I keep thinking “it can’t get better than this,” but the Republican National Convention (RNC) keeps proving me wrong. The RNC kicked off with Tim Scott, Vernon Jones, and Nikki Haley rebutting the Left’s disgusting race rhetoric and Trump moderating a historic panel of freed hostages. Night 2 featured a naturalization ceremony, stories of comeback, Daniel Cameron, and our fabulous first lady.
Yet Wednesday brought even more inspiring moments: a mom who refused to abort her Down syndrome son, but gave him a good education; a disabled 25-year-old running for Congress; a Chinese freedom fighter condemning the Chinese Communist Party; and more.
There’s still one more night left, and it will feature President Donald Trump himself.
Without further ado, here are five things to know about night 3 of the RNC.
1. The powerful women of the Republican Party
One amazing woman after another spoke at the RNC Wednesday night. Gov. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) gave a powerful speech about heroes and opposing the mob. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) gave a powerful warning about the radical Left. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) extolled the American dream. White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany opened up about her double mastectomy. Second Lady Karen Pence recalled the Nineteenth Amendment.
Kellyanne Conway noted that President Donald Trump “has elevated women to senior positions in business and in government” for decades. “He confides in and consults us, respects our opinions, and insists that we are on equal footing with the men. President Trump helped me shatter a barrier in the world of politics by empowering me to manage his campaign to its successful conclusion. With the help of millions of Americans, our team defied the critics, questionable polls and conventional wisdom — and we won.”
“For many of us, ‘women’s empowerment’ is not a slogan. It comes not from strangers on social media or sanitized language in a corporate handbook. It comes from the everyday heroes who nurture us, who shape us, and who believe in us,” Conway declared. “I was raised in a household of all women. They were self-reliant and resilient. Their lives were not easy. Money was tight, but we had an abundance of what mattered most: family, faith, freedom.”
Lara Trump — a former TV producer, Trump campaign advisor, and wife to President Trump’s son Eric — described the environment of the Trump Organization, where “countless women executives… thrived.”
“Gender didn’t matter, what mattered was someone’s ability to get the job done. I learned this directly when, in 2016, my father-in-law asked me to help him win my cherished home state — and my daughter’s namesake — North Carolina. Though I had no political experience, he believed in me and supported me — he knew I was capable even if I didn’t,” she recalled.
“So, it didn’t surprise me when President Donald Trump appointed the most women to senior-level positions of any administration in history. The Secretary of the United Nations, Secretary of the Air Force, the first female CIA director, the first African American female director of the Fish and Wildlife service, and countless ambassadors, just to name a few,” Lara Trump added.
“Under President Trump’s leadership women’s unemployment hit the lowest level since World War II. Four-point-three million new jobs have been created for women — in 2019 alone, women took over 70% of those new jobs. Female small business ownership remains at an all-time high. And 600,000 women have been lifted out of poverty, all since President Trump took office,” she noted.
“He didn’t do these things to gain a vote or to check a box — he did them because they are the right things to do.”
These shining examples of successful women in the GOP gave the lie to Democrats’ claim to be the party of women.
5 Things to Know About Night 2 of the Republican National Convention
2. A school choice hero mom
There were so many inspiring speeches on Wednesday night, it’s hard to choose five things to summarize it. Tera Myers, a mother from Mansfield, Ohio, sticks out in my mind. She wasn’t a congresswoman, a governor, or a second lady. She was a mother — a mother who decided to give her disabled son life, a good education, and an opportunity to speak at the White House.
“Before Samuel was even born I was told his life wouldn’t be worth living,” Myers said. “When early tests revealed he had Down Syndrome, our doctor encouraged me to terminate the pregnancy. He said ‘If you do not, you will be burdening your life, family and your community.’”
Myers said no.
“I knew my baby was a human being created by God and that made him worthy of life. I am thankful that President Trump values the life of the unborn,” she said.
But her struggle didn’t end there. She had to convince teachers that her son was worth educating. “I did not like it. One size did not fit all.”
“So I helped fight to pass legislation in Ohio for a special needs scholarship, so that all students could choose the right program for their needs,” Myers said. “I worked to start a new functional learning program at our local private school. Finally, Samuel had an appropriate place to learn.”
President Donald Trump invited Samuel to speak at the White House on school choice. He said, “School Choice helped my dreams come true. My school taught me the way I learn best and I was able to fit in. I made many friends and became a part of my community. My teachers helped me become the best I can be.”
The proud mama recounted what happened next. “President Trump shook my hand and said, ‘Wonderful job Mom, your son is amazing.’ Unlike the doctor who told me to end Samuel’s life before it even began, President Trump did not dismiss my son, he showed Samuel he valued him and was proud of what he accomplished.”
Tera Myers's full remarks at the @GOPconvention pic.twitter.com/rkjSN0HIeB
— Team Trump (Text VOTE to 88022) (@TeamTrump) August 27, 2020
S.D. Governor Weighs in on Idea of Blowing Up Mount Rushmore
3. The Chinese freedom fighter
Blind Chinese civil rights activist Chen Guangcheng, who exposed the Chinese Communist Party’s abuses with the one-child policy, gave a powerful speech at the RNC on Wednesday.
“Standing up to tyranny is not easy. I know,” he began. “When I spoke out against China’s ‘one-child’ policy and other injustices, I was persecuted, beaten, and put under house arrest by the government.”
“In April 2012, I escaped and was given shelter in the American embassy in Beijing. I am forever grateful to the American people for welcoming me and my family to the United States where we are now free,” Guangcheng explained.
“The Chinese Communist Party is an enemy of humanity. It is terrorizing its own people and it is threatening the well-being of the world,” he warned. “In China, expressing beliefs or ideas not approved by the CCP – religion, democracy, human rights – can lead to prison. The nation lives under mass surveillance and censorship.”
He condemned the CCP’s oppression in many areas, including the coronavirus pandemic.
The CCP is focused on power and control, and acts without regard to the law or to human rights. Countless activists have disappeared or are under house arrest. Just consider the sad plight of the Uyghurs in concentration camps.
Outside its borders, the CCP ignores international treaties and norms, whether it is violating the rights of Hong Kong, cheating on trade deals, threatening Taiwan, or exploiting the World Health Organization.
The coronavirus pandemic, originating in China—and covered up by the CCP—has caused mass death and social upheaval around the world.
“The policy of appeasement of former administrations—including Obama and Biden—has allowed the CCP to infiltrate and corrode different aspects of the global community,” Guangcheng warned. “The U.S. must use its values of freedom, democracy, and the rule of law, to gather a coalition of other democracies to stop China’s aggression. President Trump has led on this and we need the other countries to join him in this fight. A fight for our future.”
“Standing up to fight unfairness is not easy. I know. So does President Trump … but he has shown the courage to wage that fight,” the freedom fighter declared. “We need to support, vote, and fight for President Trump … for the sake of the world.”
Guangcheng did not mention the fact that the CCP prefers Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. He didn’t have to.
It Makes Sense That China Prefers Joe Biden. Here’s Why.
4. The party of civil rights
Inspiring black conservatives spoke at the RNC on Wednesday, explaining why the Republican Party is the party of opportunity for black Americans. Clarence Henderson, a veteran of the 1960s civil rights movement, and former NFL player Jack Brewer, a leader of Black Voices for Trump, spoke about the promise of Trump’s GOP.
“Sixty years ago, segregation was legal and enforced. The simple act of sitting at a lunch counter could lead to physical harm, jail time, or worse. I know from personal experience,” Henderson began. “By sitting down to order a cup of coffee, we challenged injustice. We knew it was necessary. But we didn’t know what would happen.”
“We faced down the KKK. We were cursed at and called all kinds of names. They threatened to kill us. And some of us were arrested. But it was worth it,” he recalled. “Our actions inspired similar protests throughout the South against racial injustice, and in the end, segregation was abolished and our country moved a step closer to true equality for all.”
“That’s what an actual peaceful protest can accomplish!” Henderson said, issuing a subtle jab at the false claim that the Black Lives Matter riots are “peaceful protests.”
Henderson identified himself as the graduate of an HBCU, a military veteran, a civil rights activist, and a Republican who supports Donald Trump.
“If that sounds strange to you, learn your history,” he said. “It was the Republican Party that passed the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery; it was the Republican Party that passed the 14th Amendment giving black men citizenship; and it was the Republican Party that passed the 15th Amendment giving Black men the right to vote.”
“Joe Biden had the audacity to say if you don’t vote for him ‘you ain’t black,'” Henderson recalled. “Well to that, I say, if you do vote for Biden, you ain’t smart!”
Henderson called Donald Trump a “priceless” leader. “The record funding Trump gave HBCUs is priceless, too. So are the record number of jobs he created for the black community–and the investment he drove into our neighborhoods with tax incentives in Opportunity Zones. And so are the lives he restored by passing criminal justice reform where 91% of the inmates released are black!”
“These achievements demonstrate that Donald Trump truly cares about black lives. His policies show his heart. He has done more for black Americans in four years than Joe Biden has done in 50,” Henderson insisted. “This is the America I was fighting for 60 years ago. This is the America Donald Trump is fighting for today.”
Clarence Henderson's full remarks at the @GOPconvention#RNC2020 pic.twitter.com/457lelyJyB
— Team Trump (Text VOTE to 88022) (@TeamTrump) August 27, 2020
Jack Brewer also emphasized Trump’s promise for black America. He urged his fellow black voters to reject the Left’s race rhetoric and focus on policy.
“So because you have an issue with President Trump’s tone, you’re going to allow Biden-Harris to deny our underserved black and brown children school choice?” Brewer asked. “Are we so offended by the President’s campaign slogan ‘Make America Great Again’ that we’re going to ignore that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have collectively been responsible for locking up countless Black men for non-violent crimes?”
“Are you going to allow the media to lie to you by falsely claiming that he said there were very fine white supremacists in Charlottesville? He didn’t say that. It’s a lie,” he added. “And ignore the so-called Black Lives Matter organization that openly, on their website, calls for the destruction of the nuclear family?”
“This convention marks a time to celebrate our history. Republicans are the party that freed the slaves and the party that put the first black men and women in Congress. It’s the party of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, and now Tim Scott and Donald Trump,” he said.
This is a party black Americans should be proud to support.
Jack Brewer, Black Voices for Trump: "Are we so offended by the President's campaign slogan 'Make America Great Again' that we're going to ignore that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have collectively been responsible for locking up countless Black men for non-violent crimes?" #RNC pic.twitter.com/7k0z5tzg2n
— The Hill (@thehill) August 27, 2020
Rand Paul Flips the Script on Trump, Biden, and Criminal Justice Reform
5. Mike Pence
The night concluded with a powerful speech from Vice President Mike Pence. He touched on the Trump administration’s great successes from the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem to killing ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. He also expressed hope that “America is a nation of miracles” for overcoming the coronavirus pandemic. Yet his most powerful remarks focused on the threat of the radical Left.
“Last week, Joe Biden didn’t say one word about the violence and chaos engulfing cities across this country,” Pence noted. “Let me be clear: the violence must stop – whether in Minneapolis, Portland, or Kenosha. Too many heroes have died defending our freedoms to see Americans strike each other down.”
“President Trump and I know the men and women that put on the uniform of law enforcement are the best of us. They put their lives on the line every day,” the vice president insisted. He recognized Dave Patrick Underwood, one of the officers killed in the George Floyd riots. Underwood’s sister Angela stood in the audience at Fort McHenry where Pence delivered his speech. “Angela, we grieve for your family and are grateful for his service. And America will never forget Dave Patrick Underwood and his service and sacrifice to this nation.”
“The American people know we don’t have to choose between supporting law enforcement and standing with African American neighbors to improve the quality of life in our cities and towns,” Pence said. “From the first days of this administration, we have done both.”
“Joe Biden says America is systemically racist,” Pence noted. “Joe Biden would double down on the very policies that are leading to unsafe streets and violence in America’s cities.”
“The hard truth is… you won’t be safe in Joe Biden’s America,” the vice president warned. “Under President Trump, we will stand with those who stand on the Thin Blue Line, and we’re not going to defund the police – not now, not ever.”
He warned that when Biden describes himself as a “transition candidate,” he means that he will be a “Trojan Horse” for the radical Left.
“At the root of their agenda, is the belief that America is driven by envy, not aspiration — that millions of Americans harbor ill-will toward their neighbors, instead of loving our neighbors as themselves. The radical left believes the federal government must be involved in every aspect of our lives to correct those American wrongs,” he argued. “They believe the federal government needs to dictate how Americans live, how we should work, how we should raise our children — and, in the process, deprive our people of freedom, prosperity, and security.”
“Their agenda is based on government control; our agenda is based on freedom,” Pence declared. “The choice in this election has never been clearer and the stakes have never been higher.”
The vice president warned that “our economic recovery is on the ballot, law and order is on the ballot. But so are things far more fundamental and foundational to our country. It’s not so much whether America will be more conservative or more liberal, more Republican or more Democrat. The choice in this election Is whether America remains America.”
Pence gave this powerful speech at Fort McHenry, which the British besieged in the War of 1812, giving the inspiration for the national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner.
Vice President Pence: Under President Trump, we will stand with those who stand on the Thin Blue Line, and we’re not going to defund the police—not now, not ever.#RNC2020 pic.twitter.com/NU0Og0fvVA
— Team Trump (Text VOTE to 88022) (@TeamTrump) August 27, 2020
Other tidbits:
There were too many inspiring speeches for me to delve into them all here, but I highly recommend Madison Cawthorn, a 25-year-old Republican running for Congress. Paralyzed since age 18, he nevertheless is running to become the youngest congressman in many years.
Sister Dede Byrne, a nun, gave powerful remarks about the right to life and praised Trump as the “most pro-life president that this nation has ever had.”
Tomorrow, I’m hoping they bring up nuns from the Little Sisters of the Poor…
What an amazing night! Remember to follow PJ Media’s liveblog tomorrow evening and check out our other spin-off coverage.
Tyler O’Neil is the author of Making Hate Pay: The Corruption of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Follow him on Twitter at @Tyler2ONeil.
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