Trump's contradictory messaging on crime during RNC has critics puzzled
President Trump's pardon of Jon Ponder, a convicted bank robber who founded a non-profit organization that helps formerly incarcerated citizens, during the Republican National Convention Tuesday night received mixed reviews. On the one hand, observers noted that Ponder's story is a truly inspiring one that could go a long way with undecided voters. On the other hand, some viewers accused Trump of using Ponder's pardon as a "political prop."
I’m going to go out on a limb and say no president has ever used his pardon power during a partisan political convention. Until now.
— James Hohmann (@jameshohmann) August 26, 2020
But other analysts were puzzled by the RNC's messaging on crime in general. Ponder's pardon was meant to show the Trump administration's commitment to criminal justice reform, but many of the speeches throughout the first two nights have called for a tougher crackdown on crime and warned a Biden-Harris administration would be too lenient.
* and not just violent crime, but vandals/looters.
— Josh Kraushaar (@HotlineJosh) August 26, 2020
Similarly, while the convention has attempted to highlight Trump's relationship with Black Americans, including Ponder, some observers argue racially-inspired fear-mongering has been prevalent in the speeches so far, as well.
After the thing about HBCUs last night, the RNC is hitting "Donald Trump, Friend of the Black Man" pretty hard. Which dovetails nicely with "the black men are coming for your suburban homes" theme.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) August 26, 2020
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