Biden spokesman likens the Republican National Convention to the Twilight Zone


Since Monday, speakers at the Republican National Convention have painted a dire picture of how they imagine life would be under a President Joe Biden, saying it won't be safe to go outside due to mob violence, but it won't matter anyway because no one will have any jobs and all the businesses will be closed.
Biden didn't make any comments about the Republican National Convention on Wednesday, focusing instead on the police-involved shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin. He said the fact that Blake was shot in front of his children made him "sick," and decried the looting that took place in the aftermath of peaceful protests. "Needless violence won't heal us," Biden said. "We need to end the violence — and peacefully come together to demand justice."
While Biden stayed mum on the RNC, his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), and spokesperson Andrew Bates did not. Bates told NBC News the RNC has been filled with "toxic divisiveness, Twilight Zone conspiracy theories, and dangerous misinformation about the pandemic that Trump has failed to make headway with for months."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Harris connected with supporters via text, sending out a message ahead of Vice President Mike Pence's speech. She told donors she's "not worried about what he's going to say — I know it will be nothing but lies."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
5 inexcusably hilarious cartoons about Ghislaine Maxwell angling for a pardon
Cartoons Artists take on the circle of life, Ghislaine's Island, and more
-
Ozzy Osbourne obituary: heavy metal wildman and lovable reality TV dad
In the Spotlight For Osbourne, metal was 'not the music of hell but rather the music of Earth, not a fantasy but a survival guide'
-
Codeword: August 2, 2025
The Week's daily codeword puzzle
-
Trump revives K-12 Presidential Fitness Test
Speed Read The Obama administration phased the test out in 2012, replacing it with a program focused on overall health rather than standardized benchmarks
-
El Salvador scraps term limits, boosting Nayib Bukele
Speed Read New constitutional changes will allow presidents to seek reelection an indefinite number of times
-
Trump assigns tariffs, delays all except on Canada
Speed Read A 35% tariff on many Canadian goods has gone into effect
-
Harris rules out run for California governor
Speed Read The 2024 Democratic presidential nominee ended months of speculation about her plans for the contest
-
Trump sets new tariff rates as deadline nears
Speed Read New tariff rates for South Korea, Brazil and India announced
-
Ghislaine Maxwell: angling for a Trump pardon
Talking Point Convicted sex trafficker's testimony could shed new light on president's links to Jeffrey Epstein
-
Senate confirms Trump loyalist Bove to top court
Speed Read The president's former criminal defense lawyer was narrowly approved to earn a lifetime seat
-
Ghislaine Maxwell offers testimony for immunity
Speed Read The convicted sex trafficker offered to testify to Congress about her relationship with late boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein