on both News 11 and CBS 13 at 7pm.
