Vice President Mike Pence accepted his renomination at Wednesday’s Republican National Convention, sounding as comfortable as ever as he made the case that the country needs “four more years of President Donald Trump in the White House.”
Pence gave a dry but workhorse of a speech, hailing the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus and insisting that it is working to reopen the economy while prioritizing health. He spoke about the pre-coronavirus economy and about the strides made to regain lost jobs and to develop a vaccine.
He spoke about supporting the military, the development of the Space Force, and broached foreign policy victories in resolute terms. “Iran’s top general will never harm another American again because Qasem Soleimani is gone,” he said.
Pence also set up key contrasts between the Trump campaign and the Biden campaign, particularly on things such as foreign and economic policy and policing. He spoke to one of Joe Biden’s key vulnerabilities, one that even CNN’s liberal journalists have recognized, in his recent silence about the rioting and violence occurring in various cities.
“Last week, Joe Biden didn’t say one word about the violence and chaos engulfing cities across this country,” Pence said. “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.”
Pence was an effective surrogate, especially for the constituencies who are comfortable with a more measured and traditional Republican cadence. Pence offers that. In that sense, and in plenty of others, he is a proper foil to Trump.
