Pence says economy and 'law and order' on ballot as Dems launch 'ad hominem attacks' on president
The vice president said Democrats have been 'overtaken by the radical left'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Vice President Mike Pence in a Friday interview framed the upcoming presidential election as a choice on the issues, drawing a contrast between what he said is President Trump's "law and order" and pro-economy agenda versus a "radical left" agenda he said is supported by Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris.
Pence's message after the final night of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) and ahead of the Republican National Convention (RNC) was the exact opposite of how Democrats portrayed the election this week -- as a choice about the character of the two candidates. Pence acknowledged as much in his Friday comments, which came in an interview with "Fox & Friends."
"Joe Biden said last night ... democracy is on the ballot, character is on the ballot," Pence told the morning show's hosts, before laying out what he said the election was all about. "The economy is on the ballot. Law and order is on the ballot. And the American people know it.... the contrast with what Joe Biden and the Democrats are offering is astonishing."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the fourth day of the Democratic National Convention, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020, at the Chase Center in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
BIDEN'S POLICY AGENDA TAKES BACKSEAT AS DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION SPEAKERS HAMMER TRUMP ON CHARACTER
Pence said that Biden would "raise taxes on the American people by $4 trillion, to advance a $2 trillion version fo the 'Green New Deal.'" He continued to say that the Democratic nominee's policies, which he said were "overtaken by the radical left" would "simply invite more violence and more mayhem in our streets."
He added that "there was so much negativity, nothing but ad hominem attacks" and "a very negative view of America" at the DNC.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Policy certainly took a back seat for much of the DNC. A Fox News analysis of the first two nights of the convention found that speakers referenced Biden's character (overwhelmingly favorably) 294 times and Trump's character (overwhelmingly unfavorably) 96 times. Meanwhile, convention speakers referenced Biden's policies 120 times and Trump's 56 times.
Biden has repeatedly said the election as "a battle for the soul of America," and Democrats' focus on character during the convention furthered that message. But Republicans, including Pence Friday morning, have accused Democrats of trying to obscure just how far left their platform is by putting such an emphasis on the morality, or lack thereof, of the two candidates.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Senator Kamala Harris is a California liberal who had the most liberal voting record in the United States Senate in 2019," Pence said on "Fox & Friends." "And her selection as Joe Biden's running mate just confirmed everything President Trump and I have been saying all along -- that Joe Biden and the Democratic Party have been overtaken by the radical left."
Pence added that he is "looking forward to" his upcoming debate against Harris "more than I can tell you."
With 74 days remaining until the presidential election, the Trump campaign will get its time in the spotlight with a four-day convention next week before the campaign enters its final mad dash to the finish, with three debates between Trump and Biden, and one between Pence and Harris.