GOP opens convention warning Democrats will ruin US future

National Republicans started their convention week with repeated warnings about the course for America if Democrats win the White House in November, as supporters of President Donald Trump said his re-election was the only way to insure a prosperous future.

"He is the Bodyguard of Western Civilization and the defender of our freedoms and the American Way of Life," said GOP activist Charlie Kirk, in the first speech of the night.

"Joe Biden and Democrats are still blaming America first," said former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley.

While Democratic nominee Joe Biden was taking most of the verbal broadsides, the other objects of ridicule mentioned by various GOP speakers were familiar - socialism, communism, California, recent unrest around the nation, the 'cancel culture,' cosmopolitan elites, those who 'blame America first,' and much more.

"Mr. President, lead the way," said Sean Parnell, who faces an uphill fight for a U.S. House seat in Pennsylvania.

"The mob and the media will try to destroy you," said Patricia McCloskey, a St. Louis woman who was photographed along with her husband holding firearms and warding off protesters.

“They want to abolish the suburbs,” McCloskey warned in a video.

Unlike Democrats last week - who relied on recorded video snippets mixed with live remarks from around the nation - Republicans are centering most of their convention week speeches at a government auditorium not far from the White House.

But while the GOP speeches are mostly live - there is no audience.

“I’m speaking to you from an auditorium that is emptier than Joe Biden’s daily schedule,” mocked Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL).

Maybe generating the most chatter on Monday night was Kimberly Guilfoyle.

After Democrats spotlighted a number of people from Georgia last week, Republicans started with a speech from former University of Georgia football star Herschel Walker, who saluted President Trump.

“Growing up in the deep south, I’ve seen racism up close,” Walker said in a video. “I know what it is. And it isn’t Donald Trump.”

“I pray every night, ‘God, give him some more time. Give him four more years,‘” Walker said.

There were also tough words from a Democratic state lawmaker from Georgia, Vernon Jones, who recounted how he had taken all sorts of abuse after crossing party lines and endorsing President Trump.

“I’m here to tell you that Black voices are becoming more woke and louder than ever,” as Jones said it was time for black voters to leave the ‘mental plantation’ of the Democratic Party.