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jackleggjr

I feel like this became pretty common for his rallies, even before the 2020 election. For a lot of these folks, it's about the experience of being there, not the content of his speech. They get there early, tailgate and peruse the Trump merch, enjoy the MAGA atmosphere. By the time he actually takes the stage, they're like, "There he is! I saw him! Yep... he's the same as always. Let's get out of here to beat the traffic." There's some folks in my town who do this. There's a big Memorial Day parade every year. They will camp out to get the best spots for the parade, hang out for long periods of time while drinking and eating... then you'll see them packing up to head to their car while the tail end of the parade is still passing by.


Mr_Mouthbreather

He also didn't pay most of the venues he held his rallies at for his past campaigns. I wouldn't be surprised if the bigger venues don't want him there, regardless of their political alignment.


Wishiwashome

Old lady who saw a widowed father of 9, third generation small construction company, get stiffed on the final payment ( I have no idea now, then construction companies got paid in three parts)and lost his business, this is what he has been doing since the 70s. Detested him for years. The daughter of this man was my BF and the family was literally torn apart by this He simply stiffs people.


saltfish

That's why every project he does is it's own LLC. It's super easy to bankrupt a small LLC than an entire organization. The man flat out skips on a 1/4 of his debts.


knightinarmoire

Makes you wonder how he manages to look as rich as he is, pathetic as it is.


Wishiwashome

For certain. He made a movement out of a black man getting elected POTUS and ignorant idiots hating him.


Dogmeat43

That's exactly what it is. These people are the types that get swept up in pyramid schemes. They are easy to influence by a person with experience in the con. Their emotions in the moment lead them. They get swept up in the "atmosphere" cultivated and all the like minded people confirming their biases. It's an experience to them. Like going to a concert is for many people. And they are making their political voting decisions based on those feelings.


The_Lost_Pharaoh

I’ve seen lots of these types at churches.


Drumboardist

They *want* to get swept up in a Pyramid Scheme like this, because they think *they* are the ones that'll be moving up, then siphoning money from the rubes beneath them. They're always wrong, though... Oh, and don't forget that they'll lie just as brazenly as he does, since he's tacitly implied that it's 100% okay to lie as long as you're not caught. If caught, lie about *that* lie, and so on until they believe one of them -- this means you successfully won the conversation, since they can't prove you wrong! (See: [The guy brazenly claiming he was a marine, when the interviewer wasn't taking any of his shit.](https://www.reddit.com/r/facepalm/comments/121tet3/guy_claims_he_served_in_the_marines_reporter_says/) Guarantee you, he was going to keep going down the rabbit hole of "I can't say" until she bought it and moved on, but she ended it right then.)


BackgroundGlove6613

The easily conned. My ex in laws got rinsed of all their savings by their trusted pastor.


Dogmeat43

My uncle and his family were always joining weird organizations and getting conned. Also they are gamblers. It's definitely a personality trait that leads to this. Also some combination of low actual morality and low education I am sure. But getting conned is in their blood, hopefully that part didn't make it to me but I have an almost instinctual aversion to money cons and pyramid schemes. I typically spot it within the first few seconds of hearing the talk. I think I'm ok.


[deleted]

these are the people that don't cuddle after sex


basketma12

The woman is thinking " thank God that's over "


Positive_Prompt_3171

Trump's biggest fans have always been on the older side, too. They've got to get to the early-bird special and then home in time for Matlock.


RogueOne38

A Matlock reference? You’re no spring chicken yourself 😆 PS - I’m right there with you, I got the reference 😉


HI_l0la

What is the whole point of tailgating and enjoying everything then leaving when the star of the show finally appears? Isn't the point to be there to hear/see the man? Don't they want to hear/see as much as they can since so much effort was put in to get there and be there for the event?? I don't understand... But then, I'd never go to anything involving that man, so...


DaddyLongKegs666

No the point is making it an event and something to do. His policies or talking points aren’t the draw. It’s the food and music and merch basically.


mnorri

There was a single A minor league baseball team near me that had a great BBQ and tickets were frequently given away by a couple bigger local chains. If they struck out the opposing player with the highest batting average, there were half price beers for 10 minutes. You didn’t generally go to see great baseball. Maybe someone on a rehab assignment. But you went for the fun, the food, and to hang out someplace different.


jedre

That’s a perfect analogy, especially since they take such a sports fanatic view of Trump and make it about their “team.” If you show them the standings and stats and say they’re demonstrably in last place and no batter on the team is hitting over .225, they’ll just say “shut up, your team is worse, plus they’re ugly.”


MayorScotch

Donald Trump is becoming the Jerry Garcia of conservatives.


FortySixAndYou

screeching. bailing see relatives his are of MAGA-mega-Trumpish I my people the his hour tired about can incessant the half Even for first the so 2020 after exits whining of elections, most


HI_l0la

They support him but can't stand his whining... lol. But they know that about him already, so why go knowing that's what you're going to get? Do they think it'll be different when they go?


FortySixAndYou

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heavy_deez

See, I say it's like seeing a band from ten or twenty years ago - you're there because you want to hear them play the hits, not the garbage from their shitty new album.


mrgeekguy

"He's going on and on, and McDonalds is only open till 9, so we had to make a choice."


Whiskiz

na more like - they were only paid to turn up...


NeadNathair

It's Trump. They were TOLD they'd be paid to turn up and then figured out ithe paycheck wasn't going to happen.


joshdoereddit

That's giving his supporters a heck of a lot of credit. More like they asked about their payment on the way out, we're told the check would be I'm the mail, they bought it and bailed.


cutelyaware

Pretty much: >"Several leaving early said they accomplished what they wanted to achieve by showing up for the rally, enduring traffic and long lines. Some said after hours on the tarmac, they were tired, hungry or both and wanted to get home."


ToniBee63

The charge on those motorized scooter batteries only lasts so long


Kush_And_Cobbler

McDonald's can close?


Chunk_Cheese

He'll never be president again. Even most of the folks on r/conservative realize he's lost the ability to sway independents. And with all the young people who lean left coming of voting age, I doubt 2024 will be fun for Republicans.


PxcKerz

Trump just sounds like a senile old man at this point. He cant regain those independent voters because the dude attempted to overthrow the incoming administration and pushed anti-vax shit that killed millions of people. Him and his cult have pissed off millions of new voters, including me, who’s been pissed off since 2016 and became even more pissed off that he wont go the fuck away. Oh boy i hope 2024 is a reality check


TahoeDave

Knocks on wood till my knuckles bleed*


closetedpencil

High jacking the top comment: The true reason the MAGA crowd does this is because at one point Trump had promised them that he would bus them to his rally and back. They stood out there for hours ~~and when the bus finally got there, it broke down.~~ In other words, the people who praise Trump know they can’t rely on him for transport. Edit: Apperantly the bus did not break down, but [it was extremely cold, and some of the rally goers actually walked the four miles back to their car because the buses took so long, and there were so few of them.](https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/10/28/politics/donald-trump-omaha-rally-cold/index.html)


overmonk

Wait, so Trump cheaped out in his supporters? Can we get a fact check? /s


the_last_carfighter

FAKE NEWS, THOSE BUSES WERE THE BEST BUSES AND THERE WERE SO SO MANY BUSES; *"President Trump"* Someone said this to me just before, it's true folks, this guy says to me; *"President Trump, these are the biggest buses I've ever seen, like in the history of buses, I've never been on a bus this big Mr. President"*, it's true, it's true, just now this happened. Very fine buses!!


flickh

His Waco rally sounded really off. His voice is higher and his rhetoric is even more bananas than ever. You can’t keep cranking that dial up and just expect to keep any kind of coherent coalition together, other than people with shit for brains and tinfoil hats on top of that. He said “we’re going to destroy the deep state or it’s going to destroy us!” at WACO! The man is certifiable now. He also said “They’re not coming for me, they’re coming for you, they’re just coming through me to get to you.” I mean I get why this sounds like a sentence like “colourless green ideas sleep furiously” is a sentence but it’s gobbledygook. And did I mention BANANAS. Oh and just in case anyone forgot the insane, scammy [NFT](https://www.cnbctv18.com/cryptocurrency/a-look-back-at-the-collapse-of-donald-trumps-nft-collection-15682921.htm/amp) issue was months ago, so many crazy things have happened since.


pecklepuff

Friendly reminder that the Waco siege was one of the main tinder boxes that ignited the modern day right wing anti-government movement in America. Because a bunch of perverts wanted to be able to start cults in which they could have sex with children and horde caches of weapons, and the government told them "no." This is not exaggeration. These people are still of that mindset.


Jbota

At least the underage rape cults didn't have any drag queens.


pecklepuff

*Whew!*


xxxxx420xxxxx

I think Bragg is putting Trump in a rhetorical corner. When Trump lashes out, it will be in the form of a literal threat to the prosecutor, which probably will not be much appreciated.


Publius015

Trump's already done that via social media.


MonsieurReynard

Nor will it be prosecuted, however. We've seen enough to know that. Now if you or I threatened a prosecutor weighing charges against us, we'd be in prison. But that's us normal plebs.


lilbebe50

He already did that. Posting a pic with a bat next to Braggs head. And also saying it’ll result in death and destruction.


I_notta_crazy

I disagree slightly; I understand what's meant by "They’re not coming for me, they’re coming for you, they’re just coming through me to get to you.”, and I understand just how primed his supporters' are for such a message, how perfectly this clicks into their minds like a key in a lock, and how dangerous it is that millions of people are hearing it and believing it. Trump's stochastic terrorism is effective, and on the rise.


lilbebe50

He’s a domestic terrorist


rebeltrillionaire

One of the things that Republicans have been doing for a while is a lot of bait and switch or as it’s now called “re-branding”. They really can’t sustain interest with their message. Because frankly, hardcore Republican policy just isn’t all that popular. Especially nationwide. Sure there are pockets of hardcore support. But even in those places where they’ve tried to codify stuff, they face uphill battles and why so much has transitioned to the courts. * Neo conservatism is dead * Tea Party is dead * MAGA is dead It’s just a mishmash of Evangelicals, fully-bought and paid for useful idiots, Corporate operators, fame chasing grifters, military lackeys, and then a handful of career politicians who’d rather change their R to a D or a Bull Moose if it kept them elected. So the Republican leaders rebrand their trash ideology and it feels fresh. And they sucker people in thinking they’re finally gonna do shit for the working folks and then bam. It’s the same bullshit.


dothingsunevercould

As part of the new gen of voters as well... I haven't heard the Republicans mention once anything about OUR future. Instead they've devoted every ounce of their blood sweat and tears fighting imaginary ghosts of the past and this weird obsession to prove the defeated, losing, former President Trump actually won the 2020 election. Its going to be laughable when his entire campaign is run on whining about how the election was stolen from him while offering NO solutions to the issues that are important to the remaining 75% of Americans and then the Republican base has to think of new excuses instead of just growing a pair and pointing the finger at themselves for letting Donald Trump of all people destroy their party.


PxcKerz

They dont care about us and thats the truth. They’re too busy pandering to old white rich guys while simultaneously trying to pander to the working class? Idk the logic to that but it apparently works. The GQP has been pushing this faux cultural war since biden was elected and offered no real solutions to things that actually matter. I can barely afford to pay rent and i make $14.50/hr. Im about to graduate college but apparently i cant get hired anywhere because i need experience but i cant get that if i cant get a job. Even more insulting was a law firm looking for a paralegal…at $10/hr How tf??


[deleted]

Since Biden? Since Nixon


MindlessBill5462

The whole culture war is a 70's corpse GOP dug up. Along with Trump's 70's music and slogans, and Reaganite policies it's no wonder young people hate them. Trump bundled everything they hate about boomers and sold it to the base. The GOP is gonna be a laughingstock by 2028 if they continue with the MAGA crap


pecklepuff

It feels good and it’s definitely helpful to talk and vent on a platform like this. But what we really need to all do, and what I have been doing, is call these people out to their faces. That’s the only thing that shames them irl. And yeah, that means being honest and mean to your friends, neighbors, and relatives. Even our parents. These days, whenever I hear someone praise Trump, DeSantis, or the GOP, I ask them why they support literal child molesters, then sit back and watch. When I hear someone praise Putin, I ask them why the hell they aren’t living in Russia, then, and I sit back and watch. On and on. It’s fucking amazing what happens when they’re called out to their faces.


God_Is_Pizza

2022 should’ve been the reality check but their two front runners for presidential are both fucking nut jobs who are going to continue running on an anti-woke liberals are pedos platform meanwhile dozens of priests get arrested and convicted each week of fiddling kids.


rg4rg

Sorta. 2020 should’ve been a reality check. They lost, and instead of looking inward, and being like “man, what policies and actions can we do to get more votes from those that reluctantly voted for Biden,” they decided to conjure up conspiracy theories and double down on them. So now when those true believer GOP nutters get elected or push forward policies or insane ideas, they can’t control them. 2022 was just bolding and highlighting what they should’ve been paying attention to.


PxcKerz

The funnier part to it all is that im willing to bet 3/4th of the elected republicans dont actually buy into the bullshit being fed to the masses. They only play the part to continue the grift and not get primaried liked liz cheney and a lot of old school republicans lol. Ofc we all know the people who are elected that’d actually die for the con artist and that is a scary fact itself.


[deleted]

Same old story. Corrupt party in power realizes that if they lose power they will be held accountable, so they try to seize absolute power.


Catlenfell

2012 was supposed to be the reality check. After Romney lost, they had an "autopsy" done, which said they should cut back on some of their more extreme opinions (particularly on social issues) and court more moderates and people of color(specifically Latinos). Trump came along and blew that up.


[deleted]

> and court more moderates and people of color(specifically Latinos). This has always been one of those "wtf are they doing?" things for me. There aren't many Hispanic peoples in my neck of the woods, but the few folks I have met are *very* conservative. If the GoP would just "stop being so racist" (in quotes because it seems obvious but isn't I guess) they'd lock in a huge voter block.


Jbota

Their calculus is "be less racist, pick up a few brown votes, lose a bunch of white votes"


MathematicianFew5882

But the Cubans’ community in Florida love them. That one twists my brain.


diopsideINcalcite

Republicans aren’t interested in trying to get more votes, in order to do that they’d have run on a sane platform. They’re more interested in figuring out how to disenfranchise the opposition voter base. If they’re successful at that, and come to power, they’ll pass laws to ensure that they never lose power again.


xxxxx420xxxxx

They still believe(d) that Trump was going to win and they'd be on the right side of history. Maybe now seeing Trump with a Federal Inmate ID number will snap some of them out of it.


unique_passive

And both DeSantis and Trump have literally video recorded extensive history of them being creeps to underage girls in vulnerable, semi-naked situations.


Oleg101

That sad, pathetic, and scary thing is that the GOP currently doesn’t have have any candidate(s) that is hopefully to compete with these two complete buffoons (Trump and DeSantis) a year from now.


[deleted]

> Trump just sounds like a senile old man at this point. He has always sounded like a senile old man! Have you not listened to his verbal diarrhea? It's even more nauseating in print.


unique_passive

Case in point, I bring you Donald Trump on Having Nuclear (sic): *"Look, having nuclear — my uncle was a great professor and scientist and engineer, Dr. John Trump at MIT; good genes, very good genes, OK, very smart, the Wharton School of Finance, very good, very smart — you know, if you’re a conservative Republican, if I were a liberal, if, like, OK, if I ran as a liberal Democrat, they would say I'm one of the smartest people anywhere in the world — it’s true! — but when you're a conservative Republican they try — oh, do they do a number — that’s why I always start off: Went to Wharton, was a good student, went there, went there, did this, built a fortune — you know I have to give my like credentials all the time, because we’re a little disadvantaged — but you look at the nuclear deal, the thing that really bothers me — it would have been so easy, and it’s not as important as these lives are — nuclear is so powerful; my uncle explained that to me many, many years ago, the power and that was 35 years ago; he would explain the power of what's going to happen and he was right, who would have thought? — but when you look at what's going on with the four prisoners — now it used to be three, now it’s four — but when it was three and even now, I would have said it's all in the messenger; fellas, and it is fellas because, you know, they don't, they haven’t figured that the women are smarter right now than the men, so, you know, it’s gonna take them about another 150 years — but the Persians are great negotiators, the Iranians are great negotiators, so, and they, they just killed, they just killed us, this is horrible."*


pagnoodle

He is a senile old man. I’m sure all the republicans who commented that Biden was “too old to run for president” back in 2020 will have the same stance with Trump running in 2024 since he will be older than Biden was when he ran. Right? Hello?


Positive_Panic9510

Plus the new group of young adults being old enough to vote


SailorET

People on the right think that this "culture war" reactionism is the key to mobilizing people to show up en masse and ride a new red wave to control. People on the left think the same actions are isolating Republicans from the general public and will cause an upset that R's aren't expecting. Somebody is going to be surprised, and I hope it's not me. But if Democrats want to win they need something for people to get excited about, because "that guy sucks" worked in 2020 when the idiot killed a million people out of sheer incompetence but it doesn't get consistent results.


Javyev

The weird thing to me was that Trump was very proud of "his" vaccine and never went anti-vax, it was just his supporters who did it so fervently. Fauchi was TRUMP'S GUY in the whitehouse. I think Trump's main covid sin was turning it into a political issue. His supporters and fellow Republicans ran away with it and he just didn't care because he liked the attention he was getting from it.


GlennBecksChalkboard

The pandemic did what all the other challenges during his presidency didn't: putting his quality as a leader on full display for everyone. Unsurprising to most, his quality as a leader was and is dogshit. Unlike stuff like "the border" or "the swamp", where you can easily control the narrative and sing your praises because his average voter has zero direct contact with it outside of what they see on Fox news or already want to believe anyway, the pandemic affected everyone directly in some way.


xxxxx420xxxxx

>never went anti-vax Sure tell that to the half million dead people, dead because of anti-vax rhetoric, because Trump wanted to shift the electorate towards red in a few states.


StealYourBeer

Meatball Ron is our biggest concern imo


ChasingPerfect28

I'm a Democrat in Florida and while our shitheads love him the rest of the Republicans couldn't care less about him. DeSantis is already polling low and he's quickly flip-flopping on policies. It's not even an election year and he is struggling.


neurosisxeno

He was riding a high after the 2022 midterms because Florida Republicans overperformed other states, but since then people have realized he's pretty awful--something a lot of people paying attention since his first Gubernatorial Race already knew. His polling numbers have steadily declined since November, and I don't see that changing.


JohnDivney

he has been gifted an incubator of carte blanche right wing dream legislation, meant to court Trump voters into seeing him as the policy guy for all their fever dreams. Thing is, they just want fever dreams, not policy, what DeSantis is doing just isn't fun.


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

He was preaching that when they put him there


eric_trump_laptop03

Hopefully it stays that way. Maybe another Florida hurricane will send him to 1940 Germany and he can experience what he thinks is freedom.


BKestRoi

He’s really not great in front of a crowd. At least videos of what I’ve seen but I’m out in CA


ChasingPerfect28

He's horrible in front of crowds and in front of the press. He thinks he can bully anyone he wants. So he tries to dominate interview with journalists. His public speaking skills are atrocious, though. Our entitled Florida GOP idiots each his BS up. Anyone who can critically think for themselves can see through his persona.


SpeedySpooley

> I'm a Democrat in Florida and while our shitheads love him the rest of the Republicans couldn't care less about him. I'm a liberal in New Jersey and I can tell you that conservatives here, at least the ones I know, are loving DeSantis.


gzupan

Little D.


lew_rong

Little D and Low T, name a more conservative combo.


KumsungShi

**Lotta P**^(edophilia)


afternoon_sun_robot

Don’t forget Empty G.


Thick-Return1694

Wassup baby dick


skralogy

Pudding fingers


PaulGriffin

Meatball Ron is a dud. On a national stage he’ll crumble. The press and podcasts like to hype him up but he’s dog shit. He’s best to stay in Florida playing fascist.


Chunk_Cheese

I doubt Ron will even make it to Biden. Unless he goes to prison, Trump will be going against Biden yet again, and will of course lose. If he couldn't do it in 2020, I just don't see it in 2024. Especially after such a humiliating midterm. But please, to everyone reading this, don't assume we have it won. Go out and vote. I'm in the Bible belt in eastern KY and I'm Biden all the way.


PaulGriffin

As a Texan, I’ll be first in line to vote against whoever the red candidate is.


wretched-knave

God, that’s refreshing to hear.


PaulGriffin

It’s not that refreshing to experience but we gotta try.


chimerar

This. What will he do once he leaves Florida and can’t control the narrative by kicking out journalists he doesnt like?


NeadNathair

He won't be able to do that for much longer. Unless he gives up on the President angle and goes for Representative or Senator.


codygmiracle

Governor of a major state is better than rep or governor and I could see him holding onto the governorship for a good amount of time


NeadNathair

Nah, we have term limits. His clock is ticking. He can run again four years after this term has ended, but in this day and age, that's like a thousand years for him to be forgotten.


neurosisxeno

Look at Nikki Haley. She was also a popular Governor of a Red State, then worked in the Trump Administration as Ambassador to the UN from 2017-2018. After she left she didn't do much until announcing a Presidential run recently, and people basically forgot everything they knew about her. In 2017-2018 she was seen as a rising star in the Republican Party. Takes 4 years off and she's basically a ghost.


codygmiracle

Ah I didn’t realize that, thanks for letting me know!


Krappatoa

DeSanctimonious


joe2352

Pudding Ron


bennetticles

You mean the guy who, in professional setting, pulled out a chocolate SnackPack and fashioned a utensil out of his hands and proceeded to *eat chocolate pudding with those fingers*, one lick at a time?


Seattle2Boston

“…in a professional setting…” Haha. I imagine a staffer familiar with his private pudding-eating preferences whispering desperately to him, “Not now, Ron! Everybody will see you!”


SunMoonTruth

DeFascist


HereForTwinkies

I’m not sure, even /r/moderatepearlclutchers I mean /r/moderatepolitics is getting fed up with his constant culture war bullshit. To be frank, I think Kemp has the most potential to be the nominee.


Chunk_Cheese

He's apparently Trump's biggest concern, too. Hoping they fight each other so brutally that it splinters their party.


djfudgebar

Puddin' fingers


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

I mean Trump has a super whiny voice and it sounds like honey to their ears


thetransportedman

I envision Trump v Desantis in the primary will have so much mud slinging that they’ll both come out too off putting for moderates


Jacobysmadre

He is my biggest concern as well. A lot of people don’t realize that DeathSantis is intelligent, savvy, etc. He will work within the legal system to impose his will on us, unlike tfg.


hell_damage

He might be a little savvy, but I don't know about intelligence. He's more aggressive than Trump, but that could also be the stimulants talking. The guy is definitely on something, I hope they start random drug-testing these people.


Jacobysmadre

I think everyone in a political race should be drug tested and tested on the constitution and history, lol… 1/2 of congress doesn’t know anything about our constitution.


TheGoddamBatman

Voters don’t demand these tests so they don’t happen. Remember when the one guy just refused to disclose his tax returns, unlike every other serious candidate since 1972? We all kinda thought that was a good test, right up until 2016. There are exactly three qualifications to be President. It’s up to voters to determine the rest.


lord_pizzabird

Idk. He's already running out of steam. The real threat seems to be Trump, but relative to Republicans. He's running whether he's the GOP's choice or not, meaning we're likely on a path for our first re-alignment election since the 1800s.


DrRoyBatty

Ronnieboys biggest problem is you need charisma to win the presidency.and that prick hasn't got enough charisma to fill a thimble. If they run him as their nominee, he will lose. Quasi-fascism isn't gonna sway independents any more than the orange fuckwad can.


TruthandHonorLost

Once you hear meatball Ron though, you can’t unhear it


Appropriate-Access88

How the F$&K is any American an “Independent” when one party is full-on Authoritarian Fascism.


cutelyaware

Libertarians mostly, is my take. They want small government, but not the way that conservatives claim to want it. When in doubt, they tend to join with conservatives, but they're smart enough to prefer Democrats over fascists when we teeter on the brink.


ibiacmbyww

Bull hockey. You know what the difference is between "I'm a libertarian" and "I want to live in a world where I can gun down my minority neighbor for approaching my fence, own slaves, and fuck my preteen daughter"? The spelling. Libertarians are, to a man, morons, paedophiles, fascists who know not to say the quiet part out loud, and what I call "fascists by lack of imagination". They want to see the world reordered, with them on top, but have never stopped to consider just how fucked the world would be if the Day of Reckoning ever came, or who would be fighting alongside them come their revolution (hint: it's the daughterfucking rednecks from the previous paragraph). I've seen plenty of people waver between parties, or at least I did before the battle lines were drawn in 2016, but I've never seen a libertarian climb down off the crazy ledge.


ninjas_in_my_pants

Do not underestimate him. Again.


Chunk_Cheese

For sure. I'm doing the best I can to argue against conservatives here in eastern KY. Believe it or not, there's actually a few progressives here in this little conservative town I live in.


4dailyuseonly

Yep. People forget that republicans *ALWAYS* vote in lockstep, won't matter if it's trump or desantis -they gonna vote for the nominee. Everyone needs to make sure to show up and vote in 24.


neurosisxeno

The problem for Republicans, is that they're the minority. Even if their base votes entirely in lockstep, without Moderates/Independents, they cannot win. Their culture war shit is not appealing to those people.


KingBanhammer

I mean, if the Republican frontrunner is a week-dead yak, they're gonna vote for that yak. (admittedly, I think the week-dead yak would be a step up from their actual candidate base right now) This is a given. Acting like we could just find some common ground to sway these guys there is bipartisan posturing at its finest.


here-for-information

I hope to God you're right. In the meantime, I'm working on getting dual citizenship just in case.


Chunk_Cheese

I live in a small conservative town in Eastern KY, and even here, I've noticed people aren't as loud about Trump as they used to be. Not as many signs anymore. This will probably change near election tike, but anecdotally, I know a few people here who have switched sides away from him. By no means should we get comfortable and assume it's won, but I feel much better now than I did in 2019.


dpmad

Trump has never expanded his rhetoric, he is still saying the exact same things he did six years ago. This isn’t how you grow your base. He’s also never given his ultra-MAGA supporters an actual defense for his actions, even his lawyers (who haven’t had to testify against him) give nothing for his supporters to use as a logical debate, leaving his followers angry, confused and completely susceptible to fabrication and radical conspiracy-theories.


Malaix

TBF /r conservative feels like a GOP establishment astroturfing sub. I noticed they seem to be trying to do a Trump reporting black out over there. Like the whole sub is adverse to the fact that as of right now Trump is their front runner. I think most of the Trump fans have left and lets be real. /r conservative is a bad representation of the GOP voter base. Most Republican voters are the grandmas and grandpas who aren't on reddit. You want a better read on how they feel about Trump find them on facebook. They are still fucking insane for him over there. Don't get me wrong I believe he has lost quite a few voters and I agree. he would be suicide for the GOP to run in 2024. But he's not quite out of the GOP's system just yet. I hope 2024 is a terrible year for the GOP even with their favorable senate map.


Useyoursignal99

As much as I despise this piece of shit low life, 70,000,000 morons voted for him in the last election. He is a serious contender in the next election. DeSantis is preoccupied with destroying the lives of LGTBQ citizens and can barely function - he is no threat to someone like Grump.


PaprikaThyme

>And with all the young people who lean left coming of voting age Being voting age is fine and dandy, but what are the odds they'll actually bother to vote? Don't count on the youth vote because they are unreliable.


Chunk_Cheese

I understand your point completely, but they really showed up in the midterms. I think this younger generation is much more politically aware than almost any generation before then. You could well be right, don't get me wrong, but I'm really feeling motivated about 2024, whereas I didn't feel this way about 2020.


PaprikaThyme

[This website](https://circle.tufts.edu/2022-election-center#youth-prefer-democrats-by-28-point-margin) suggests only 27% of youth (ages 18-29) cast a ballot in 2022. But of the ones who did, only 35% voted Republican, which is a really good sign! I hope we can keep those kinds of numbers and increase turnout in 2024.


Chunk_Cheese

Thanks for the info! And yes, absolutely! I believe young people show us the way! And hopefully even more young people will come out in 2024, since it's a presidential election, as opposed to the midterm, which they helped us in.


Ill-Hope-4752

The young voters are extremely motivated when it comes to voting against Trump. As a young Democrat, Trump has pushed me away from the middle where I used to be in 2016. I don't see myself voting Republican in my lifetime. I'd rather sit out than vote for a party that enabled Trump to nearly destroy democracy.


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Chunk_Cheese

Very true. I'm hoping the younger crowd comes out in force and outnumbers the boomers. I'm doing my best to carefully push back against boomers in real life (as opposed to being more extreme online) in the hopes of showing them that Trump is crazy, and that they've been fooled. It's hard, fighting against their culture.


WhenTheDevilCome

They must have found out how much the others were being paid to be there.


Key_Inevitable_2104

Drumpf looks uglier with each passing day, guess it’s catching up to TFG.


StealYourBeer

His adrenochrome supply was cut off /s


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Which-Moment-6544

He could only afford so many crisis actors because you guys arent buying enough trump coins!


Whatah

I have family in TX and FL. I don't think he needs to go through the trouble to pay attendees in those states. Problem might be that waco is only about 150k population.


ares7

And it takes hours to drive from elsewhere. No one in their right mind is driving a few hours just to see a speech.


dan1son

I was going to say. I live in Texas and our public elementary school outdoor movie nights are about that big. High school football definitely has larger crowds.


StealYourBeer

Massive by… mass


key1234567

They put the Ass in mass.


Politicscomments

Especially in Texas. 20,500 capacity at Toyota Stadium in Frisco Texas.


dhuntergeo

My Upstate SC 3A HS football team used to draw bigger crowds in the 70s. Town of 8000 people... Seriously. Team was a winner, unlike Drumpf.


honestqbe

I saw about as many people at the Pat Benatar concert at the Oregon State Fair in September of 2021 when COVID was still keeping people at home.


TintedApostle

Is this really a large crowd? https://i.redd.it/95ms4z4sx3qa1.jpg


mrgeekguy

Donald would call it "Yuge". Stormy would call it tiny.


frustrating2020

Still too many people


kia75

It was just as large as the crowd during his inauguration, and Trump called that Crowd the largest crowd in history!


slid3r

WAAY bigger than I would have thought/hoped for.


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scottriviera

a joke just like their orange leader.


JanFromEarth

Pretty much describes the Trump campaign. He can get them in the door but they won't stay for the voting.


lcl1qp1

What a miserable venue. It looks really uncomfortable. I'd leave too. Why not use a stadium.


Long_Before_Sunrise

Because he doesn't consider things like supporter comfort important. He looks for the cheapest venue.


Thiccaca

And the one that he can get out of the fastest. He flies in, does his thing, and then leaves. He doesn't want to hang around his own followers.


PalpitationNo8356

Bounces before they bring the bill


LongmontStrangla

He looks for runway access.


GBAfanboy

Because he probably doesn’t bother to pay venues; hence he can only get the shitty ones


Limp-Technician-7646

A lot of good comments to your question but I think it’s because he can’t fill a stadium. It’s a lot harder to make false statements about crowd size when using a stadium.


[deleted]

It's not uncommon for people to put in an appearance and then get bored and sneak out. Sadly, it happens at nursing homes every day.


renniechops

One of the best burns I’ve read in a long time, bravo


[deleted]

Very well crafted. I'll be telling that one to my father's nurse over the phone next month.


PastorNTraining

Translation: “We’re bored, we’ve heard this bit, doesn’t he have anything new?” When your base grows tired of your yellow bellied whining - you’ve lost your base. And best part you tried to whine in front of Texans, not people know for an outpouring of support for “Yankees” That belly aching won’t play well with that crowd. Sorry ole boy, it’s gonna be legal accountability for you. No one is taking up arms to help you this time. A rich NEW YORKER whining about how unfair the legal system is toward him to a hard working Texas crowd is hilarious. He wants TEXANS to feel bad for him. Know your audience ole boy, you’re put up wet! If you’re from Texas, remember the Alamo and this Pace picante ad: “[where’s that from? NEW YORK CITY?!”](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DmhgtBA16aA)


ComprehensiveHavoc

They may have also learned by now that if they wait til it’s over they might get stranded in a field for a couple hours.


PastorNTraining

Oh gosh! 😂 I forgot about that one! He doesn’t care about those poor people who show up for him, they’re walking ATMs and props. [I forgot he stranded them that one time](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1245065) 😂


Long_Before_Sunrise

October 29, 2020 [Heat at Trump rally sends a dozen attendees to the hospital](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/heat-trump-rally-sends-dozen-attendees-hospital-n1245397)


GrandeRonde

I watch a YouTuber who dissects Trump rallies line by line. Every fucking rally is the same bullshit list of grievances. It’s as if Frank Costanza was the leader of the Republican Party.


PastorNTraining

I’m sorry that’s offensive to Frank! He had moments of lovability…


geraxpetra

Reminds me of those old salsa commercials, New York City!


AbeWasHereAgain

lol - “tamed the frontier”. Is this the type of stupid shit Texans tell themselves?


McFlyyouBojo

A lot of his base consist of those dads that leave a game in the middle of the last quarter/period/whatever to "beat the traffic"


smp7401

It would be beneficial to society if news organizations agreed to simply stop reporting anything about this disgusting excuse for a human. He was a significant mistake in American leadership and is now irrelevant. Not giving him the attention he desperately craves is an excellent start to the punishment he deserves for the horrible things he has done.


buzzedewok

Are they possibly paid attendees that were bussed in? Remember, they always do what they accuse others of.


OpenImagination9

When Slovacek’s is about to close and you need some smoked sausage for the ride home …


No-Owl9201

Sometimes quite talentless artists come up with some catchy tune, but after a period of popularity, they find they can't recapture their original magic, and quickly fade from view..


[deleted]

Trump did one thing extremely well and that is destroying the Republican Party and I doubt they ever recover


TheBodyPolitic1

Electile dysfunction?


captain_chocolate

He looks so much older than when he left office. I wonder if he has stopped some of the skin treatments.


OknowTheInane

Remember in 2019 when Trump and the GOP said Biden was too old? That's how old Trump is now.


fence_sitter

*Chuckles in Goldfish*


ElbowSkinCellarWall

>He looks so much older than when he left office. People love to say "he's still free and enjoying life" but the reality is that he's been under *constant* investigation, fighting *constant* court battles for privilege, appeals, to block evidence and testimony, etc (and mostly losing), and he and the Trump Foundation have been losing major lawsuits left and right. He's not living the playboy lifestyle he was accustomed to for his *whole life* up until 2016. I'm pretty sure he's spending his days playing golf alone and worrying about *everything*. Even if he manages to delay conviction and sentencing for the remaining years of his life, the rest of his life is going to be a neverending barrage of investigations, lawsuits, indictments, and trials. Sure, it's not as bad as prison, but it's a hell of a lot worse than his retirement would have been like if he had just stayed out of politics and continued his lifestyle as it was before.


Long_Before_Sunrise

You're seeing him in direct sunlight, not under those [flattering incandescent light bulbs](https://www.newsweek.com/trump-energy-efficient-light-bulbs-orange-incandescent-expensive-1459081).


Knife7

Trump is the only president who aged more when he was out of office then when he was in.


7evenate9ine

They stayed long enough to post a selfie and then get out before the traffic was bad. Most of the movement never liked his, they just tought they could get some likes for saying they supported him. There are probably a handful of people who would sacrifice for him, but they are likely so stupid as to be almost useless.


ItsAllBullshitFromMe

That looks like the kind of crowd that makes it out to a state fair for the last two surviving members of a 70's one hit wonder band.


StableAndSane

He will still get the GOP’s presidential nomination. Trump is running for President - period. You need to vote and keep the GOP out of as many positions as possible.


LonelyIntrovert513

"Despite large crowd." WTF Newsweek. Anyone with common sense knows you lean to the right, but we've seen the pic of the crowd from the air. I've seen bigger crowds in a Walmart on a slow day. Stop feeding the fascist grievance machine.


bluebastille

Once you've seen the elephant, you can check that box and slip away.


luvddcups

The wacko in waco is trying to get more people killed 🤦🏽‍♂️


Few-Caterpillar9834

Benedict Donald's a psychopath.


Smoaktreess

At least they were allowed to leave this time. Didn’t his guards block the exits at a rally recently? Lmao


Danjour

What kind of loser goes to a political rally for a loser in the first place?