July 17 (UPI) — Opening speakers during the RNC’s third night mostly compared and contrasted former President Donald Trump and his administration with President Joe Biden and his administration.
Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, opened Thursday night’s convention by praising former President Donald Trump’s toughness and ability to do the job required of all presidents.
Jackson is a medical doctor who was the physician to the president from 2013 through 2018 during President Barack Obama‘s and Trump’s administration.
“I can say I worked for a president who literally took a bullet for our country,” Jackson said of Trump.
“When the phone rings in the middle of the night, our president must be ready,” he said. “Unfortunately, our current president isn’t.”
Jackson also said Kamala Harris is “as unfit in character as Joe Biden is in body and mind.”
“Every second that Joe Biden remains in the White House, this country become less safe,” Jackson said. “We will have a president who is respected by our allies, feared by our enemies, and who will lead with strength.”
Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida followed up Jackson’s opening address by describing Trump as a law-and-order president who would protect the nation and its people.
“President Trump won’t defund the police, but he will defund countries that hate us,” Gaetz said.
He also chastised those who say criticizing Biden is “ableist” and a form of bigotry.
“It’s not too much to ask the president to be able to do the job,” Gaetz said.
Regarding the potential vice presidential running mates, he said, “Appointing Harris to oversee the border is like appointing Bernie Madoff to oversee your retirement account,” but emphasized J.D. Vance “knows how to fight.”
“We’re on a mission to rescue and save this country,” Gaetz concluded.
Peter Navarro, former Trump adviser was released from prison in Miami Wednesday morning after serving four months for contempt of Congress and took the stage to rousing applause.
“This morning I did walk out of the local prison in Miami,” Navarro said. “Joe Biden and his Department of Injustice put me there.
“If they can come for me, if they can come for Donald Trump, be careful,” Navarro cautioned the audience. “They will come for you.”
Navarro said it’s important for the Republican Party to regain control of the presidency and Congress and ensure a fair judiciary instead of appointing “lawfare jackals” as judges and federal prosecutors.
“If we don’t control all three branches of our government, their government will put some of us, like me and Steve Bannon, in prison and control the rest of us.”
“The legislative branch came for me first,” Navarro said. “Pelosi created a sham Jan. 6 committee and demanded I violate executive privilege. I refused.
“The J-6 committee demanded I betray Donald Trump to save my skin. I refused.
“They demanded that I break the law because they have no respect for it. I refused.
“The next jackboot to drop was the executive branch,” Navarro continued.
He said Merrick Garland and federal prosecutor Jack Smith indicted and prosecuted him for criminal contempt of Congress.
“The judicial branch delivered the final blow,” Navarro said.
“They convicted me. They jailed me. Guess what: They did not break me,” he said. “They will never break Donald Trump.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott followed Navarro and focused on problems at the border.
“As governor of the largest border state, the great state of Texas, I can tell you, America needs a president who will secure our border,” Abbott opened. “America needs Donald J. Trump.”
He said the president’s “most sacred duty is to secure our country. Donald trump fulfilled that duty. We had the lowest border crossings in about four decades.
“Joe Biden deserted his duty on his first day in office when he gutted Trump’s policies.”
Abbott said illegal immigration has skyrocketed under Biden’s watch and “around 11 million immigrants have crossed our border illegally.”
“Biden has welcomed into our country rapists, murders,even terrorists,” Abbott said. “The price we have paid has been deadly.”
He said, “among the many victims is 12-year-old Jocelyn [Dungaray], who was raped and murdered by two immigrants.”
“Biden is even fighting tooth and nail to stop Texas and other Republican states from securing our own borders,” he added. “Biden and Kamala Harris refused to visit the border, so I took the border crisis to them by busing migrants to Washington D.C.”
“Those buses will continue to role until we secure our border,” Abbott said.
“I see hope on the horizon.,” he continued. “On Nov. 5, Joe Biden will be fired and Donald Trump will once again become the president of the United States of America.”
Abbott said Trump “will enforce the immigration laws, fight the drug cartels and arrest illegal immigrants and put them behind bars or send them back.”
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum focused on energy concerns and how they affect that nation.
“Who will make American energy-dominant?” Burgum asked the crowd three times.
“When President Trump unleashes American energy, we unleash American prosperity,” he said.
“He cut taxes. he cut red tape,” Abbott said of Trump.”Service as a governor under Joe Biden has been like taking a gale-force wind to the face.”
“Biden has raised the price of gas in your car, the cost of food on your table, and it’s even raised your rent,” he said.
Burgum said Biden’s EV mandate benefits China, which produces most of the world’s batteries for electric vehicles.
He said Biden’s policies also benefit Russian and Iran.
“Biden’s policies are making Russia and Iran filthy rich, and they’re using the money to fund wars and terrorism against our allies,” Burgum explained. “Four more years of Joe will usher in an era of Biden brownouts and blackouts.”
“Pres. Trump will ensure there’s power for you and to ensure we have the power to beat China in an AI arms race,” Burgum said. “Unleashing America’s energy dominance is our path to prosperity through peace and strength.”