RNC paints a dark picture of Biden’s America

Tuesday, August 25, 2020 Good morning, NBC News readers.    The first night of the Republican National Convention drew a dystopian picture of America under Democratic leadership, protesters returned to the streets of Kenosha, Wisconsin, and the fallout from the salacious Jerry Falwell Jr. report.    Here's what we're watching this Tuesday morning.  RNC depicts Trump's pandemic response as a triumph, paints grim picture of America under 'radical' Democrats The first night of the Republican National Convention offered a sweeping defense of President Donald Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic and ominous warnings about what an America led by Democrats would look like.                               "Make no mistake: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris want a cultural revolution. A fundamentally different America. If we let them, they will turn our country into a socialist utopia," said Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C.   Republicans tried to counter Trump critics who say the president is a racist by inviting supporters of diverse backgrounds to speak. But the protests calling for an end to racial injustice were frequently cited as examples of how the country is spiraling into chaos and violence.    "They put political correctness ahead of the safety and security of the American people," Donald Trump Jr. said. "Anarchists have been flooding our streets, and Democrat mayors are ordering the police to stand down."   Earlier in the day, the Republican National Committee adopted a resolution declaring it would not adopt a policy platform for the election, but rather that it pledged its unwavering support for President Trump and his "America-first agenda" — without saying what it is.   Check out four key takeaways from the RNC's first night.  Fact check: Do Biden and "radical" Democrats really want to "abolish the suburbs"? We fact-checked some of the RNC speakers' claims.    Catch up: How about Kimberly Guilfoyle's high-volume speech to an empty room? Read analysis of the night's big moments as they happened.    Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is slated to address the GOP convention from Jerusalem tonight. But diplomats who are barred by law from mixing work and politics say they are appalled by the move.    Tune into NBC News, MSNBC and NBCNews.com for special coverage of Day 2 of the convention.    Video: Highlights from Night 1 of RNC  "No justice, no peace": Protesters return to Kenosha, Wisconsin streets  A day after a police officer shot a Black man multiple times in the back, law enforcement deployed what appeared to be tear gas as protesters defied a curfew in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Monday night.    Protesters converged on the courthouse and threw objects at police Monday minutes before the 8 p.m. curfew. But hundreds of people stuck around, screaming at police and lighting fires, the Associated Press reported.  Video:  Protests continue in Kenosha, Wisc., for a second night after police shooting of Black man Jerry Falwell Jr. resigns as Liberty University president  Jerry Falwell Jr. has resigned from his role as president of Liberty University after 13 years at the helm of the prominent evangelical Christian school, he told the Wall Street Journal late Monday.   The move comes the same day as an explosive claim made by a former hotel pool attendant-turned-business partner. The man, Giancarlo Granda, 29, told Reuters in an interview published Monday that he carried on a yearslong sexual relationship involving the Falwells.    Reuters said Granda shared emails, text messages and other evidence to illustrate the nature of the relationship. Falwell, through his attorney, categorically denied the story.    Falwell, who had been president of Liberty University since 2007,  espoused a socially conservative, "pro-family" agenda and helped Trump win the endorsement of evangelicals in 2016.   Video: Jerry Falwell Jr. reveals wife's affair, alleges blackmail Want to receive the Morning Rundown in your inbox? Sign up here. Plus  Why did the FDA authorize convalescent plasma, a potential treatment for COVID-19? There has been at least one death out of 53 coronavirus cases linked to a Maine wedding. Tropical Storm Marco collapsed after making landfall, but a threat still looms from Laura. THINK about it  Trump and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy are still sabotaging the post office. My home state proves it, Pennsylvania's Sen. Bob Casey Jr. writes in an opinion piece.  Live BETTER  Heading to a BBQ? Here are 10 questions to ask before socializing.  Shopping Looking for a new mask? These are best sellers that meet CDC guidelines. Quote of the day "It's not supposed to be a Democrat versus Republican thing. It's mail." — Sharon Pardini, a 63-year-old resident of Richland, Washington, who has voted through mail-in ballots in the last three elections. But her confidence in the U.S. Postal Service has been shaken this year. Phew: 2,000-year-old redwoods survive California wildfire  When a massive wildfire swept through California's oldest state park last week it was feared many trees in a grove of old-growth redwoods, some of them 2,000 years old and among the tallest living things on Earth, may finally have succumbed.   But an Associated Press reporter and photographer hiked the renowned Redwood Trail at Big Basin Redwoods State Park on Monday and confirmed most of the ancient redwoods had withstood the blaze. Among the survivors is one dubbed Mother of the Forest.   "The reason those trees are so old is because they are really resilient," said State Parks District Superintendent Chris Spohrer. Fire burns in the hollow of an old-growth redwood tree in Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Calif., on Monday. (Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP) Thanks for reading the Morning Rundown.    If you have any comments — likes, dislikes — send me an email at: petra@nbcuni.com   If you're a fan, please forward it to your family and friends. They can sign-up here.    Thanks, Petra Cahill Download the NBC News Mobile App Follow NBC News Privacy Unsubscribe