Republican convention speakers share dark vision of Democrats and praise Trump’s character

Republicans began their nominating convention Monday with dark denunciations of Democrats and warnings about a future controlled by “radical liberals,” while praising President Trump’s stewardship of the country, including his handling of the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 173,000 Americans.

The night’s program also served as a response to attacks on Trump’s character and accusations of racism by featuring testimonials from Black supporters, the grieving parent of a Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting victim and a cancer survivor.

The evening’s remarks, coupled with the president’s rambling and conspiratorial address earlier Monday to delegates convened in North Carolina, stood as a stark reminder of Trump’s domination of the party and its message — and largely overshadowed the GOP’s official and cheerier theme for the day, “Land of Promise.”

Speaker after speaker painted the Democrats’ vision for the country in apocalyptic terms while arguing that a victory by Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden would threaten Americans’ physical and financial safety.

“They want to destroy this country 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 they can control how you live,” said an animated Kimberly Guilfoyle, a top Trump campaign official and the girlfriend of the president’s oldest son. “They want to enslave you to the weak, dependent, liberal, victim ideology, to the point that you will not recognize this country or yourself.”

The dire warnings were occasionally interspersed with promises that under Trump, the economy could recover and forces of change facing the country could be held at bay.