Posted on 08/26/2020 8:50:48 AM PDT by Kaslin
The second night of the Republican National Convention showed America the truth about Donald Trump's first four years.
On the heels of a widely praised first night that showed contrast not only politically but stylistically to the Democrats’ Zoom convention of last week, night two of the Republican National Convention featured the theme “Land of Opportunity.” The second night of a convention is a tricky business. It doesn’t have the excitement of opening night, or the clear stars, the vice president and president on nights three and four. Both conventions chose to make the wife of the ticket topper the final speaker on night two.
Both sides are eager to call the other’s convention dark, gloomy, and angry, so the opportunity theme was meant to blunt such an inevitable attack. In this respect it succeeded, especially the first lady’s gracious remarks. The line-up was full of economic-focused folks, not so much culture warriors, and the clear goal of the evening was to say we did it before and we can do it again about jobs and economic growth.
Myron Lizer, vice president of the Navajo Nation, made a wonderful appeal from Shiprock Pinnacle, New Mexico stressing the funds the Trump administration has given to the tribe. He was grateful for Trump’s support and actions. It was a moment that made clear the quiet ways Trump has helped the very communities Democrats claim he cares nothing about. In an age of red meat, it was a lovely and needed cup of tea.
Trump’s surprise moment was a pardon for a man who has become best friends with the FBI agent who arrested him. Jon Ponder was a man who was broken but who through Christ has sought to fix himself. Both Ponder and FBI Agent Richard Beasley expressed themselves beautifully. Trump granted Ponder a full pardon. The sound of the Sharpie etching that pardon was the sound of forgiveness. Anderson Cooper of CNN was annoyed because it was unprecedented. Van Jones liked that Trump did it, but didn’t like how he did it. What a microcosm.
Later in the night, Trump swore in candidates for naturalization. This from the man who supposedly hates immigrants. We welcome all of them as our fellow citizens. They are indeed a huge part of what makes and keeps America great. It was a moment for natural-born citizens to remember and be thankful that we did not have to earn the honor of being American.
Sen. Rand Paul took to the stage to praise Trump for not engaging in more war. Fox News’ Tucker Carlson made the telling point that it was Paul, not Lindsay Graham, the hawkish supporter of Trump, who was invited to speak.
Paul and Trump are far from blood brothers, but the son of American’s most famous libertarian had this to say: “I’m proud of the job Donald Trump has done as President. I don’t always agree with him. But our occasional policy differences are far outweighed by our significant agreements. But more important than simple agreement is accomplishment. President Donald Trump gets things done.”
After Paul, we were treated to a lobsterman from Maine, then a Midwest farmer. Continuing the trend of inviting forgotten America to speak to the nation, both expressed hope in four more years.
Larry Kudlow came on the scene from a nice-looking library in his home discussing how a rising tide had lifted all boats before the Chinese virus tore it all apart. But he argued that the Trump administration’s stimulus and urging America to get back to work has put us in a great position to come back strong. Shortly afterward, the lifelong Democrat mayor of Eveleth, Minnesota praised Trump as a “straight-talking New Yorker who stood up to China.” CNN cut to a commercial rather than show those remarks.
Pro-life activist Abby Johnson spoke about the issue more Republicans need to talk about: the massacre of unborn children. She pointed out that Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, was a virulent racist and that to this day the murderous organization targets black children. When she questioned this as an employee of the murder factory, Johnson was told “Abortion is how we make our money.” This won’t make a lot of news. Even I didn’t lead with it, but that is my sin and that of our nation.
Daniel Cameron, the attorney general of Kentucky, gave stirring remarks that foretold a bright political future and continued Trump’s outreach to the black community. If there is a generation of young black Republicans who believe in the Republican vision of liberty as he does, which we seem to see emerging, watch out.
Nick Sandmann was the central figure in one of the most potent moments of cancel culture in recent history, and perhaps the most important victory against it, as he won a rather hefty lawsuit against CNN. Let’s just say Jeff Zucker’s clown car of a news outlet had to shell out a lot of apples and bananas. Sandmann told his story with aplomb.
“I learned that what was happening to me had a name. It was called being canceled, as in annulled. As in revoked. As in made void. Canceled is what’s happening to people around this country who refuse to be silenced by the far left. Many are being fired, humiliated, or even threatened. Often, the media is a willing participant. But I wouldn’t be canceled.” The kid’s tough.
Former Florida attorney general and liberal punching bag Pam Bondi stepped up to have her say, and boy howdy, she went straight after Hunter Biden. Remember him? Oh, he’s going to be back in the news, my friends. You don’t make millions from foreign bad actors just because you are the vice president’s son without getting called out on it. I mean, imagine if Biden becomes president. I envision Hunter making it rain at the most exclusive strip clubs in the world.
Melania Trump appeared to close out the night in the Rose Garden she recently led an effort to renovate. All the predictable scolds insisted the renovation was horrible, politically driven, and ugly. Pundits will become experts in horticulture at the drop of a hat if it means they can drag the Trumps.
As Jake Tapper was introducing Melania on CNN, he said four years ago her speech was controversial because… He was going to say it was allegedly plagiarized from Michelle Obama but he couldn’t finish his sentence because the video started. It was another microcosm of the RNC destroying nonsense Democrat talking points.
Her remarks were gracious, grateful, and soft, as ever the counterpoint to her gruff husband. But this is a political convention after all, so of course, there was also praise: “If you tell him it cannot be done, he just works harder.”
The bottom line is that the Republican National Convention is exposing three years of lies from the corporate media. It is devastating, it is true, and it is glorious.
I have to say that I have been pleasantly surprised with the RNC convention so far - even impressed. These things are usually pretty canned and the China virus really changed the format this year, but it has been pretty good and many of the speakers have had genuinely interesting stories that were impactful.
The contrast with the DNC could not be starker.
Amen to that...
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