>> this program was made possible by the corporation foic puroadcasting. and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. captioning sponsored by newshour productions, llc >> in the midst of a pandemic -- >> new infections have slowed to 43,000 a day. >> a struggling econom >> the ones impacted are hurting bad. >> intense protests over a police shooting. >> black lives matter! >> republicans strike a more positive tone. >> we're not proud of part of our history. i encourage people to focus on our future arund learning from our past. >> with the housing boom, an auto boom, a manufacturing boom, a consumer spending boom. >> and he prayson president

trump. >> president trump has put his america first vision int action. >> we're making america strong again and safe agai mn. you'king america proud again. >> tonight, outgoing white house councillor kellyanne conway and vice president mike pence. day three of the republican national convention. >> woodruff: good evening.m dy woodruff. welcome to our special pbs newshour live coverage of night three of the republican national convention. we, along with thousands of others, planned to be in charlotte this week, but because of the pandemic, the gathering will be almost entirely virtual, including some of our reporters, analysts and the speakers for the republicans.

tonight has the backdrop of a potentially deadly hurricane with what meteorologists are calling unsurvivable storm surges raging along the gulf ouast of texas we plan to bringhe same depth of coverage and analysis during this critical time in a historic election year. i am here in our studio, ross the country.lysts amy and our amna anwaz is in the studio around the corner to help guide us on what to expect, and key moments to look out for. amna? >> nawaz: judy, for the third night in a row, women will once again feature prominently in t slate of speakers. that includes a number of members of the repubcan caucus, including senators marsha blackburn and joni ernst, and congresswoman elise stefanik. it also includes a number of women who work with ent trump in the west wing, like his senior advisor kellyanne conway, who also ran his 2016 campaign, and the current white house press cretary, kayleigh

mcenany. later tonight we'll also hear s frond lady karen pence, and tonight's keynote will be from her hband, vice president mike pence, who will officially accept the party's nomination for re-election. others will speak to more core conservative issues over the course of the night-- school choice, religious freedom, law and order-- all under the theme "land of heroes," on is third night of the republican national convention. >> woodruff: and i am joined by newsur white house correspondent yache alcindor from the north lawn of t white house. yamiche, how do thee y see convention is going? >> they feel the convention is going well. they think they're makg the se that president trump responded in a way that was robustesponse to the coronavirus pandemic, that he is someone that will usher in a new

chapter of american success if he's re-elected. they feel good about theway the production is going. that being said, what we can expect having the theme be "land of heros", many l wilcome to talk about the president's success in his adinistration before the pandemic hit and hear people from his interest in wi workin racial strife. all of this judy, is coming in the backdrop of thiars remble thing that happened tonight, that the nba cancelled playoff gamewith players saying that they could not play because of the racial reckoni where african americans are more likely to be killed from the police. opit's against that backhat we'll hear from mike pence who has said that players and athletes should not be kneeling. it's interesting to see how speakers like kellyanne conway,

how the white house press secretary and others deal with what is going on tonight as we still get new information about the shooting of jacob blake in n win. all of this is happening and connected. sure.an interesting night for y quickly. we heard the first lady last ni t directly address social racial unrest in the country and say it's time of coming together. this stands in contrast to the president's stat tements. t's right. it stands in contrast to her own statements.a melaump put out there that nge really understands what americans are ghrough. she talked in personal terms that she's an immigrant herself and feels lke she's connected with people that feel helpless during this time and worried about their families. the first lady heself was perpetuating the racist idea that the former president was not born in this country and unable to be president. that was false.

the president has sent racist tweets, calling ther m vul police brutality.ing agains >> yamiche alcindor, a lot to look at, a lot to reporton. we'll come back to you throughout this ight. thank you. >> woodruff: to help make sense of this convention, we will be turning throughout the nht and all this week to a wide range of s.analysts and special gue but let's start with our core group. that is syndicated columni; mark shielew york times" columnist david brooks; gary abernathy is a contributing columnist for the "washington post," based in ohio; cynthia tucker is a pulitzer prize-winning syndicated columnist now based in alabama; and again, here at the desk with me, amy walter of the cook political report. welcome all of you back to our program. the coverage of the convention tonight. amy, we're still digesting what has happened over the last two nights

where are you in the digestion process and wh are you looking for? >> i'm still thinking about my last meal, the democratic convention and comparing the two. we're used to the two conventions having different themes and focusing on different issues. crats will focus on climb. republicans on abortion and school choice.di what ierent about these conventions, they're taking placlin different wds. this is not like a red america and blue america. the democratic vew of america is one where there's still a pandemic going on and there's still onomic crisis happening. they had speakers stand in empty classrooms, focusing on te fact that most children won't be going back to schol. the republican side, the pandemic is basically in the ar view mirror, everything ll be great. the economy is coming back. everyby was wearing maskst the democratic convention very few masks at the republican convention.

last night in the ro segarden, looked like rt of -- one basically saying we have toet back to normal. the other we're already there. so the question for this fall is where are voters going to be. which vision are they more closely aligned with. >> given all of thatdavid brooks, is the message that the republicans want to get across in that very divided environment that amy is describing, is it working? >> getng an atmosphere across and pretty effectively. what strikes me about theen mom is how intense the pressure is. the killing of jacob blake, the basketball players striking, the kid walking around with an ar-1 in the stred killing people allegedly. i it's atense moment. the climax of a bunch of intense momentof this whole year. what is feeding the intensity to extremely dange levels is

the sense of apocalypse coming t of the convention. democrrs are convinced ifump wins the democracy is in peril. if you listen to the male members of the trump family, a sense that if the democrats win, western culture is in peril. there will be rioters and loosers loose on the streets, the cancel culture, people destroying free speech, civilization will end. the repub are completely convinced of that. so you have two different versions of apocalypse. n at makes the settling of a democratic electaught and extremely imperilled. what the republicans have done iseflected trump family values which are in stark contrast to biden family values. a lot of people share that atmosphere. so to me 's not only about t issues. a lot of people like the issues. the see of endangerment and embattlement and the sense that you need someone tough in this

moment.es that's thege that is probably getting out at least to the people already committed to donald trump. >> mark, what do you see as a sense of this convention that iu gettin reaching americans? >> well, as usual, i find what david and amy both said inciteful and provocative. what struck me, judy is that this is donald trump's party. this is donald trump's week. there's no platform. he is thela tform. he's the embodiment of the you ask what the republican parties believe is donald trump. it's been to make donald trump erme sensitivity a political weakness, whatinto a kindler, gentler person. they have done it though -- as a pardoning of a former convict, a bank robber that reformed his lifend turned his life around. did it through the naturalization ceremonies.

what is interesting is, all the members of the family have spoken with the exception of the first lady, none have offered an anecdote about donald trump. they don't have dad's funny jokes, dad's bad jokes, how he rough-housed on saturday mornings. didn'thow up for the soccer game or whatever. or a sense of humor being so dated. there's none of that. as often haepens in rican politics, the best laid plans hve nothing to do with g what i go in the convention but in events beyond. what's going on in kenosha is not only a human tragedy, but it's politally significant. wisconsin is a very important state. you ask voters who ty think is better about bringing the country together, it's joe biden by 24 points. who is better about dealing with racial relations? it's joe biden by 26 ponts.

healthcare, joe biden by 15 points. decidedly very issue over donald trump with the exception of crime. ironically what -- politically this puts in a strange way sconsin in play. this gives donald trump an openg. it happened last nigin madison where protesters blew the wall and windows out of a pizza joint. re-elect donald trump?ant to that's the question hanging over tonight. >> in a little bit of time we have left at this moment, gary, how does thn convent fit into what is going on in the ry?t of the count >> you know, a lot of people us e wondered why so much foc by the republicans on really driving home the theme of ic religion, paarly not just religion but christianity, christian religion. with a ndtable of local i live

republicans. one of them shared the story a friend of his who really can't stand donald trump. a lady that wasn't going to vote for trump. but she said she heard about the democrat -- th two caucuses at the democratic convention. it wasn't the who dnc. they left out the words "under god" in their pledge o allegiance. they said, you know, i may have to vote for trump. it infuriated her that a happened. also, people question why do they keetalking abt cancel culture? a prominent individual in our communcoy in the ammunity was circulating an e-mail saying you know what? i'm voting for trump because i want to statement my opinions and not be censored and not worry about being fired from my job. these are things that the bases with trump. thesare little things that right-leaning voters are being appealed to on these kind of issues. so far effectively, judy. >> and cynthia, what message do you he coming across from this

convention? >> i think the republicans have do a good job ofin appeto the base. i'm still on my quiuck qt for evidence that republicans are trying to appeal beyond the base. i think they have done a good job of appealing to the base on cultural issues. generating this sense of yp apoc that david talked about, a fear of the fact that donald trump ise only person who can keep you safe. but evts have changed so quickly over the last several months i have long been struck by the fact that there is so many things going on that will affect this election that are outside donald trump's control. he can respond to those in a certain way and certainly help his election chances, but wht

is going on with nba players refusing to play basketball, the coronavirus still raging. thosare things beyond his control. and they will have as much s effect on th election as anything that he says in his speeches or tweets. >> we're going to be coming back to all of this throughout the night. right now one of the things that is out of this president's or controny president's control is the weathe this potentially deadly hurricane hitting the gu coast. amna has more. >> hurricane laura is already lashing texas and louisiana witn expected all late tonight or early tomorrow. for the latest now, we have kens graham with the director of the national hurricane center in ami. ken, welcome to you. thanks for making the time. you used th phrase earlier an unsurvivable storm surge. what is the latest with

hurricane laura? >> the latest is now we have 150 miles an hour winds continuing to get stronger. i'm right here in our we have the meteorologists getting the latest information around me frothe aircraft. the latest is still such a strong storm. a catastrophic event. that storm surge again, that term is so appropriate in this situation. just not survivable these values, 10 to 15 foot of lorm surge. some areas alouisiana could see 15 to 20 feet of storm surge. ths not including waves. surge.ill be on top of the heard warnings of extreme winds and flash flooding and two what is it people on the ground are seeing right now and what ll they see in hours ahead? >> they're going to see the water come up. already seeing it. it's not just on the coast. with time, you'll see the water thward. up going even nor in these area think about exactly where we

have interstate 10 right in so every one of these bayous, the rivers, the basins tha are there to drain the water out to the gulf omexico what will the other way.'re going to flow the storm surge will come from the gulf and pusnorthward, even north of lake charles here. you can see some of the storm surge. some of these aeas in the basin there, that is about 50 mile from the gulf of mexico, a lot of water and waves on top of this. >> a dangerous storm that we'll be tracking with you that is ken graham from the national hurricane center. we tl check back with you e evening goes on. thanks, ken. >> thanks. >> judy, back to you. >> absolutely keeping a close eye on that even as we cover the convention. president trump rose to power as a political outsider.w 's running for a second term as the head of the federal government. yamiche alcindor has more on his

path from real estate to the white house. >> alcindor: donald trump's 2016 campaign promise to "make america great again" was not a new sentiment in american politics. >> for those who've abandoned hope, we'll restore hope, and weo 'll welcome them igreat national crusade to make america great again. a indor: but it was a promise that fit the political atmosphere of a divided country. and, it propelled the manhattan real-estate developer to the presidency. costa of the "washingto post." >> he wants to harken back to as timeworld war ii, where america was a different world, racially, economically. he believes that the country has st some of its spirit fr that period. >> as,indor: for some american the post-wmald war ii era was ed by racial and socioeconomic strife, of civil unrest and division. donald trump lived a much different experience. author gwenda blair. >> they had a chauffeur, usuallm

black, a live-d. the kids were chauffeured to their private school. and they were-- they really d a-- kind of a semi-insulated life. >> alcdor: trump's father, fred, a politically-savvy businessman, made a fortune developing low-income housing in brooklyn and q >> fred trump told his kids, h boys, he wanted them to be killers, that they had to be winners at all costs. >> my father was great. good salesman. good builder. he loved to build houses. >> alcindor: trumpatterned his pressure never satwith his the older brother, freddy, who died of alcoholism at 42. trump's father, and mother marya a scottish imm, were deeply influenced by the 1950s best-selling book, "the power of positive thinking," authored by their pastor, dr. norman vincent peale. donald trump took that thinking of yourself as

successful, and has made it into a kind of an armor plating, so that if he did it, if he thought itif he said it, it is by definition successful. >> alcindor: trump kept the mantra close as he thr sed at militaool, despite being shipped off at the age of 13. >> h classmates told me that he was so competittee, he was so ined to win that he didn't have very many friends. >> alcindor: in 1964, trump enrolled at fordham university in the bronx. he transferred tthe wharton business school at the university of pennsylvania during the height of the vietnam war. much of america was divided between pro and anti-war camps. but as protests rolled across his campus, the same could not be said for trump. >> never went to a p, never went to a demonstration. he was going to be following his father's busess. and that's all he cared about. >> alcindor: trump received ferments that exempted him from military service. >> numerous deferments because of... because of college, and

that-- i had a foot thing,nd got a deferment for that. ast it turned out that, you know, look, that rough war. >> alcindor: the deferments allowed trump to lauh a real estate career in manhattan aft college, with the financial >> donald trump, fe minutempany. that he moved to manhattan, was interested in becoming big, known, famous. every opportunity you could possibly think of, he got his name in the paper. so, he went to cebrity hangouts, he went to nightclubs. alenthree of his wives have models. he wants to draw attention.ok he wants to lo like the most successful guy in the room. ha>> alcindor: his first man real estate venture: a remake of >> he couldn't put name on it-- he was furious about that. when you got to trump tower, which s his second deal, he

put his me on that, and he put his name on everything since then. and he was determined that-- to have his name be literally prominent in new york city, and to have his na in front of everyone. >> alcindor: but controversy around race often seem to follow. in the 1970s, the justice organization for racial discrimination, for the second time. kevin mcgruder studies urban history at antioch college. >> they put a code on the applications of the black applicants, basically to identify them, to set aside. >> alcindor: trump responded by counter-suing the department for $100 million, claiming libel. trump continued to rise as a cultural figure, inspiring p and hip hop for decades with his wealth and fame, photo-ops with elite socialites and celrities alike, including black icons.

with banks eager to lend him money, trump went on a shopping spree in the 1980s. >> and in the course of events, he ended up being about a billion dollars in the hole. >> alcindor: many of his businesses, including three atlantic city hotels, closed one by one, often amid bankruptcy claims and unpaid debt. trump himself, though, emerged relatively unscathed. in 1988, he toyed with a presidential run while selling his book, "the art of the deal," on the "oprah winfrey show." >> i would never want to rule it out totally because i really am tired of seeing what's happening to this country. >> alcindor: a year later, trump inserted himself into one of the decade's most notorious crime cases. five black and latino teenagers were accused of attacking a white female jogger in central park. trump stirred what quickly became a boiling pot over criminal justice and race by ut taking full page ad in the new york "daily news." >> the headline of the ad encouraged new york state to to support the polth penalty and that had nothing to do with real

estate. >> alcindor: trump never were exonerated. pe five men >> the centrk five ad says that he has an understanding of racist stereotypes in the american story, because that's what that fit nto. and he really rode that momentum. >> alcindor: trump continued to tease presidential runs, r identifying asublican and later as a pro-abortion democrat. >> are you a republican, donald? >> i'm a republican, yes. i probably identify more as a democrat. >> alcindor: his busage rebounded under a wildly popular prime time show. >> you're fire >> alcindor: in ch11, he laun another presidential bid. this time herabbed headlines by questioning president barack obama's citizenship, promong the already-discredited notion that the president was not qualified to serve. >> peoplhave birth certificates.

he doesn't have a birth certificate. now, he may have one, but there's something on that, maybe religion, maybe it says he is a muslim. i don't know. >> he was able to take tt quote, foreignness, of a kenyan parent, and project that onto barack obama. and what that does is, it fits into a long tradition of nativism within the united states. >> some people raised concerns,b sure, but no one said then, "mr. trump, you can't be part of this party if you're going to take that view." >> alcindor: the campaign ended early, but trump had already carved out a place for himself the republican party to launch a 2016 presidential bid. >> in 2016, donaldrump begins us his campaign bg race, this time against latino people. >> they're bringing drugs. they're brging crime they're rapists. and some, assume, are good people. i will build a great, great wall on our sthern border.

and i will have mexico pay for that hall. s appealing to them from that racist trope.>> lcindor: one pivotal moment in the 2016 race? less than a month before election day, a tape surfaced of trump bragging about grabbing women by the genitals. >> when you're a star, they let you do it. you can do anything. grab them by the (bleep). >> alcindor: but russian-hacked emails from hillary clinton's campaign manager and other democratic staffers dropped 30 minutes later. a bipartisan report from the senate intelligence committee now says trump allies directed the release by wikileaks. at the time, trump brushed his comments off as "locker room banter." o me members of his own party called for him tep down, but he refused. >> this has beenntire approach of president trump, to always deny to go after his own ccusers, to skewer th whenever possible. the fact that he was able to win election despite "access hollywood" and despite many republicans being unsettled by

that entire episode, proved to president trump that he didn't need anybody's help or guidancha that he coulve total control of the republican party and win idency, essentially, in his view, on his own. >> alcindor: by election night 2016, president-elect trump's o transformationthe republican party was near complete. his promise to "make america great again" would soon be tested. for the pbs newshour, i'm >> we will hear part 2 of the story ofonald trump tomrow night. u.s. representative tom cole ha attended every republican convention since 1976. but this year, he is in his home state of oklahoma, and he's watching this r.n.c. like the re of us, from a distance. and he joins us now from oklahoma city. thank you very much for talking with us. >> thank you. >> we appreciate it.

you're known as one othose members of congress that ivility.ies you have friends on both sides of the polic aisle. you have, as i said, you're known as somebody that can work with democrats and republicans. even people that you disagree with. that civility, do you recognize it in this convention? >> you know, i do actually. a lot of hopeful elements in particular convention i was very impressed the opening night, the speeches by hersche walker, tim scott, nikki haley. i like thep emhasis on frankly, i like the emphasis on presidential acts that i think often get lost in the dayto-day coverage. things like freeing hostages abroad.id i think the prt has a good record. so it's upbeat, optmistic. the make or break will be tonight and tomorrow night. i ect a really good speech

from my old friend, mike pece. i served with him for ten years. a very -- he's a tremendous human being, i thinand a grat communicator. our conrence chairman, which was ou ob. kellyanne conway because she's leaving, she's good on her own.b this wilan emotional night for a lot of people that appreciate her over the years, worked with her. it's the prew sident tomor night that makes the final argument, so to speak. that will determine how the convention is regarded overall. it's been two pretty good nights so far. >> you're right. the's uplifting moments t some pretty shall we say apocalyptic moment we lstened to our analysts describe the descriptions we've heard from everybody from the a president's children tomber of others that have been asked to speak at this convention. is that the right approach for the republican party to take going to this election to say the other guy is going to lead us down the road to ruin and ru

deion and you're looking at literally an different choice here? >> this is aargument being made after the democratic argument of last week which nd frankly i foas a convention about why we don't like donald elump. there wasn't muce in there. no hopeful vision about the future. so i think part of this is defining an opponent who has o been able ay out of the media, out of the norma political mix because of the covid crisis that we're in right no so i would ve expected that. again, there's always -- u're supposed to define youelf and offer a positive vision. anybody that has been around a convention knere's punches thrown at other guys. we saw that last week spades at the democratic convention. i'm not surprised the >> you served in congress.

you have overlapped with joe biden over the yeaths. f you served at the same time. is the description of him repeatedly as a socialist somebody that is in favor of a government-run health insurance plan, which he is not, somebody that is in favor of defunding lice, which he says he's not. how do you square that with the reality of what joe biden says what he believes? >> first of all, i like joe biden as a person. he's a decent pers. i worked with him on violence against women, workewith him on the cancer moon shot. he's somebody that i can work with. but i also think he's abandoned a lot of principles that he's held. look, he's outsourced his climate policy to aoc. was a 40-yhear defender of te hyde amendment. that is gone. his platform basically i think was done in partnership with sa senatonders. these are choices that he's made. so he's moved considerably to

the left over the course of the campaign. i think that is fair game for the republicans to point at out. thiss not going to be the joe biden of the 1970s or 80s or 90 who was a deal-making united states senator. this is somebody that i think has surrendered to his left wing and i think is likely to gover that way. >> we're saying and we heard this conversation a lot going on in the country right now and just this week more racl unrest in the wake of police shooting in the back of a black man in wisconsin. what s ould thepresident's approach be? the sense is that we heard a le liit from the firstady last night. we have not herd froe president words that have i think, fair to say, calmed the waters of what has happened the last few months. >> i appreciate very mch with what the first lady had to say last night.ok what happens to george floyd should never happen in the united states. it's not an isolated or the on

incident. so you have to recognize that. you have to recognize the pain and the legitimacy ofeaceful protest but you also have to recognize when riots take place, destruction of property. quite often usually frankly of innocent people. it's not always at government symbols. even that is not acceptable. so i think a sident has to express some understanding but also determination that there will be -- y, u knoe law will be enforced and people's property and persons will protected. where anybody has acted y, inappropriathether it's a public official, a law enforcement official or somebody else will be held acuntable. so i think that's the appropriate balance to strike. there's a balance here. you now, i don't think we can -- the government can turn l d eye when police stations are burned down, when federal property is routinely attacked. you know, there has to be a

sense that there's go be order so that peaceful protests and peaceful change of reform can indeed happen.wo >>other quick things i want to ask you. one is the economy. the president, we're hearing a lot about what aerrific job the president hadone leading the economy. we know the pandemic though has tage hit. what a you think being about the economy right now? >> my constituents frankly, we're mo blessed in oklahoma. we're about i think seventh lowest in terms of infections and deaths per capita. we have never fully shut wn. our unemployment rate lasht mo was about 6.6 versus about 11 nationally. that is with energy industry crippled for things honestly beyond covid-19 and with aviation, which is our second

largt industry being down. again, we've been fortunate compared to some parts of the country. i think the president -- honestly, congress on both sides did a good job isn ponding in the first four supplementals.ap i've been diinted we haven't gotten to a fifth. the president is much more willing to bargain than the democrats. but i still think weneed some additional legislation. we certainly have a lot of eople suffering through no fault of their own. they have been put out of work s or out of iness because of actions the government has taken to protect the public health for the entire population. people like th need help, need some help now. the present again said look, i'll continue the $0 a week il we're negotiating. should be two and then he moved to four.s the democruldn't keep the the middle.e on some figure in so we need to get back to that will be gd for the e can.

economy. good for the institutions of government for people to see us working together. >> we did sede themocrats offer to come from three down to $2 trillion. we'll see what happens. >> you look at the offer, tha's they still left ae tax cuts in there. so be happy to deal with them when they want to deal. >> all right. tom cole of oklahoma. thank you. >> thank you. >> now we go to the republican listening to the governor of north dakota, she's kristi noem. >> good evening i'm governor kristi noem of south dakota. i'm here tonight because i believe america is an exceptional nation founded 0 on three principles, equality, freedom and opportunity. today our founding principals are under attack. this year the choice for maamericans is between who values thesedeals and all that can be built because of thm.

a man who isn't guided by these ideals and coincidentally has built nothing. remember, america's battle for independence and fight for self-governance was ething that had never been done before. men of great intellect and wisdom like james madin, the father of our constitution, hoped our constitutional republic would last for ages, mitigate the probmswould arise from political factions and prevent tyranny. he authored much of the bill of rights because he understood the natural tendency of government to increasely encroach on the ople's consent. thus our freedom. herged his colleagues to adopt the amendments to enshrine in the constitution laid out in the declaration of independence. thm all power comes frothe people. that the government is created and ought to be exercised for the benefit ofhe ple. our constitution guarantees the right to speak, to assemble and

to worship. e right to arm ourselves as accountser balance to a standing army and the right to a fair and equitable criminal justice system. we must fight to protect these government interf and om indifference. america is unique in the world. government's power at all levels is limited to the confines of tiour constion, which protects our god-given liberties and civil rights. we are not and will not be the subjects of an elite class of so-called experts. we the people are the government. now, at times our country has struggled to live upour founding principles. lincoln knew that struggle aham better than anybody. when he was just 28 years ol honest abe saw wild and furiouss passorse than savage mobs he said taking the place of

reason and judgment. he was alarmed byhe increasing disregard for the rule of law he was concerned for the people that had seen their property destroyed, thameir ilies attacked and their lives threatened or even tak away. these good people were becoming tired of andsg dited with a government that offered them no protection. sounds famiar it took 244 years to build this great nation. laws and all. we stand to lose it in a tiny aaction of t time if we continue down the path taken by the democrats and the radical supporters. from seattle and portland to washington and new york, democrat-run cities across this country are beirung oveby violent mobs. the violence is rampant. there's looting, chaos, destruction and murder. people that can affrd to flee fled. the people that can't, good

hard-working americans are left to fend for theselves. the republican party's commitment to individual rightss anf-government is as ocessary today as it was in 1860 when we wour first presidential election. our party respects individuals based on who they are. we don't divide people based on their beliefs or eir roots. we don't shun people who think for themselves. we respect everyone equally under the constitution and we treat them as martin luther king jr. wished, according to the content of their character, not the color of their skin. in just four years, president tr p has lifted people of all races and background out of poverty. he shrunk government. he put money back into the pockets of hard-working ordinary americans. he has advanced reuslig liberty, he protected the second amendment.you can look back 50 . you won't find anyone that has

surpassed the president's success on these four issues alone. history chooses its heros for the time in which they live. at our founding, madison was one of the chosen. when the nation's very existence was cha, lleng was lincoln's turn. thanks to these men,merica is a lands of hope. their examples have been repeated in wountles by simple americans following their conscious. there is another american hero to be recognized. and that is the common american. this is who president trump is fighting for. >> we've been listening to the governor of south dakota. mystie a few moments ago. she's kristi noem. she is one of the atured speakers this evening. right now we want to bring in isher voices that have been with us throughout week. chris buzzkirk, the editor of

"american greatness." he joins us from phoenix. eliana johnson is the editor and chief of "the washington freebie con". welcome back. so good to have you. i want to start with you, er michael nutt we hear governor noem and othery voices sing this is about reckon nicing ordinary americans. how does that jive with what you're hearing, the messages from this convention? >> judy, this convention over the last few days just seems like the combination andhe tv seri a man in the hightower. theye in another universe. they're in an alternative of v ality.

this is a tow that's being produced. it has nothi to do with what streets o america with real americans. the civil unrest. the fiscal distre. the failures on covid-19. all of that is being glossed over. now suddenly someone has said it seems to be in the rear view mirror. no,o it's in frnt of us, inescapable, you can't ignore it. i think the american public n hears that seeing that, so folks are talking about tomething else that really has nothing to do wh the reality of day-to-day of what is happening in the united states of america. it would be nice if folks would recognize these challenges, the struggles that real people are . having every d >> eliana johnson, do you see t at much of a disconn between this convention and what is going on in the streets of america and people's lives? >> i'm not sure i do. i've been surprised by how

effective i think the convention has been in highlighting the experiences of nonpolitician i'm no sure i'd call them average americans, but activists, nurses, immigrants becoming tizens. i think that trump and the party have used them to soften the president's edges and show hi in interactions with these sorts of people to soften him up and show a side that we don't see in the white house, the rose garden when he's delivering official remarks. i do think that has been effective. >> what about you, sarah? are you hearing a convention that is a mirror, holding up a mirror to this country? >> well, i think the messaging that the convention is going with while it may be misleading to many people's ears is definitely -- has proven an effective tactic. we are -- the way in which the o

ention is holding up a mirror to the country, a way to say th is, by focusing on fear. this is a moment of pain. we're a broken country in many ways. while the convention strategies are not talking about the direct issues in factual s, it's nonetheless, i would argue, manipulating that fear, forward creatingness, bogus idea about roving mobs of angry people and this supposedly radical and dangerous left. >> so chris buzzkirk, step in here. that is what sarah's citing, pretty much what vernor noem of south dakota was saying a mi te ago. he said "people -- we have democratic cities ovrrun by violent mobs." is that what is happening in mo of america right now? >> well, it's what is happening in places like portlan it's what is happening in

seattle and chicago. we saw it in kenosha -- i'm sorry in milwaukee. throughout wisconsin. this is a worry for people. i live here in arizona. it was back in june where we han of our regional malls that was overrun, closed a couple rwardsafte doesn't take much of that to get people to be afraid for thei own securi, for their own lives, their property and their families. so you know, when people say it's not happening most places,i it's not hap most of the time, it doesn't have to. thank gd it sn't. when people see videos online, the news and see what's ing on in these cities, it looks like flawlessness.ok like destruction. they said last night, the most fundamental role is to protect people in their homes, in their person. when government can't that, people go back to basics and say, well, why not? who is going to do ts, who is going to protect me and my family. so i think that is something

that plays to a big o parf american when they see what looks like out of control cities.>> michael nutter, i hea this is not abo ginning up ng fear. it's reflecting what people are. worried ab >> no, judy, it is about, as your word, ginni up ear. when we go to the root cause of why people are in the strets, literally in the summer, in the midst of a pandemic, because black people and brown people continue to gor kille shot for no apparent reason. let's deal with that. let's deal with that reality. the challenge of being a black or brown person inthis country. remarks of doc rivers.th the challenge of being a person of color in this country. the gentleman shot seven or eight times in front of his children. now known not to have a weapon.h so i thinkat there's a

broader view by many including manyhite people in the united states of america that there really is something else going on. i do not condone a violence and destruction. but you have to go to the root cause of why people are out there in the first place and to ignore that speaks to a certaino leveprivilege that many of us incding myself and others don't have. king up white every day and not having to worry about th whethe might be your last day or you have some encounter t literally might end your life or family member is very different for black and brown te ple than it is for wh people. call it for what it is. >> eliana johnson, is this party as pident trump taking a risk by not findi a y to speak to the americans who hav these very real feelings, coerns, pressed by michael nutter? >> i think he is. i spink he should try teak to those people.

you've seen efforts particularly last night on the president's to present themselves as a more inclusive party that is doing outreach to racial minorities and others. the debate we're seeint-- 's concede, it's political theaterf neithehese conventions reflect reality on the ground. it's a broader debate whether the country is fatally flawed from the founding, which i think we heard at the democratic convention or flawed but constantly improving, which is the theme that we have heard from many ofhe republican speakers that have talked about american greatness and exceptionalism and this is litics and which divisions to americans agree with. that is one way to certainly to

think about it. we're going to beo coming back the four of you throughout the night to continue to take your temperature on what you're hearing and what you're seeing tonight. now let's go back to my kol le k colleagu colleague, amna. brandon, welcome to you. thanks for making the time. fair tohe saymr. pence was governor and tapped to be trump's v.p., he wasn't popular. has that changed in the last four years since he's been vice president? >> i've talked to a lot of people both in threpublican party and some democrats that think mike pence is re popular w than he was when he was governor in rt because he's not often in the state of indiana. the reality is, as you said, is re-election and what is becoming

an increasingly redstate was far from a lock. that's because he got into the state in a number of controversies in 2015, the ligious freedom restoration act, al of people and particnsarly republiidn'ts like. so he was navigating rocky waters as he tried to run and then elevated to the es ential ticket with donald trump. he's been the vice president now for more than three years. i think a lot of people are -- a lot of republicans in ndiana are taking a lot more happy view of mike pence than the before. >> brandon, give us a view among indiana vote. we should remind people indiana went for obama and then for romney. 19 points for mr. trump in 2016. are there persuadable voters on the groundistening to the messages and could change their minds? >> my sense is probably not a ana.in indi talking to a lot of folks

including republican party herev yone expects democrats and republicans, everybodyts exp donald trump to win iniana again. i don't know a lot of people that think he will win by 19 points n,agaiut there's -- i think most people will be stunned if joe biden carried thistate. i don't think the conventions are changing this. if you're tuning in closely, you're following this stuff more closely anyway. you have probably also madep you're mind if you're one of those people. lot of minds. it's changg a it's also august and people have a lot on their minds right now other than an election. >> certainly a lot going onto keep track of. that's a view on the ground in indiana fr brandon smith. thanks so much, brandon. >>hank you. >> thank you. as we get cl 9oser 00 eastern and that part of the republican nash name convention, let's turn

nt presil historian, michae micha michael beschloss. how -- is choice -- is the oi as stark as it's being made out to be? >> there's a difference. but because the democrats are apocalyptic and the republicans icare apocalyit's very different. on the republican side, prident trump has been campaigning against joe biden as the police as you said a few minutes ago. he not. it's as if donald trump is living forever in the year 1968 when 104 cities went up in flames after the assassination of dr. king

there was a very high crime rate. george wallace and richard nixbl wereto use the law and order issue to jointly get about 55% of the vote. i thak that was so gravnd on donald trump's mind that led to his inaugural adfress a ew years ago, american carnage. which portrayed an america that most people even many republicans did not recognize of chaos and anary and violence to the point that george w. bus sa hillary clinton, that was some weird blank. heouldn't rgnize it either. so on the republican side, you know, they have been saying we're very much for donald trump. you know, this is a trump party. you know, no platform this year. one page atement of support. to an extend that barack obama o week aaid don't let them take away your democracy. for those of us that have been watching this convention for signing of re-assurance that

ere's no danger that donald trump a year from now may be in daer of an authoritarian presidency if we elected him, the signs have not been t.grea last night, secretary of state ike pompeo, first time in 75 years speaking at a major party convention. ing about domestic policy. u.s. marines used as prop in a naturalization ceremony. the white house rose garden used with donors and audience and clapping in a way that we have never seen before. those are the kind of things that you see in an authoritarian system when the symbols of the statare mixed with domestic politics. >> michael beschloss, always with an important perspective. we'll be coming back to you he throughoutnight. covering the race closely.orters our white house correspondent, yamiche alcindor; our lisa

desjardins, who is reporting on the biden campaign; and errin haines is with the ew newly-launchedwebsite, "the 19th." alking to thebeen biden folks. they are making comments from time to time on what the republicans are saying and doing. what are you hearing? >> well, it's interting right amw, judy, this portion of the convention prong is about the military. thinks that they can make some gains. the ratings last r had a hight of 50% disapproval rating with t important kind of oup for the republican party. so even as we heor frm general -- rtired general kellogg talking about his foreigpolicy, the biden camp military may trust joe biden policy experience.s foreign >> yamiche, the trump folks know that they watched the democratic convention very closely. they knowhey're beingatched

this week. to what extent does that shapeho they are putting forward their message? >> they're hoping that millions of americans see this beshits of the republican party platform, which is really the president's goal and polici and how they think that he can usher in a newnve of ameri greatness. that said, we've heard from a couple speakers tonight, some claims that were not true inclin including marsha blackburn that says that the democrats wants to lockamericans up to have them depends on the megove. we've had a push back against protesters amid the racial reckoning. a lot of people are fed up, , juankly with the racial discrimination in this country. republican speakers are pushing and saying we're in support of a the polid not much needs to change. >> erin haynes, are you lookings for republio address this

racial unrest the nextew days? >> what is ear, judy, the duel pandemics o coronavirus and racism is happening whether they're acknowledged or no, this convention began as jacob blake was shot. the situation in wisconsin has escalated and we've heard very prlittle from the sident or this administration on what confronting the unrelenting ow, killing and shooting of black people even in the midst of this pandemic. >> we'll see whether they address it between now and the end of tomorrow night. we're going to be coming back to the three of you. thank you very much. >> woodruff: as we get ready for the 9:00 hour of tonight's convention, we're going to take local pbs stations.e of our our coverage will continue, in just one minute. stay with us. .

>> woodruff: good evening. i'm judy woodruff, and welcome back to our pbs "newshour" special coverage of this year's republican national convention. the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted plans, as we all know, for the traditional, in-person convention.st d this year, many of the republicans areng addres near-empty room in the mellon auditorium in downtownsh gton, d.c. now we want to listen in on the republicans' official convention programming oid see what is on right now. >> it all started at a tea

party. 13 years before the american civil war, ivil unrest and division separated countrymen into two opposing camps. one determined to keep african-american people enslaved; the other, dermined to see all people free. elizabeth katie stanton d lack keira sha mott were selected ades legates for an antislavery conventi, but were told they could not speak or vote on the male-dominated event. on july 19, 1938, three women formed a coalition withofhe soul purpose gaining the right for women to vote so they, in turn, would be free to fight for the freedoms of others. women across america united and formed actist groupsworking tirelessl to win the vote for

american women. the uncomparable susan b. anthony registered and voted for every republican on the ballot. as punishment for her actions, she was arrested for illegal voting. at the request of susan b. anthony, senator a.a. sergeant introduced the 19th amendment in 1878. it was submitted and defeated four times, b women continued to fight. soldiers of truth and many black suffragets, fighting for all women's voices to be heard and allowed to vote. >> woodruff: so in this month that the country celebrates the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment of the constitution granting women the right to vote, we see the republicans celebrating women's suffrage. an eye on this convention. we will be going in to bring you extensive

coverage of what the republican speakers saying, and some of the other videos. and, of course, president trump himself. but right now let's turn to yamhe alcindor outside the white house. they are featuring women tonight, a number women ha work in the white house, with the goal whll? >> they rwant to showcase that president trump has a number of women working for him who believe in his message. someone they feel will be a champion for women. they voted overwhelming, or at least the majority, in 2016, and he wants to make sure he keeps his numbers th the women high. first lady melania trumpe sayss an unprecedented number of women in his administration. we know that is not true. president trump has less women in his cabinet a in his administration than president obama.

that being said, i spoke with kellyanne conway, she was dressed all in white, talking about the fact sheed wao honor women's suffrage. president trump has had my back, and i hope people understand he really wants to elevate women around him. >> woodruff: the convention is hearing briefly from kayleigh mcenany, th president's press secretary. and she is wearing white tonight. but over all, yamiche, this fits into a theme of ying to say to the american people, this is a president who believes in equality, who believes in giving women opportunity, at a time, as you sy, when the president's popularity rating, pproval rating, among women has taka real slide. >> that's right. especially after the era of the me too, the president has been accused by a number of women of inappropriate sexual behavior. so he has a lot of work to women.pecially with white and the president is

hoping tonight he will be it is complicated by the fact that the president has said some degatory things, and some racist terms, talking about black women, at one emint telling they should go back hom hnwe ca expect we'll here kellyanne conway, as well talk about women's roles. >> woodruff: the theme tonight is land of heros, and they're interpreting it in a number of different ways. it allows them to in a number of directions, as you say, to get to the next to the ultimate d dorsement from his own vice president, at is going to close out this evening a little bit later. all right. yamiche alcindor at the white house, thanks very much. and as then convent under way, there is a massive andotentially deadly hurricane lashing the gulf coast of theed

untates. amna nawaz is here with the very latest on that.or >> rr: for the latest details, we're back with ken graham, the director of the national hurricane center in miami. ke thanks for being with us. we should mention the storm has not yet mae landfall, but on your last update, you said the winds are still increasing. what is the latest on the strength and the path of the storm? >> well, i'm right here in our operations area at the hurricane center. we have the hurricane specialist right over here, and the last advisory we have just happened 8:00 central time. 150 miles per hour winds, but the pressure dropped. so the pressure dropping and getting so close to the coastline. we stll have 95 miles to go, south of lake charles, moving north/northwest. it is started to make the turn back towards the north, right on the forecast track, and that's what we expect a we make landfall later tonight and into tomorrow morning. >> reporter: i'm seeingyo words ir predictions

like catastrophic, unsurvivable, potentially historic. what is it about this particar storm that is so dangerous? >> it is everything about this one. they're all hazards. we've seen the tornado warnings going out already. ewe'll have th hurricane-force winds and the other part is the storm surge. we're forecasting 10 to 15-foots getting 20feet. it is just a wall of water stretching inland. if you look around where er10 is, lake charles over to beaumont, tis going to be storm surge, and all of the bayous and canals drain, but in a storm surge, everything drains backwards, and that's a lot of water, a dangerous, dangerous amount of water. >> reporter: ken, very briefly, one of the ings that caught everyone's

attention how quickly the storm intensified. could itbe increasfore it makes landfall? >> i think at this point, en you look at thi storm, we could increase or decrease a little bit. it's not going to change the impacts whatsoever. >> reporter: ken graham of the national hurricane center joining us toight. thank you so much. >> woodruff: we'regyou. to continue to keep an eye on that storm, as you just heard. i want toake an editol note. last night, and at ones point i misstated his opponent, kellyorsed loeffler ia special election. it was a mistake. i regret the error, and i want tcset the reord straight right now. so let's go back now to the republican national convention, and we're about to hear fromhe second lady of the united

states. >> good evening. i'm karen pence. my husband is vice president mike pence. 100 years ago today, the adopted into the united states coniostit guaranteeing women the right to vote. susan b. anthony and lucy stone, women today, like our daughters, audrey and charlotte, and future generations, will have their voices heardnd their votes count. the women's sufmofrage ment was the gateway that led to women havingpo the opunities to achieve monumental milestones and accomplish significant achievements in both civic and governmental roles. this evening we look at heros ourand. as second lady of the united states for the past three and a half years, i havead the honor of meeting many heros acrossu

this great contry. the pences are a military family. our son, michael, serves in the united states marines, and our son-in-law, henry, serves in the u.s. navy. and one of my key initiatives is to elevate and encourage military mespouses. thes and women, like our daughter charlotte, and our daughter-in-law sarah, are theomefront heros. i have been privileged to hear so many stories of volunteer spirit, and great contributions to the armed forces and our communities. you know, military spouses may experience frequent moves and job anges periods of being a single parent while their loved one is deployed, all while exhibiting pride, strength, and termination. and being a part of something bigger than lemselves. toof the military

spouses, thank you. president trump and p vice-presidece have been supporting our united states armed forces, including our military families, on a ntsignifi scale. while traveling throughoutn our nato educate military spouses about ions thatl president trump has promed, involving rel, tangible progress in military spouse employment. iave been inspired to meet heros like lisa bradley an cameron cruise. these military spouses decided totart their business, "r riveter" used to recruit women workers during world war ii. they make beautiful handbags, designed and manufactured exclusively by military spouses, and many of tho spouses live

all over the country. they pro pai prepare and send their section of the bag to the company located in north carolina, where the final product is assembled. johnson in billis,ro jalal montana, is a culinary artist who had dreamed of starting her ow restaurant. working with the small a busineinistration to the development cen jalan started her restaurant, the sassy biscuit, and she jus opened a second restaurant in dover, ne new hampshire. and asd he secdy, i have been able to bring awareness to a forfo therapy to our heroic veterans suffering from ptsd. art therapy is especially affective with post-traumatic stress disorder. master guery sergeant

chris stowe, who i met, who deployed for combat in iraq and afghanistan, said nothing helped him deal with his trauma from the service in the marines until he finally ato meet with the art therapist at walter reed medical center. chris credits art therapy with saving his mrriage and his life. and chris went on to establish a glass-blowing workshop to help other many of our veteran heros struggle as they transition back into civilian life, and sometimes the stress is t o diffic manage alone. a few weeks ag, i had the honor of speaking with some amazing americans who answered the veterans' crisis line. one in particular, sidney morgan, especially impacted me. a veteran hersf, sidney said it is the hghest

honor of her life, until they physically walk into a clinic to receive help they deserve, and she can pass their hand to someone ready to help. in these difficult times, we've all seen so many examples of eryday americans reaching out a hand to those in need, those who, in humility, ha considered others more important than themselves. we've seen health care works, teachers, first responders, mental health providers, law ersorcement offigrocery and delivery workers and farmers, and so many others, heros all. 100 years ago women secured the rht to vote. so let's vote, america! let's honor our heros. trump and vice-president pence for four more years!

god bless our heros, and god bless the united states of america. ♪ >> we hold these truths toev be self-ent, that all men are created equal.ar that theendowed by their creator with certain unailable rights, and among thse are rights and the pursuit of happiness. >> good evening, i'm kellyanne conway.10 years ago courageous warrio helped women secure the right to vote. this has been a century worth celebraa ng, but alsoeminder that our democracy is young and anfragile. a wn a leadership role can stilleem novel. not so for president trump. for decades, he haso elevateden to senior positions in business and in government. he confides in and cut

consults us, respects our tsinion, and inse are on equal footing with the men. president trumhelped me shatter a barrier in the role of politics, by empowering me to manage his campaign its ccessful conclusion. with the help of millions of americans, our team defied the critics, the nay-sayers, theal conventiisdom, and we won. for many ofs, women's empowerment is not a slogan. it comes not from strangers on social media or sanitized language ana corporate handbook. it comes from the everydah heros,nurture us, who shape us, and who believe in us. i was raised in a household of all women. they were selreliant and resilient. their lives were not easy. but they ver complained. money was tight, but we had an aundance of what

mattered most: family,h, fand freedom. i learned that in america limited means does notit make for lim dreams. the promise of america belongs to us all. this is a land of inventors and inovaters, of pioneers and parents, each contributing to the ccess and the future of a great nation and her people. these every day heros have a chmpion in president trump. the teacher who took extra me to help students adjust to mnths of virtual learning. the nurse who finished a 12-hour covid shift and then took a brief break, only to change her msk, gown, and gloves to do it a all ovin. the small business owner striving to reopen after the lockdown was lifted,

and then again after her store was vandalized andlo ed. the single mom with two kids, two jobs, two commutes, who 10 years after that emy promise insurance.s health president trump and vice-president pence have lifted aericans, prvided them with dignity, opportunity, ands reults. i have seen firsthand, many times, th president comforting and encouraging parent, a parent who has lost a child, a worker who lost his job, an adolescent who lost her way to drugs. don't lose hope, he has told them, assuring them that they are not alone and that they matter. they're alwa will be peopleho have faorr

than us. our responsibility is to focus on those w have far less than us. president trump has dobe done precisely that in taking unprecedented action to combat this nation's drug cris. told me, this is so important, kellyanne. so many livehave been ruined by addiction, and we'll never even know it because people are aamed to reach out for help, and to turn n theirn sure who toughest hour. rather than look the other way, president trump stared directly at this dr crisis next door, and through landmark bipartisla legon, has helped with investments in surveillance, educationti prev, treatment, and recovery. we have a long wato go, but the political e inertia that cost liv that

prevents people in need from coming forward is melting away. this is the man i know and the president we need for four more years. he picks the toughest fights and tackles the most cheplex problems. as stood by me, and he will stand up for you. in honor of the women whopo red me and for the future of the children we all cerish, thank you, and god bless you always. ♪ ♪ sister dede bryne.ion good evenm last fourth of july, i i was

honored to be one of theht president's ge a guests at the salute to america i recently prayed while in chapel, begging god for me to be a voice an instrument for human life. speaking at the rcan national convention. i guess you better be careful for what you pray for. my journto religious life was nt a traditional route, if there is suh a thing. in 1978, as a medical school student at georgetown university, i joined the army to help pay for my tuion. and ended up devoting 29years to the military, serving as a dctor and surgeon in places like afghanistan and egypt's sinai peninsula. after much prayer andpl contion, intered my religious order in 2002, working to serve the poor and the sick in haiti, sudan, kenya, inas iraq andngton, d.c. humility is at the

foundation of our order, which makes it very diffult to talk abou myself. but i can speak about my experience worki for those fleeing war-torn and impoverished countries around the world. those refugees all share a common experience: they have been all marginalized, viewed as ingnificant, powerless and voiceless. and while we tend think of the marginalized as living beyond our borders, the truth is the largest marginalized group c found here in the united states. they are the unborn. as christians, wefirst met jesus as a stirring embryo in the womb of an unweb mother, and saw him in the poverty of a cave. jesus stood up for what was just, andhe was ultimately crucified because wht he said wasn't politically correct or fashionable.

as followers of jesus, we are called to.tand up we must fight against thegi ative agenda that supports and even celebrates destroying life in the womb. keep in mind the laws we create define how we see our humanity. and weust ask ourselves, what are we saying when we into a womb and snuff out an innocent,we ess, voiceless life? as a physician, i can say without hesitation, life begins at conception. while what shave toy may be difficult for some to hear, i am saying it because i'om nt just pro-life, i'm pro eternal life, and i want all of us to end up in heven together some day. which brings me to why i'm. here tod donald trump is the most pro-life president tht this nation has ever had, defending life at all his belief in the sanctity

of life transcend politics. president trump will stand up against biden/harris, who are the mosanti-life presidential ticket ever, horrors of late-term abortion and infantcide. because of his courage and conviction, president trump has earned the percent of america's pro-life community. more over, he has a nationwide religious standing behind him. you'll find us here with our weapon of choice, the rosary. thank you, mr. president, weare all praying for you. >> i'm lou holtz, many of you might know as coach, or maybe that football guy. it is a pleasure, a blessing and an honor fo me to explain why i believe that president trump is a consistent winner, an outstanding leader, and deserves to be re-elected as our

president. first, i want you to know that igrew up in a one-bedroom house in west virginia. i may have been poor, but the lessons my parentsme taughtere priceless. they taught me that life is about making choices. a wherever ye, good or bad, don't blame anyone else. to work.n education, get u can overcome any obstacles, and always remember that in this great country of ours, anyone can amount to something special. i live by those principles of hard work and responsibility my whole life, living out the american story, and it works. but there are people today, like politicians, professors, protestors, and, of course, president trump's nay-sayers in theme a o like to blame others for problems. they don't have pride in our countr d because they no longer

ask, what can i do for my country? only what the country should be doing for them. they don't have pride in themselves. that's wrong. when i was an officer in the army, i served with so many great americans who embraced their responsibility to our country. i'm so proud of their sacrifices and the opportunity it has providr so many millions. america remains a land of opportunity, no matter what the other side says or believes. you know, there is a stue at notre dame, i guess they needed a place for the pigeons to land.t you look closely you will see these three words there: trust, commitment, and love. all my life, i've made mys life on these three words. i use these three rul to make choices about everything, my beloved

wife of 59 years, athletes i coach, and, of course, politicians, evenum president i ask myself three things: one, can trust them? when a leader tells you something,ou've got to be able to count on it. that's president trump. he says what he means; he means what he says. and he has do wat he said he would do at every one of the important reasons he has my trust is because nobody has been a stronger advocate for the unborn than president the biden/harris ticket is about radicallyon pro-aborampaign in history. they and other politicians are catholics in name only anabandon innent lives. president trump protects those lives. i trust president trump. the second question i ask is: are they committed to doing thr very best?

president trump always finds a way to get something done. if you want to do something bad enoug you'll finda way. if not, you'll find an excuse. and excuses are a lot easier to find than solutions. president trump finds solutions. president trump isco itted. and the third question i ask is: do they love people? do they care about others? to me, this is very clear. president trump has demonstrated, throughs prison reform, advocating for school ice, and welfare reform that he wants americans from l walks of life to have the opportunity to succeed and live the american dream.p president trves our country and our great people. trust, commitment, and love. have a president we can making america greater,t

and who genuinely cares about people if i applied this test to joe biden, i can't say yes to any of these three questions. i used to ask our athletes at notre dame, ifyou did not show up, who would miss you and why? can you imagine what would happen to us if pumsident had not shown up in 2016 to run president? i'm so glad he showed up. thank you r showing up, mr. president. i encourage everyone who loves this country, who loves america, to show up in november for pre trump. thank you. ♪ >> hi, i'm michael m 1 call me mic.y fri i'm a 30 years active duty member of law orcement in the state of florida.

i'm also the president of the national association of police organizations, napo. our organization recently endorsed dald trump for re-election as president of the united states. our endorsement recognized his strong support for the men anmd woen on the frontlinesriparticularly these challenging times. we value his support of aggressive federal prosecution of those who attack our police officers. his signing of the law enforcement mental health and wellss act and his support for permanentlyth izing funds to support 9/11 firston rers and their families. law enforcement officers across t nation take an oath to run towards danger when everyone else is running away. they do so willing to protect our family and communities. i'm proud that the

overwhelming majority of american police officers are the best of the best and putheir lives on the line without hesitation. and od officers need to know they're elected leaders d the department brass have their backs. unfortunately, chaos results when failed officials in ties lie portland, minneapolis, chicago and new york make the conscious decision not to support law enforcement. shootings, murders, lootinand rioting occur unabated. the violence and bloodshed we are seeing in these and other cities i't happening by chance. it's the direct result of refusing to allow law enforcement to protect our communities. joe biden has turned his candidacy over to the far, leti-law enforcement

radicals, and as a senator, kamala harris pushed to further restrict police, cut their training, and make our american communities and streets even more dangerous than they already are. conversely, president trump eapports the on of a national standard for training on deescalation andcommunication te officers more tools to resolve conflict without violence. the differences between trump/pence and biden/harris are crystal clear. your choices are the most pro-law enforcement president we've ever had or the most radical anti-police ticket in history. the safety of their family and loved ones to join the hundreds of thousands of mbers ofthe national

association of policeti organis and support the re-election of president donald j. trump. thank you and god bless america. ♪ >> i'm coresswoman elise stefanik, and i'm honored to represent new york's 21stcongressional district, the cradle of it is where almost 250n. years ago, brve patriots fought to turn the tide the revolutionary war. it is where 40 years ago in lake placid, a team of amateur hockey players outhustles, out played and defeated the soviet union and giving us the

unforgettable miracle on ice. and today it is home to the historic 10th mountain division, the most depln ed units ithe u.s. army since 9/11. when i saw fisthand president trump graciously thank and honor our men and women in uniform and sign the largest pay raise for our troo in a decade. since our nation's founding, generation after generation of everyday americans served and sacrificed to preserve and strengthen the american dream. the vision of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and the idea that if you work hard and drea cbig, youan achieve anything you imagine. i believe in the american dream because i've lived it. ke millions of americans, i grew up in a small business family, where i learned the values of hard workand determination. i was the first person in immediate family to graduate from college, ran for congress to ser

upstate new york, and i'm proudly the yourengest blican woman elected to congress in history. i am honored to supprport ident trump for re-election because i know that he is the only candidate who will stan up for hard-working families and protect the american dream for future generations. since his first day in office, president trump has fought tirelessly to aliver results forl americans, despite themo ats' baseless and illegal impeachment sham and the media's endless obsession with it. i was proud to lead the effort, standing up for the constitution, president trump, and most importantly, the american pek le. this atts not just on the president; it was an attack on you, your voice, and your vote. but the american peop partisan attacks.our support fot trump is stronger than ever before.

we know what's at stake in this historic election. americans from all walks of life are unified in support r president. it's why more republican women than ever are running for office this year. we understand that this election is a choice between the far left democratic socialist agenda versus progtect and preserving the american dream. president trump is rking to safely reopen our main reet economy. he understands that the engine of our country is fueled by the ingenuity and determination of american workers, entrepreneurs, and small bisinesses. jon wants to keep them locked up in the basement and crush them with $4 trillion in new taxes. we acea critical choice: far-left's failed policies of the past 4 years, or president trump, who will stand up for the american people and the

constitution i believe in the wisdom and spirit of the american people to elect the only candidate who is caple of protecting the american dream, president donald j. trump. thank you to the north country to serve as your voice supporting his re-election. god bless the united states of america, the greatest country on earth. ♪ >> good evening. i'm madison cawthorn, and i running toepresent north carolina's 11th congressional district. this is time of greatad rsity for our country. at 18 years old, i was in ichorrar accident, that has left my paralyzed from the waist down. instantly my hopes and dreams were seemingly

destroyed. i was given a 1% chance of surviving. but thanks to the power of rayer, a veloving community and many skilled doctors, i made it. it took me over year to recover. my first public outing in a wheelchair was to a aseballional game you know, before my accident i was 6' 3 inches, i stood out in a crowd. giving up.hought about however, i knew i could still make a differenca my accident given me new eyes to see and new ears to hear. god protected my mind and my ability to speak. so i say to people who feel forgotten, ignored and invisible, i see you, i hear you. at 20, i made a choice. and in 2020, our country has a choice. we can give upth on american idea, or we can work together to make ourpe ect union more perfect.

i choice to fight for the, futu see the high ground and retake the while the radical left wants to dismantledefund and destroy, republicans want to rebuild, restore, and renew. i just turned 25. when i'm elected thisno mber, i'll be the youngest member of congress in over 200years. if you don't think young people can change the world, then you just don'tkn american history. george wasngton was 21 when he received his first military commission. abe lincoln, 22 when he first ran for office, and james madison was just 25 years old when he signedra the decon of independence. in times ofng peril, yeople have stepped up and saved this country abroad and at ho.e we held line, scaled the cliffs, liberated camps, and cracked coes. yet today political forces want to usher in thege

digital dark a time of information without wisdom, and tribalism without truth. national leaders on the left have normalized emotion-based voting. and radicalized politics that rejects martin luther his dream is our dream, for all americans to be judg solely on their character. their lives everar tosk come here because they believe in the dream of m.l.k. and the american dream. join us as we, the party of freedom, double down on ensuring the american dream for all people. we are committed to ilding a new town square. it welcomes all ideas and all people. re we will have freedom of speech, not freedom from speech. to liberals, i say let's have a conversation. be a true liberal. listen to other ideas and let the best ones prevail. and to conservates, i

say let's define what we support and win the health care and the environment. in this newuown sqare, you don't have to apologize for youlr beiefs you can kneel for god and stand for the flag. the american id is just as exciting and revolutionary today as it was 250 years ag i say to americans who love our country, young and old, be a radical for freedom, be a radical for liberty. and be a radical for ou republic, for which i stand, one nation under god, with liberty and justice for all. thank you, and may god bless america. ♪

>> i'm jack brewer, a former three-time nfl team captain, college professor, coach, husband, son, and father. i'm also a life-long democrat, but ipp sut donald trump. let me be clear: i didn't come here for th popularity or the praise or the likes or the, retweem here as a servant to god, a servant to the people of our nation, and a servant to our president. grew up in texas, in a grandfather was the first black man to settle as a share cropper in 1826. i fought with skinheads and being a witness in an attempted murder trial, after my friend shot a skinhead in self-defense. i remember my dad's bravery when he personally stood up against a k.k. rally in my town.

in my house, my father taught me to back dow from no one. i know what racism looks like, i've seen it first hand. and america, it has no resemblance to president trump. i'm fed up wie way he is portrayed in the media. who refuses to acknowledge what he has actually done for the black community. it is confusing the minds of our inreocent chi before i left to come to deliver this messa, my 8-year-o son jackson stopped me and said, dad, can you please just tell everyone that all lives need to matter, and that god loves everyone? in that moment, i realized that my 8-year-old had figured out what so many ults have seemed to forget: we are not as divideas our politics suggests. some point, for the sake of our children, the policies must take priority over the personalities. becausyou have an issue

with president trump's tone, you're going to allow biden and harrito deny our underserved black and brown children scool choice? are we so defended by the president's campaign slogan, make america great again, that we're going to kamala harris haenden and responsible for locking up cotless black menr non-violent crimes. are you going to allow the media to lie to you, by falsely saying there are very fine white supremacists in tharlottesville? 's a lie. they call for the destruction of the nuclear family. my fellow americans, our families need each other. we need blerack fathin the homes, with their wives and children. the future of our communities depend on it. i'm blessed to be able to run inner city youth programs, and to offer

help to the prisons across america. the inmates in the prisons literally receive time off their sentences for taking my classes, and that' thanks to president trump. president trump cared about these americans and their famils, even when so many others have left them behind and written them off. i'm forever grateful to president trump for that. he endures relentless attacks, and so do many of us, likeyself, who support him. but my mama always told me: when lord starts blessing, the devil starts onssing. thisvention marks a time to celebrate our history. republicans are the party that freed the slaves and the party at put the first black men and women in congress. if t party of frederick douglas and abraham lincoln and now tttco and donald trump. our president has made

incredible strides to end mass incarceration and give unprecedented opportunities for blacks in america to rise. america, let this eection be a call for all godpe's le who are called by his nam he mble ourselves and pray together and to seek his face and to turn from our wicked ways. then he will hear us from heaven and he will forgive our sins, and he will heal our land. amen. and god bless america. >> we've been listening to jack brewer, a former nfl player who has worked on wall street and been an investor. there was some question whether he was going to be speaking, but we see he is on the program. and i want to hear from, our analysts before we hear from our next major speaker at the convention. lets turn quickly to amyrk walter, hields, david brooks, gary

abernathy, and cynthia tucker. amy, you're hearing from a stream of republica who are saying joe biden is for infantcide. joe biden is -- and donald trump is for women, he is for black americans, he is for all things good. and joe biden is for all things bad. what does it ad up to? >> it is really interesting, especially the focus on woismen, this group of voters that donald trump has struggled with from the very beginning mod is losing of them. i actually said in a virtual now -- everything is virtual now -- a focus group, women from north carolina, they were all white, college-educate ey had voted for tmp in 2016, and were on the fence about voting for him again. some of them were clearly not voting for him again, and others were debating it is interesting that -- again, this is just a we have to be very careful not to read too much into the views of five

individuals in north caroli, but all of this talk about the looting and the violence and blood in the streets and thi utopia, was really holding back the couple oof wmen for supporting joe biden were just the simple basic things regular voters worry about: is he going to be good enough for th economy? is he going to raise taxes? one is a small business owner, and she says, i'mrr d about our business, given that, you know, what i've heard about joe biden in terms -- or democrats in general. another woman , i'd heard that joe biden would shut the economy down again. we can't lt that happ. those are the things that are on the minds of these voters that are trly up for grabs this year. >> woodruff: and davidm brooks, it is hing on the minds of these republicans, trying to shape the impressions of joe biden, the week after his convention, trying to paint a positive picture. weeard a couple of speakers say he wans to

keep you in the basement. he doesn't want you to get out and to go back to work and parcipate in anti economy and an active life in this country. >> well, they were criticizing the big tax increases that biden has said he was for. i think this is sort of rma convention. we have taken a break from the crazy train. this looks like ati conv. i thought sister dede bryne is a very ivimpre human being. the young man in the wheelchair, ma math matthew cauthorn was impressive. i thught, whaif this had been the republicanrt if they had a normal party, where people say nice things, and admirable people tell stories about diseases a other tragedies they suffer, would they be

walking away with this? i think before the would have been.k they if you take away trump crazy, they were doing very well. we're still on a night where tucr carlson was defending the guy who allegedly killed people in the streets. so the crazy train is still around. i think this is a vision of normal republican party, and it would have been nice to see this for four yea. >> woodruff: cynthia tucker, are you hearing normalmessages coming from these speakers? >> well, i heard, certainly, more normani t, judy. i was relieved, in fact, to hear a couplof good speeches, as amy put it, they ararcle focusing on women. they have honored 100 years since the womgoen the vote. kellyanne conway gave aee good , i thought. i also nd matthew caut cauthorn issive.

but they have not been able to leave this idea ofe carnage in t streets, and joe biden is going to let the mob take over. the gentleman, michael m 1 michl mchale said joe bide biden/kamala harris ticket will be the most anti-law enforcement ticket.r so it is onethe other but not both. so until they got ck to the carnage in the street, going fairly well, and they have not been able to address what is going on at themoment. we have professional athletes who are saying they're not going to pla because they are so cesturbed by poli violence. and we have a young man

from a malitia, a white kid, who is responsible, apparently, for killing to people in kenosha last right. that, too, is ge in the street. that is mob rule. and unless they're prepared to mention that,'r thnot talking about the reality that most of us are living in. >> woodruff: gary abernathy, what is the overriding message coming across to you right now? >> i think it is, again, a very positive message tonight. i agree witdavid, that, you know, a lot ofthese tpeakers have been righ on target. i would like to mention, if i could, judy, t,mething that has been brought up tonind that is the nba players. i actually go way bac as an nba fan, and i was an nba fan before it was cool, before mike jordan came along. and wslot of my vion race, which i think are sometimes moarre liberal formed by reading the

biograies of people like bill russell, and a new one that came out by elgin baylor, and wh they really went through in the '50s and '60s, in the civil rights movement. i'm not sure, though,re sing to play these games is the best way to make tir point. i know kneelg during the national anthem doesn't make their point with people that they need. they need a big buy-in from all of the countries. conservatives agree that what is happening with this police action against people of color is ridiculous.it is shameful. it is horrible. i know again from talking to people today, th feel that way. they want to be part of the solution. so the solution can just be an appeal to the far left. we've got to l conservatives come to the table. we've got tolu inc all ideas. people are in favor of changes in this regard, but they're not in favor of violence, they're not in favor of acts that seem

to insult or flags or that are anti-patriotic. so we've got a have a wid range of voices to really bring about the kind of change that we all agree is necessary, and needs to happen fast. >> woodruff: mark shields, we've got less than a minute, but are there wide enough range of voices being heard on all this right now? >> judy, there is aide range of voices. they would love to have more tim scotts. and texas 23,the entire black caucus of the congressrepublican, is tim scott. i think their message has been totally inconsistent. they tell you joe biden's 44decades, he has beenfe inive, but, my goodness, if he is gets elected, he will be a rant with a plan to reshape america in a way

you've never seen before. joni tells us he will urger.ate the hamb he is going to be a death spot like the western world has never seen. he will ma franco envious from the grave. you have to have it way or the other on joe. i think the messagerc doesn't and i don't think the convention does. >> woodruff: we thet, weoing to listen to joni ernte, from the sta of iowa. >> we lent a helping hand to ourfellow iowans, who were literally under water. we thought we had seen the worst, but 12 years later, these same communities have faced an even more devastating disaster. the recent derecho storm. if you don't live in iowa, you may not have heard much about it at first. while repinorters her the state were in the trenches, covering the equivalent of a category 2

hurricane, most of the national media looked the other way. to them, iowa is still just fly-over country. houses and farms were destroyed. about one-thirof ou crops here were damaged. in some cases, these orms wed out a lifetime of work. and yet iowa farmers didn't hesitate to grab their chainsaws and checke on t neighbors. our farmers live every day with that sense of service. the stewards of the land, the ones who feed an fuel the world. president trump quickly signed an emergency declaration for iowa to provide relief. and, of course, when president trump came to see the rapids, the na fonal medianally did, too. for years i've worked closely eth the sident for farmers in iowa and across the country. we scrapped obama and biden's punishing waters of the united states rule, which would have ulated

about 97% of land in iowa. insome cases, even puddles. f would have been a nightmare formers. the president deivered ona major trade s with japan andthe united nations, mexico, and canada agreement, and he implemented the sale of e-15 fuel year-round, that means more choices for you for farmers in thore jobs heartland. this is something the obama-biden administration fail to do in eig years. i can't recall an administration more hostile to farmers than obama-biden, unless you cot the biden/harris ticket. they are pushing this so-called green new deal. if given power, they would essentially ban animala agriculturnd eliminate gas-powered cars. it would destroy the agriculture industry, not

just here in iowa, but throughout the country. when the pandemic hit, president trump heard us and our call for assistance foour farmers. knowing we have anly lie anlly n the white house is important. folks, this election is a choice between two veryer dit paths: freedom, prosperity and economic growth under a trumpence administration or the biden/harris path, paid for by liberal coastal elites and radicalists. in a america where jobs are destroyed and taxes crush the middle class. that is our choice and it is a clear one. thank you and god bless. >> ladies and gentlemen, e'm burgess owens. shackled in they of a slave ship, an 8-year-old

boy came to ameca to be sold on an auction block. by the grace of god and the courage of slaves who believed in freedom, hd escaped ttled in the great state of texas. he wanted o bece a successful entrepreneur. first church, firsti's elementary school, and 102 acrd which was paid off in two years.ay i'm here tecause of my great, great grandfather, sal burgess. i was raised in theh,so in the days of jim crowe. and the k.k.k but we were taught that anything is possible in america. when i was 22 years old, i thought all mdreams had come true when i was drafted by the new york jets. 10 years laterwith a pro bowl nod, i left the nfl start a business. i thought i could never fail. but years later i did, and i lost everything.y as i moved family of

six into a one-bedroom basement apartnt in brooklyn, new york, ihad a choice to make: feel sorry for mylf or get to work. i worked as a chimney sweeper during the day and a security guard at night. it was humbling to recognizedcle who cheered me as an nfl fan those hard paper days paid off i went into the corporate word. we live in country where second chances are at the core of our amoican dna. wet hear that same message from nancy pelosi's congress, career politicians, elitists or even a bartender. they wanted to believe what i did and migra grea grandfather did was impossible for ordinary americans. as patriots we know beter. this november we stand at a crossroads. mob torch our ciies while popular members of congress promotes the same socialism than

my father fought against in world war ii. we have a president who says i'm not black if i don't vote for him.we now more thaeed leaders o stand by their principles values for political their opportunities. now more than ever leader who stand up to lawlessness supported by the radical left.em this nor, we have an opportunity to he are ject the mob mentalit-- reject the mob mentality and once again be the america that my great great grandfather plead in. tiring the trump administ business ownership among blacks, hispanics and feels have reached all time highs. those same groups enjoy record w unemployment and unprecedented prosperity and we're just getngtarted. i ran for congress because we don't need more career paul politicians. we need a few more chimney sweeps. we needorleaders like esident trump who under the freedoms that make up the fan rick of america -- fabric of

member. my fellow americans and independent friends it's time for us to unite and put aside partisan barriers. help us win back the house, keep the senate and give our president four more years and i promise you we will make you proud. thank you and god pleas the united states orif ame -- beliefs the united states of america. >> woodruff: that's burgess owns running for ona congres state in utah. let's go to amna nawaz as an update for some of the issues that come up. >> we mentioned a fewtimes tonight about the overrepresentation of the women we're seeing on the republican whnational convention stagle at the same time they remain under represented within the party's rank and leadersp. here is where some context might be important about why we're seeing so many women take the stage tonloht. let' at the numbers if we can. when you look at trump's suitort within women electorat just this one group, you see that in 2016 as has been reported before president trump won over 52% ofthis group.

but that has taken a slight fficult in the last for years. that's now at 45%. we're seeing lot of clear messaging going specifically to this one demographic about why they should be supporting president trump in this election. there's another group i want to point out we're seeing a number of speakers on the stage who are black. former democrats soe of them identifying and also black republicans taking to the stage. with the gop ranks, overrefntd you just saw jack brewer as well as burgess owens speaking. his support was 8% back in 2016 and now sit ag at 14%. that does not compare to blacke support for democratic candidate but that has grown over the last four years ande that's why 's direct electorate.oing to this judy it's important that we keep providing this as the speakers yotake the stage. back to you. >> woodruff: important to

understand this back drop as we listen to these speeches. here is lautrump daughter-in-law to the president married to his son eric. >> mothers to luke and carolina 45th president donald j. trump. but tonight i come to you simply my life began like in our country. arents were small business owners and worked hard to make sure my brother and i had everything we needed but not everything we want. my parents raised me to belief that in america, i could achieve anything with hard work and determination. the opportunities available to me were limited only by the size of my ambition, that i should dream big, and i did.ms those very drre what led me to new york city. i heard thf e adagecan make it there, i can make it anywhere. and i intended to do just that. never in million years did i think that i would be on this stage tonight and i certainly

never thought that i'd end up with the last me trump.r my 7th gade english teacher mrs. b. used to telus believe none of what you hear half of what you receipted and only what you' there to witness first hand. the meaning of those words never fully weighed on me until i met my husband and the trump fam any preconceived notion i had of this family disappearedat immey. they were warm and caring. they were hard workers and they are down to earth. they reminded me of my own family. they made me feel like i was homeha walking thels of the trump organization i saw the same family environment. i also sawthat countless women executives who thrive this year after year. gender didn't matter. what mattered was the ability to get the job done.i earned this directly when in 2016 my father-in-law asked me to help him win my home the state and my ghter's name

sake, north carolina. though i had no polic experience, he believed in me. he knew i was capable even if i didn't. so it didn't surprise me when president donald trmp appointed so many women to senior level positions in his administration. secretary of the united nations, secretary of the air force, the first female cia director, the first black director of the fisi anlife service and countless ambassadors just to name a few. the under president trump's leadership, women's unemployment hithe lowest levsince ward war two. 4.3 million new jobs have ben created for women in 2019 alone. women took over 70% of all newjo . female small business ownership remains at an all time higand 600,00women have been lifted out of poverty alle si president trump took office. he didn't do these things to gain a voter check a box.

he did them because they're the right things to do. 100 years ago today the 19th emend amount was rather fid granting the right to vote to every american woman. and since that da, incredible strides have been made by women in america.om melia air heart to rosa parks and sally ride, women shaped our history and what has made our country the most exceptional nation in the world. i often think back to m24y year old self driving alone in my car from north carolina to new york city. i think abt what i'd tell myself now as we heard towards the most critical election in modern history. this is not just a choice between republican and democrats this is an election that will decide if we keep americaf america or head down an unchartered fright thg path towards socialism. abraham lincoln famously said

america will nevere desoyed from the outside. if we falter and lose our freeem, it will be because w key stroyedwetroyed ourselves. those words spoken over 150s yego never have they been more relevant. will we choose the right path and maintain freedoms and boundless opportunities that make this cory the greatest in the history of the word. around the world fating of hope suppreion and.tyran i know because i lived it. not just as a member of the trump family bua woman who knows what it's like to work blue collar jobs, serve customers for tips and aspi to strive. when i look at my children i wonder what sort of country will i be leaving them and our future generations. in recent months we've seen weak

spineless politicians secretary control of our american cities to violent mobs. defund the police is the rallying for the new democrat party. takes to maintain order, to keep our children safe and our neighborhoods and in their schools. a to restore ouerican way of life. we cannot dare to dream our biggest dream forurselves or for our children while consumed by worry about the safety of our family. president trump the law and order president. from our borders to our backyard. president trump will keep america safe. esident trump will keep america prosperous. president trump will keepa amererica. if you're watching tonight and wrestling with your vote on november 3rd, i implore you. tune out the disported news and bias commentaries and hear it i wasn't born a trump.who know i'm from the south.

i was raised a carolina girl. i went to public schools and worked my ways through a state university. mrs. b. from my 7th grade english class was riht. what i learned about my president is different from what yomight have heard. i learned that he's a good man. that he loves his family, thatid hen't need this job. that no one on earth wor harder for the american people. that he's willing to faith forhi beliefs and for the people and the country that he loves. he is a person of conviction.te he is a fiand will never he will upour values.rica. he will preserve our families and he will build upothe great american edict that our union will never b ue perfectntil opportunity is eric for all, including and especially for women. our 40tonh presidentd reagan said it best. the dreams of people may differ but everybody wants their creams

me true. and america above all places, gives us the freedom to do that. it's up to us to keep this country a place where no dream is out of reach. for our children and generations beyond. to myth -in-law, thank you for believing in me. thank you for bravely leading this country and thank you for continuing to fight every day for america. may god bless and protect the gulf states in the path of the hurricane. god bless our troops, and may god continue to bless ths incredible country. >> woodruff: that is laura trump. she's married to eric trump, the president's second oldest son. she's been very active in the trump campaign. you heard her there at the very end mention this horrific hurricane that is headed for the gulf coastthe cost of louisiana and texas right now. it is a category four stoacial.

we hear meteorologists describing it as something the country has not seen in a decde. we're wng it very closely and will continue to bring you reports as we get new information bit. i want to turn now to our correspondt leads who has been following -- lisa desjardins who has been following the chain.ne we've heard speaker after another criticize joe biden say he's in favor of everything from infancide toob rule. we just heard laura trump say he would do nothing about the violent mothat are overrunning our cities. how is the biden campaignal responding t this? >> the biden campaign's response this week looks like it's largely taking the form of one person and that is the vice presidential nominee, senator kamala harris. i will say the biden campaign they are holding briefings every tee and sending out reactions to many aspects of what the trump campaign is doing. if you're looking for the face

of the campaign this week it is certainly senator harris.in he's plato make remarks tomorrow in washington. what is she going to say? she was one of three fund raisee on-line todause the press is allowed to cover the biden fund raisers, she tolthe donors there she's going to talk about the fact she belves an she will say that republicans are telling lies. they are not dealing inreality. she's also going to bring up that she serves on the intelligence committee and talks about real threats to th election. today kamala harris also held a fourth event. that was to try to motivate one particular group of women, black aome it was held withroup of women in detroit and nationally. i want to point out one reason that's so important to democrats. let's look at the demographics who voted democratic for hillary clinton in 2016. you look at though numbers and u see black women, 94% of black women who voted in 201o6 voted hillary clinton.

82% of black men also a overwhelming amount. compare that to white men women all ged ers combiere, just 37%. so you see the importance of blacwomen. also back women turn out in larger numbers as well than black n. >> woodruff: interesting lisa because i think some people believe that automatically black women would be votingfor biden but so much hinges of course on what the turnout is, what the enthusiasm level is. >> right. getting that turnout that's what plan to vote.ng about, make a >> woodruff: lisa desjardins, thank you very much. now we're going to head back to the republican national convention. the next speaker is clarenceil henderson, a cights activist from greensboro, north carolina. w the course of history, among the extraordina the civil rights movement. 60 years agoti, segre was legal and enforced. the simple act ofti sit at a lunch counter could lead to, physical hajail time or

worse. i know from personal experience, walking into woolwor department store in 1960, i knew ernlsed before.ny day i piccasso my friends had been denied service the day before because of the color their skin. we knew it wasn't right. but when we weet back next day, i didn't know whether i was going to come out if in a vertical or prone position, in handcuffs or on a stretcher or even in a body bag. of coffee, we challenged a cup injustice. didn't know what would happen.e we faced down the kkk. we were cursed at and called all kinds of names ey threatened to kill us, and some of us were arrd.es

but it was worth it. or actions inspired similar protests thoughout the south against racial injustice. and in the end, seg regatias abolished and our country moved a step closer to true equality for all. that's what actual peaceful protest can accomplish. america isn't perfect. we're always improving but the great thing about this country is that it's not where you come from, it's where you're going. else born o whasome would call the wrong side of the tracks. i don't even have a birth certificate. school and am the only one outed of my immediate family who graduated from college at hbcu. i'm a military veteran and a civil rights activist. and do you know what else? i'm a republican and i support nald trump. that sounds strange, you don't know your history.

passed the 13th amendment,y that abolishing slavery. pait was the republicay that giving blacn citizenship., it was the republican party that passed the 15tamendment giving black men the right to vote. tyeedom of autho a powerful thing. there are americans voters all er the countryho made yeah's tying -- media's tryi convince conform to the same old talking point. do you know what at will get you. the same always vote. ity toden had the aud say if you don't vote for him you ain't black. well to that i y, if you do vote for biden, you don't know history. donald trump is not a politician. he's a leader. politicians are a dimae dozen. leaders are priceless. trump gave hbcu thipriceless

tool. record number of jobs he created for the black community. and the investment he drove into incentives and opportunity zones. and so are the lives he restored bypassing criminal justice reform where 91% of the inmates released are black. these achievements demonstrate that donald trump truly cares about back lives. his policies show hi heart. he's done more for black americans in four years thn joe biden has done in 50. donald trump is offering real and lasting change and unprecedented opportunity to rise. a country that embraces the spirit of the civil rignts movef the 60's. a place where people are judged by the content of their aracter, their talented and abilities, not by the color of their skip. i ththe america i was fighting for 60 years ago.

this is the america donais trump fighting for today. let's all join in this fight for re-electing president trump on november the 3rd. thank you.ng >> du the presidential prime debates four years ago, one outsider stood alone.b and said in c what most americans thought in private. it was 14 aears over the strt of the war in afghanistan and 12 years after the invasion of aaq. where thousands erican hoops had died and trillions in taxpayer dolla been spent. and yet no candidate could brino themselves admit that something had gone badly wrong with amican foreign policy. that the american voter, the american soldier and the american taxpayer had all been let down. except for one, donald trump.

he called america's endless wart why were, a disaster. ausemedia was shocked bec dropped was running as a republican and yet hsaid loud what we all knew. that american foreign pocy was after the end of the cold war, democrats and republicans insh gton bought into the illusion that the whole world would start to resemble america. and so they started to pursue unlimited globalization. they welcomed china into the world trade orgization. they engaged in nation building in afghanistan and tried to export democracy to iraq.ey signed a nuclear deal with iran and a global climate agreement in paris. but they didn't grind any of it in the interest of t average

american. for decades while washington politicians built a global system, american wages stagnated. our great cities and industries were hollowed out. entire communities were devastated d ourmanufacturing plants were shipped off to china. that's what happened when washington stopped being the capital of the united stat an started being the capital of the world. as u.s. ambassador to germany, i had a front row seat to donald trump's merica's first foreign i h every american could see policy. how president trump negotiations on their behalf. i've watched president trump charm the chancellor of germany while insisting that germany pay its nato obligations. i was enoud to witness pres trump say to foreign leaders, i america to pay for yourti security. i actually respect you r outnegotiating the presidents before me.

but it stops with . i won't let the american taxpayer be taken advantage of. donald trump's administration has always made clear that our priority is the american people's secthurity. 's the job of all leaders, to put their people first. and we've seen how tis strategy has succeeded. in four short years, donald trump has led even some shington demrats to agree on the chinese threat. on trade deals that nefit america first. on liances tha -- aeiernses allt shares. he not on ly brougts home but he signed a new deal that makes americans safer. the washington elites want you to think this kind of foreign policy isan immorald so they call it nationalists. that tls you all you eed to

know. the d.c. crowd thinks when they lled donald trump a nationalist, they are insting him. this american president isn't supposed to base foreign policy on america's national interest. a return to the biden way of thinkingeans america gives the radical paris regime in tehra plane load of cash in the middle of the night. also senan aircraft in theump middle of the night to deal with t iran. but tane was on a different mission. an air strike to tae out the who plotted the deaths of americans. but we also must beh clearat when those who seek freedom take tremendoussonal risk in places like hong kong, tehran or minsk, there is no doubt who president trump'satio trump's an supports we have.

will stand for pete pull who fight for their god-given freedom. don't we fooled. the washington establishment is trying to tell you on their candidate. joe biden was firste elcted to the senate in 1972. 48 years agoit. actually the typicalon washinstory. just this year 22 democrats ran for president. they rejected all of the outsiders and nominated the ultimate washington insider. someone they had to pull out of retirement. ery time joe biden offers a new idea, you should ask yourself, why didn't he try that over the last 48 years. today, the democrats blamea global pandemic that started in china on president trump. and they still blame russia for hillary clinton's loss in 2016. as acting director of national

intelligence, i saw te democrats' entire case for russian collusion and what i saw made me sick to my stomach. the ama/biden administration secretly launched a surveillanct operation on tmp campaign and silenced the many brave intelgence officials who spoke up tben against it. ey presented bogus information as facts. they lied to judges.a then they clssified anything that undermind their case. after donald j. trump won the election when they shuld have dinned e american transition into the white house, they tried instead to der cut hi even more. former vice president joe biden asked intelligence officials to uncover the hidden information on president trump's inoming national security advisor three weeks before the inauguration.

between surveillance classify kaigz, leakclassifiations, leakt candidates they don't want the american people to know who is calling the shots but with donald trump, you always know exactly who is in. char because the answer is you. you're in charge. not lobbyists, not spcial interests, not war mongers china sympathizer or globalization fanatics. pewith dropped and mikece in trumphite house -- donald and mike pence in the white house, ty are the people. donald trump calls his american policy america first. america first does not advancest the inteof one group of amerans at the expense of another. it has no bias about red or blue educated or not educated urban or rural. america first is simply the belief anthat politishould

focus on the equality and dignity of every american and that this duty is fulfilled by promoting the safety and wealth of the american people above all else. that's america first. that's the trump doctrine. and that, my frifd, is our more years. >> by dawn's early light, millions of americans give thanks for d,is lanour liberties and those who defend it. that same pride inspired the o words r national anthem and here at the smoke of battle over two centuries ago. when those americans soldiers bravely foedught and di repelling the british, they did

so not only for our people a that flag represented but for our principles for which the flag stood. our god-given freedoms, the right to fe, liberty and the pursuit of ppiness. equality under the law, government by the people. these are the thrds that bind us together as americans. for we are not a nation born of blood but of bief. and even though that old flag has sometimes beend battereand beaten, faded and forgotten, fired upon and set ablaze, there are heroes throughout ourhi ory and picked up those scattered threads, mended thm and raised our flag anew. just at the soldiers of fort mchenry fought in defense of the pleas that bind us toay there are new leaders who devoted their life to do the same. >> greetings oss the amber

waves of grain. this is mike pence. across indiana highways and homes, his voice wary well hoosier's each mortgage. mike pence nistled the radio waves with comgmentarrding our american ideals. much like the men who insred him, mike didn't grow up republican. n as president reagan said, freedom isever more than one generation away from extinction. >> his grandfather was a hard working irish immigrant who rove a bus to povide for his family. bravely in thkorean war andn earned a bronze star. mike was the third of six children raised here in coluus, indiana with a corn field in his backyard. er>> the foundation of a is freedom and the foundation of freedom is faith. >> it was in this small imed to indiana town his faith was laid and from that conviction the love of people ando service

others. it was at a church service where mike met the love f his life karen. they married and have three children. >> i'm a christian, conserve fifth and republican, in th order. >> mike became the president of a free mar ket thinknk a conservative radio show and then a congressman. in washington, mike quickly emoste known as a for defender of freedom, he let conservatives in a fight to protime honored values of family, faith, life, liberty and limited government. >> our naion's front begins a home because strong families make a strong america. >> mike earned the trust of the people of his tate andeecame governor of indiana. he had the largest state cut o indiana history, school choice and led the factories and helped whoosis to get to work but he

wasn through. >>ndiana will choose mike pence to be his rning mate. >> i would like to introduce a man who i truly believe will be the next ve president of the united states. governor mike pence. >> as our vice president, mike pence hastield ghtly to those threads of freedom woven through our history. leading wipr thoseinciple alongside president trump, our nation experienced prosperity like never before. >> he is lid as a rook. he's been a fantastic vice president. >> and now in these uncertain days, we are equipped to overcome. in times of trouble, some call but americans throughout history have lifted them in triumph, hope and resilience. mike pence knows those stars and resents do not merely rep who we are but more importantly, what we can. be

ur the sun rises again on america, we liftyes to those lofts to guide our country and every one of us to greater heights. in this land of the free and home of the brave.nt vice preside mike pence >> please welcome the vice aesident of the united tes, mike pence. accompanied by the second lady, mrs. karen pence.

>> goam evening,rica. it's an honor to speak to you opportunity. from the hallowed grounds ofhe

fort mchenryite from the very battle that inspired the words of our national anthem. those words have inspired this land of me roast i me roast her. it was years ago when our young republic with standard a fabe "f naval bombardment from the most powerful empire on earth. they came to tertiary our revolution to divide our nation and to end the american experience. the m heroes who held this force tooktheir stand for life, liberty, freedom and the american flag. those ideals have defined our nation. but they were hardly ever mentioned at last week's democratic national convention.

instead democrats spend four days attacking america. through a season of darkness. but as pridenttrump said, where joe biden sees american daness, we see american greatness. in these challenging times, our country needs a president who believes in america, who believes in the boundless capacity of the american people, to meet any challenge, deft any foe and defend the freedoms we hold dear. america needs four moe years of president donald trump in the white house. before i go further, allow me to y a word to the families and communities in the path of the

hurricane. our prayers are with you tonigh and our ainistration is working closely with authorities in the states that will be impacted. fema has mobilizedesources and supplies for those in harm's way. this is a serious storm and we urge all thos ae in tected areas to heed state and loc authorities. stay safe and know we will be with you every step of the way to suport, rescue, respond and recover in the days and weeks thatat americans do. wead. fo years ago i answered the call toth join is ticket because i knew that donald trump had the leadership and the vision to make america great ain. for the last four years, i've watched this president indure unrelenting attacks but get up every day and fight to keep the

promises that he made tohe american people. so with gratitude with the confidence dond trump has placed in me, the support of our cepublican party and the gra of god, i humbly accept ur nomination to run and serve as vice president of the united states. serving the american people in this office has been a journey i never expected. it's a journey thawod not

have been possible without the support of my family. beginning with my wonderful wife karen. she'a life-long school teacher, an incredible mother to our three children and she is one outstanding second lady of the united states. i'm so pro of you. and we couldn't be more proud of our three children. marine corps captain michael jmplets pence and his wife sara our daughter, charlotte pence bond, an authd the wife to lieutenant henry bond who is currently deployed nd serving our nation in the united states navy. and our youngest, a recent law

school grad, our daughter audrey and her fiance, who like so many other americans had to delay but we can't war dan to be a part of our family. in addition, my wife an k, the person who shaped my life the most is also with us tonight. my mom, nancy. she is the daughter of acknowledge irish immigrant, 87 years young. mom follows politics very closely. uth be told, sometimes i think i'my actuar second favorite candidate on the trump pence ticket. thank you, mom.

i love you. over the past four years, i've had the privilege to work closely with our president. i've seen had him when the camerasre off. americans see pride trump in lots of different ways -- president trump in lots of different ways but there's noho doub president trump sees america. he sees america for what it is. nation that ha done more good in this world than any other. nation that deserves far more gratitude than grievance. and if you want a president whoa s silent when our heritage is demeaned or insulted, he's not your man. we ki by very different routes to this partnership. soe peple think we're a le

bit ferent. you know, i've learned a few things watching him. watching m deal with all we've been through over the past four years. he does ings in his own way, on his own terms. not much gets past him. and when he has an opinion, he's liable to share it. he certainly kept things interesting, but more importantly, president donald trump has kept his word to the american people. in a city known for talkers, esident trump is a doer. and few presidents have brought more independence, energy or determination to that office. military hollowed out byited devastating budget cuts, anom

ecstruggling to break out of the slowest recovery since the grat depression. isis controlled a land mass twice the size of pennsylvania and witnessed the steady assault on our most cherished lues. freedom of religion and the right to life. that's when president donald trump stepped in. and from daone, he kept his word. we rebuilt r military. this president signedhe largest increase in our national fense since the days of ronald reagan and created the first new branch of our armed forces in 7 0 years, the united tes space force. it was that renewed energy, we also rturned american astronauts tspace on an american rocket for the firmest

n nearly ten years t after years of scandal, that robbe our veterans of the care that you earned in a uniform of the sident trutes, pre kept his word again. we reformed the vaveanderan's choice is know available for every veteran in america. veterans filled this land of heroes an many join usnight in thihistoric phone. tonight we have among us four recipients of the medal of honor. heart.cipients of the purple a gold star mother.

of a gallantse navy l and wounded warriors from soldier strong, a group that serves our injured veterans every day. we are honored by your presence and we thank you forour service. with heroes just like these, we defend this nation every day. under this commander iin ef, islamic terroristsour termsdical on their soil. took the last inch of isisfor territory, cru tshir

caliphate and took down their leader without one american casualty t and i was there. when president trump gave the order to take out the world's st dangerousterrorists, iran's top general will never harm another ameribencause salamani is gone. my fellow americans, you deserve to know, joe biden criticized president trufomplowing those decisions. decisions to rid the world of two terrorist leaders. but it's not surprising. because history records that joe biden even opposed the operation that took down osama bi.lad it's no wonder that the secretary of defense under the obama biden administration once

said that join has been, and quote, wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades. so we've stood uto enemies and we've stood with our allies. like when president trump kept his word and moved the american embassy to jerusalem, theca tol of the state of israel. setting the stage for the first arab country to recognize israel in 26 years. closer to hom ae, weppointed more than 200nservative judges to federal courts, support right to life and including the second endme right to keep and bare arms.

and when it came to te economy american history.gest tax cut in we rolled back more federal red tape than any administration ever had. we unleashed americannergy and fought for free and fair trade. in ourrirst ee years businesses large and small created more than seven milliono paying jobs including 500,000 manufacturing jobs all across america. our country became a net exporter of energy for the first time in 70 years. employment rates for african aamericansnd hispanic americans hit the lowest level ever recorded. on this 100th anniversary of the woman's right to vote, i'm proud to report that under president donald trump, we achieved the lowest unemployment rate for women in 65 years.

and more americans working thanb everfore. in our first three years we built the greatest economy in the world. we made america great again. and then the coronavirus struck from china. before trst case of the coronavirus spread within the united states, the president took unpress depantd action the second larst economy inhina. the world. now that acti saved untold american lives and i can tell you first hand, it bought us invaluable time to launch the greatest national mobilizationrl since war ii. full resources of our federal

government from the outside. he forged a seamless partnership with govcrernorss parties. we had private companies reinvetsing and produce supplies that were distributed to hospitals around the world. today we'reonducting more than 800,000 tests a day and we have coordinated e delivery of billions of pieces of personal protective equipment for our amazing doctors, nurses andhel care workers. we saw the manufacturer of a hundred thousand ventilatorsn a hundred days. and no one who required a w ventilat ever denied a ventilator in the united states. we built hospitals, surged

military medical personnel and enacted an econic rescue package to save 50 million americanobs. as we speak, we're developing a growing number treatments known as therapeutics, including convalescent plasma that are saving livs all across america. now last wee joe en said that no miracle is coming. what joe doesn't seem to understand is that america is a nation of miracles. i'm proud to report that we're on track to have the world's first safe, efveec coronavirus vaccine boy the endf this -- by the end of this year. after all the sacrifice in this year like no oter, all the

hardships, we're finding our way forward again. but tonight, our hearts are with all the familiar lease of -- families of lost loved ones and with family memibers stll struggling with a serious illness. in this country e mourn with those who mourn, we grieve with this night i know that millions of amecans wil pause and pray for god's comfort for each of you. our country drsn't get ough such a time unless its people find the strehingth wit the response of doctors, nurses, first responders, farmers, factory workers, truckers and everriday amens who put the health and safety of their neighbors first has be nothing short of had h heroic.

every day.aenz put on her scrubs day in and day out, went to work in onef new york city's busiest hospitals. she stayed onheb, put in the long hours until it was done and then got back in her neighborhood and helped neighbors and friends struggling. her brother william is a new rk city firefighter and they are both emblematic of heroes all acoss this country. they're with us tonight and i say to them and to all of you, you have earned the admiration of the american people and we will always be grateful for your service and care.

thanks to the courage and compassion of the american people for slowinthe spread. we're protecting the vulnerable and we're saing es. and we're opening up american. ag because of the strong foundation that president trump poured in our first three years, we've already gained back 9.3 million jobs in the last three months alone. we're not just opening up america again, we're opening up americas schools.

and i'm proud to report that my wife kn, that school teacher i've been married to, will be returning to r classroom next week. so to all of our heroic techas and faculty and staff, thank you for being there for our kidgo we'rg to stay with every step of the way. in the days ahead as we open up america again, i promise you, we'll continue to put the health of america first. as we work to bring this economy back, we all have a role to play and we all have a choiceto make. on november 3rd, you need to as yourself, who do you trust to rebuild this economy. a career politician whop sided

over the slowest economic recovery since the gresiat depr or a proven leader who created the greatest he economy in the world. the choice is clear. to bring america all the way back, we need four more years of president donald trump in the white house. my felow americans, we're passing through a time of testin in the midst of this glal pandemic just as our h natid gone to recovery, we've seen violence and chaos in thu streets of major cities. president trump and i wll always support the right of americans to peaceful prtest. but rioting and localing is not

peaceful protest. tearing down statutes is not free speech and thoseowho do will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. last week, joe biden doesn't dlgd tzar of -- didn't of didn't say one world of the olence and chaos engulfing cities across this country. let me be clear. the violence must stop, whether in minneapolis, portland or kenosha, too may heroes have died defending our freedoms to see erichs strike each oter down. we will have law and order on the streets of this country for every american of every race and creed and color.

president trump and i know that the men and women that put on the uniform of law enforcement are the best of us. every day. when they walk out that door, they csider our lives more important than theinr ow. people like dave patrick underwood, an officer in the department of homeland security's federal protective service. he was shot and killed during the riots in oaknd, california. dave's heroism is emblematic of every day. that seven in blue we're privileged tonight to be joined by his sister angela. angela, we say to you, we grieve

with your family. and america will never forget or il to honor officer dave patrick underwood. the american people w,o we don't have you to choose between supporting law enforcement anddi st with our african american neighbors to improve the quality of their lies. education. jobs. and safety. and from the first days of this administration, we'ne both and we will keep supporting law enrcement and keep supporting our african american and minority communities across this land for fur moe years.

joe biden says thatca ames cess tellally racist, and -- systically racist and tht law enforcement in america has, and i quote, an implicit biasit against mins. when asked whether he would support cutting funding law enforcement, joe biden replied yes, absolutely. joe biden would double down on the very polreicies that leading violence in america's cities. the hard truth is, you won't be safe in jo biden's america. under president trump, we will always stand th thoe who stand on the thin blue line and

we're not going tto defun police, not now, not ever. my fe passing through a time ofst g, but soon we will come to a time fohoosing. joe biden has referred to himself as a transition candidate. and many are asking, transition to what? last week demrats didn't k very much about their agenda. and if i we them i wouldn't either. i mean, bernie sanid tell his followers that joe biden would be the most liberal president in modn times. in fact, hean saidi quote, that many of the idee