Subject: Travel pool report #9: POTUS enters arena, photos
Tokyo, Japan
POTUS, FLOTUS and the Abes walked into the arena just before 5 pm. POTUS behaved much the way he does at rallies, by clapping and finger-pointing, before taking his seat. There was loud applause but your pooler could hear scattered “boos” as he took his seat.
Now sumo is underway. Photos attached.
Subject: Travel pool report #10: more from Sumo event
Tokyo, Japan
Both couples ended up seated in chairs - not on the customary mats - a few yards from the sumo ring. During the series of matches, POTUS,
wearing a pink tie, leaned over several times to whisper to FLOTUS, who was wearing a red dress. He also turned at different points to PM Abe and other officials who appeared to be explaining what was happening.
But largely, POTUS did not clap or react much when the wrestlers faced him, threw ceremonial salt or swayed from side to side. At breaks between matches, sumo officials with advertisements circled around the ring.
At first, POTUS sat leaning forward with his hands clasped, but then shifted back in his chair and crossed his arms as the program went on. Behind him were several aides including Stephen Miller, Dan Scavino, and Mick Mulvaney.
After about a half hour after POTUS arrived, the tournament ended: the wrestler Asanoyama sealed his win.
POTUS then left the arena. In his absence, the first of three championship cups were moved to the center of the ring. The crowd sang the Japanese national anthem and then applauded as sumo officials entered the ring and awarded the Championship Cup.
A second, very large silver cup was brought out to a very large round of applause. This one is called the Prime Minister’s Cup. PM Abe awarded the huge cup to Asanoyama. As Abe struggled with the weight of the cup, the wrestler stepped forward to take it from him. The crowd laughed.
Then the third cup, the President’s Cup, was unveiled to oohs and ahhs. POTUS then approached the ring to applause. He bowed slightly, the moved into the center of the ring.
He read from a scroll, a “Certificate of commemoration Asanoyama.”
“In honor of your outstanding achievement as sumo grand champion I hereby award you the President’s Cup,” POTUS said, adding the date under the Japanese era he called “Reiwa.” (The crowd was excited to hear him say this word, which describes the era under the new emperor.) He was drowned out at points so check against transcripts.
POTUS and another official sumo official lifted the cup and handed it to Asanoyama. POTUS smiled, clapped briefly, and left the ring.
We are rolling at 5:52 pm where the couples are scheduled to have dinner at a hibachi restaurant.
What an absolutely disgusting statement by this propagandist.