Republicans Lean Into Pro-Police Message During Convention, Accuse Democrats Of ‘Canceling Cops’
TOPLINE
As protests erupt in Wisconsin over the shooting of Jacob Blake, Republicans pushed a pro-cop, anti-protest message during the GOP convention Wednesday, describing a country overrun by mobs and accusing Democrats of attempting to “cancel” police.
KEY FACTS
Gov. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) used her platform to paint a picture of an America in which “Democrat-run cities” are being “overrun by violent mobs” and “rampant violence”; “There’s looting, chaos, destruction, and murder,” Noem said.
Without mentioning the names of any victims of recent police shootings that have ignited protests across the country, Michael McHale, president of National Association of Police Orgs, said Joe Biden and Harris are the “most radical anti-police ticket in history” and lauded President Trump as the “most pro-law enforcement president we’ve ever had.”
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) went on at length about defending law enforcement “heroes” that she said Democrats were trying to “cancel.”
Blackburn accused Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) of attempting to “destroy” law enforcement heroes, and levied the wild claim that Biden and Harris want to push law enforcement “heroes” aside so they can “control” the American public.
In the wake of the protests against police brutality around the country over the death of George Floyd, Republicans — led by Trump — have sought to paint Biden as supportive of rioting and destruction, and “defunding the police.”
In fact, Biden has decried rioting as a form of protest, condemning “burning down communities” and “needless destruction,” and said recently he does not support defunding the police.
CRUCIAL QUOTE
Biden was asked whether he supports “defunding the police” during an interview with ABC News last week:
KEY BACKGROUND
Protests, which turned violent Tuesday, have broken out in Wisconsin over the shooting of Blake, a Black man, after a video went viral of the incident. In the video, Blake is shot several times and his family says he is now paralyzed below the waist. Authorities say police were responding to a “domestic incident” around 5 p.m. Sunday and that Blake told police he had a knife before the officer fired on him.
