LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Night one of the Republican National Convention began with 26-year-old Charlie Kirk, the founder and CEO of a conservative youth non-profit, describing President Trump as the bodyguard of Western Civilization and painting recent civil rights protesters as a threat.
"The American way of life is being dismantled by a group of bitter, deceitful, vengeful activists who have never built anything in their lives," he said.
Throughout the evening, speakers used the words "mob," "riot" and "rage" - claiming Americans wouldn't be safe if Democratic candidate Joe Biden became president. The RNC featured Patricia and Mark McCloskey, a St. Louis couple who were charged with felonies in June after waving and pointing guns at peaceful protesters. Monday night, they called out one of the protesters, Cori Bush, a nurse and Black Lives Matter activist, who recently won the primary for Missouri's 1st Congressional district.
"These radicals are not content with marching in the streets. They want to walk the halls of Congress. They want to take over. They want power," Mark said.
Cori Bush responding on twitter, "The McCloskeys tried to villainize me at the RNC tonight. They can call me whatever they want - I'm used to it," she wrote.
The conversation around race continued with former South Carolina Governor and ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley. She said America, a country built on slavery, was not racist.
"America is a story that's a work in progress," she said.
Haley went on to envision a bright future for America under President Trump.
"Now is the time to build on that progress and make America even freer, fairer and better for everyone," she said.
There are not any Nevada Republican leaders on the schedule but UFC president Dana White is set to speak on Thursday, the final night of the convention.
