FORT MCHENRY, Maryland — Mike Pence took on the traditional role of vice presidential convention attack dog, with a denunciation of Joe Biden as a “Trojan horse” for the radical Left as he set out the “law and order” case for reelecting President Trump in a speech delivered from the birthplace of the national anthem.
The choice of Fort McHenry for the set piece Wednesday reflected organizers’ desire to incorporate historic monuments into the Republican convention, nodding to the country’s current culture wars as well as a foundational moment in America’s story.
But it also brought fresh accusations that the administration was using federal property for political events.
Pence used the setting to accuse Democrats of forgetting American values.
“The heroes who held this fort took their stand for life, liberty, freedom, and the American flag. Those ideals have defined our nation,” he said. “Yet they were hardly ever mentioned during last week’s Democratic convention.”
He delivered his remarks in front of a crowd of 100 veterans and supporters and beneath a replica of the Star-Spangled Banner that flew above the fort in 1814. When it was still flying after a night of British bombardment, it inspired Francis Scott Key to write the poem that would eventually become the national anthem.
And he used the flag as a motif and a symbol of resilience running through his speech to remind voters of the stark choice facing them in November.
Pence used the speech to remind voters of the choice facing them in November.
“In this election, it’s not so much whether America would be more conservative or more liberal, more Republican or more Democrat. The choice in this election is whether America remains America,” he said.
“It’s whether we will leave to our children and our grandchildren a country grounded in our highest ideals of freedom, free markets, and the unalienable right to life and liberty — or whether we will leave to our children and grandchildren a country that is fundamentally transformed into something else.”
Pence, continuing to hold the president’s trust, is one of the survivors in an administration notable for the number of advisers who fell out of Trump’s favor. The former Indiana governor has been a loyal deputy to Trump ever since being selected for the ticket in 2016.
He has frequently acted as a complement to the president, offering a calm, on-message counterbalance to his quixotic boss.
As a conservative Christian, he was able to connect Trump to the evangelical base in 2016, and this time around, he has conducted the informal retail politics, making diner stops in battleground states, that the president eschews in favor of grand, made-for-TV moments.
However, that quiet manner led to frequent speculation that he may be replaced on the ticket in favor of someone who generated the sort of excitement and headlines that Trump values.
That chatter diminished after Trump put him in charge of the White House coronavirus response, reminding the president of his campaign nickname of “On-Message Mike” for his ability to deliver key information without being buffeted by events.
On Wednesday, he seized on the national debate over racial injustice to accuse Democrats of allowing disorder to grip the country.
“The hard truth is … you won’t be safe in Joe Biden’s America,” said Pence before bringing the crowd to its feet by promising never to defund the police.
Pence’s appearance followed complaints a day earlier that convention events at the White House may have fallen afoul of ethics rules designed to prevent the president from using the trappings of government to fuel his campaign.
Similar concerns were raised that Pence’s appearance at Fort McHenry violated the Hatch Act, which prevents federal employees from engaging in politics while on duty.
The Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks said: “National parks are meant to be enjoyed by all Americans, regardless of party affiliation or politics. It is inappropriate for the [National Park Service] to permit partisan political campaign events to be conducted in parks.”
But attendees said the site was available for anyone to use.
Jim Wass, chairman of the St. George’s County GOP, who was dressed in a period costume with a cravat and straw hat, said its key role in the “second revolution” made it a fitting location.
“The other side, whether it be the Never Trumper Republicans or whether it be the Democrats, are very prissy and very legalistic about certain things when it suits,” he said.
