Subject:* travel pool #3/more Trump on Kavanaugh at Topeka airport
President Trump emerged from Air Force One about 5:05pm CT in Topeka, Kansas, under dreary skies. Mid-50s and it’s now drizzling as we motorcade.
He came over to pool and local press to talk about the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court:
“Our country has a truly great new Supreme Court justice. We’re very honored by it. He’s an outstanding man, an outstanding person, and what they put him and his family through — the Democrats — over the last few weeks is horrible. If you look at what he’s had to endure — horrible. False statements, and it just doesn’t get any worse. But the beautiful thing is he is now in. He’s going to be there for a long time and he’s just an outstanding intellect, outstanding scholar, a brilliant lawyer, Brilliant at everything he’s ever done. So we’re very happy. And the vote, it was a great vote, a very historic vote.... I just spoke to Justice — I just spoke to him two minutes ago. And I spoke to the justice’s family land he’s so excited. We have now Justice Kavanaugh and he’s a terrific man, terrific person... I just congratulated him.I said congratulations. It was well fought. I mean, who would have thought a thing like that could have happened, what he’s been through. Everything was uncorroborated.”
He lauded the FBI for a “really detailed thorough professional” report.
“The extra week delay was a terrific thing for the process. So we have a great new Supreme Court justice and he’s going to be there for many years. We are very very proud of him and what he and his family had to endure. It’s a great testament and it’s a testament also to our country.”
After speaking to pool he walked over to a viewing pen. Shook hands. Hesigned at least two Make America Great Again hats including one that he took off a man’s head. He returned it a few moments later with his signature scrawled across the brim, placing it back on the man’s head.
“We just signed the document,” he said at one point. He thanked the crowd repeatedly. They had cheered him moments earlier when he walked out of the plane and raised his hands in a sort of time to cheer gesture.
Thanks to co-pooler Emily Cochrane for assistance.
Still driving.
Todd J. Gillman
Subject:* travel pool #4/rally starting at Kansas Expocentre
Greetings from the Landon Arena at the Kansas Expocentre in Topeka.
Serious wifi problems that hopefully have been resolved now for an open press MAGA rally.
The presidential motorcade arrived about 5:30. The usual sights of folks waving and taking photos. Inside the arena: blaring, ear-bleed level music. The sound meter on your poolers phone stayed between 77 and 81 dB, occasionally spiking even higher, to Skyfall and YMCA and other oldies.
At 5:55 pm CT, Trump 2020 campaign manager Brad Parscale took the podium to warm up the crowd.”Kansas is Trump country,” he declared. “Is anyone sick of winning?... Today we won again!” And the crowd cheered.
The president, he said, “taught me how to fight hard.” to “fight the fake news” and “all the crap” they throw at us.”I came from a middle class family right here in Topeka.” He said he’d played basketball in this very arena.
He said there are 11,000 people in the arena tonight.
More to come.