In his Republican convention speech on Wednesday, Vice President Mike Pence pointedly challenged former Vice President Joe Biden’s assertion that there would be “no miracle” cure during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Last week, Joe Biden said, ‘no miracle is coming,'” Pence said.”What Joe doesn’t seem to understand is that America is a nation of miracles, and we’re on track to have the world’s first safe, effective coronavirus vaccine by the end of this year.”
The vice president, who currently leads the White House coronavirus task force, spent a portion of his speech speaking about the virus that ravaged America and the economic hardship faced by Americans during the shutdowns.
Pence praised President Trump for acting swiftly to ban travel from China to slow the spread of the virus.
“That action saved an untold number of American lives,” he said.
Pence repeated the successes of the administration’s fight against the virus, speedily building and delivering ventilators, developing rapid testing capacity, and surging protective equipment to hospitals.
He also struck a note of optimism as the nation continues fighting the pandemic.
“After all the sacrifice in this year, like no other, and all the hardship, we are finding our way forward again,” Pence said.
He thanked nurses and doctors, first responders, and essential workers for helping the country for pushing forward to fight the virus.
“Thanks to the courage and compassion of the American people, we are slowing the spread, we are protecting the vulnerable, we are saving lives, and we are opening up American again,” he said.
Pence praised teachers for returning to the classrooms for in-person teaching and revealed that his wife Karen Pence, a lifelong teacher, would return to the classroom.
“To all the heroic teachers, faculty, and staff, you have our thanks,” Pence said.
Pence credited the strong economy under the Trump administration, prior to the virus, for making it possible for America to regain 9.3 million jobs in the last three months. He also said that former Vice President Joe Biden is in no position to lead America out of the recession.
“Who do you trust to rebuild this economy?” he asked. “A career politician who presided over the slowest economic recovery since the Great Depression? Or a proven leader who created the greatest economy in the world.”