"The title is a poor choice of words"
Posted on 01/31/2020 6:46:44 AM PST by billorites
DES MOINES, Iowa — Of course Donald Trump packed the Knapp Center arena on the campus of Drake University, filling all 7,152 seats in the stands, with more on the floor. Of course another 1,000 people or so, kept out by the fire marshal, hung around in sub-freezing temperatures outside to watch the president's speech on a big screen. Of course the Trump event dwarfed those of any of his Democratic rivals days before the Iowa caucuses.
Here in the first-voting state, President Trump is just bigger than his opponents. And if that message isn't made clear by just looking around, he spent a good deal of his speech reminding the audience of it. He is big, and they are small. He's on top of his game, and they can't get it together. He matters and they don't.
"Joe had a crowd so small the other day that they set up a round table," Trump said of former Vice President Joe Biden, as the crowd laughed. "Joe, Joe, he always gets the name wrong. How many times has he missed it? He's in Iowa, he says, 'Great to be in the great state of Ohio,' and they say, 'Joe, you're in Iowa.' You can't do that."
"What happened to Mini Mike?" Trump asked, referring to former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg. "Where's he? He's not running. He's skipping four or five states. Mini Mike — I've had him up to here." With that, Trump raised his hand to mid-chest, and the crowd roared again.
"How about Boot Edge Edge?" Trump said. Just referring to the common pronunciation helper is enough to dismiss former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg. "They say, 'Edge Edge,'" Trump said. "I don't see that one."
Why is Trump in Iowa? Yes, there actually are Republican caucuses here on Monday night, but the fact that you might not even know that shows how little they matter, given the overwhelming Republican support for the president. Yes, Trump's hapless GOP Never Trump opponents Bill Weld and Joe Walsh are wandering around the state somewhere, drawing a few people to this or that coffee shop while Trump fills the Knapp Center. Yes, Republican leaders are happy to see the president in their state.
But Trump's appearance was for a higher purpose: To mess with his Democratic opponents. Just zoom in on Air Force One, stage a rally bigger than anything they could muster in their wildest dream and zoom back to Washington, having shown again that he is big and they are small.
Trump talked about many things — he spoke for 1 hour and 27 minutes. But he spent perhaps the most time on trade and the economy, touting his U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement and the recently completed first stage of his trade deal with China. Iowa farmers stuck with Trump through the tariff battles, and now both deals will improve the Iowa economy, he said over and over and over. Farmers will need bigger tractors. They'll need bigger harvests just to deal with all the new business.
Just to drive home the message, on either side of the giant blue "KEEP AMERICA GREAT" banner behind Trump were two red banners, nearly as big, with the same message: "JOBS! JOBS! JOBS!"
Amid all the talk of the drama of the day in Washington, in Iowa, Trump is pushing one big point, and that is: My presidency is making your lives better, and you would be crazy to vote for anybody else in November.
Obviously people who come to a Trump rally have taken the trouble to come to a Trump rally. They support the president. But Trump seemed to have a special bond with many in the crowd. Some of them had doubts about him in 2016. Some of them supported other candidates, particularly Ted Cruz, in the caucuses that year. But they are happy with what he has done in the White House — the falling unemployment rate, the rising wages, the judges, the killing of Abu Bakr al Baghdadi and Qassem Soleimani. All those things that make up the controversy of the day on CNN and MSNBC? They're not bothered.
And of the biggest controversy of the day, the impeachment trial that was going on precisely as Trump spoke? The one word they used most commonly to describe the Democratic push to remove the president was "waste." It was a waste of Congress' time, a waste of money, a waste of everybody's attention.
"They're wasting time," said Dave Reinders of Urbandale.
"A waste of time and dollars," said Chris Ward of Ackworth.
"What a giant waste of time," said Curt Hora of Ankeny.
"Most of the people I encounter feel impeachment was a waste of time," said Mariannette Miller-Meeks, a state senator from Iowa's 41st District who is running for a House seat.
Some used other words to describe it (scam, sham, joke, distraction), but the overwhelming sense is that impeachment has just been a waste of everybody's energy. They're not likely to change their minds by November.
Trump's own treatment of impeachment fits into that sense. "While we're proudly creating jobs and killing terrorists, congressional Democrats are consumed with partisan rage and obsessed with a deranged witch hunt hoax," he told the crowd, to boos and hisses. "We're having probably the best years that we've ever had in the history of our country — and I just got impeached!"
"Can you believe these people? I got impeached," Trump continued. "They impeached the president. No, it's not gonna work. Watch. Just watch."
It certainly won't work in Iowa, where Trump won a state that Barack Obama won twice. Now, no Democrat approaches Obama's stature, and Trump towers over presidential politics. That, too, is not likely to change by November.
Mr President, Isn’t it about time you go on Offense? I think as soon as the acquittal vote is cast, you really need to go full on Scorched Earth with these corrupt quisling clowns in Congress and other Government Institutions.
EXPOSE EVERYTHING!!
Best troll ever.
I like the part about saying “I’ve had it up to here” (with Mini Mike) and then holding his hand up to mid chest level. :^)
In charge and living large...for four more years.
Drop the names of the congressional people that used taxpayer money to pay off the victims of their sexual abuse. ...do it Saturday. ..just in time for the Sunday shows. ..
That was a a zinger too. Lol.
PDJT knows better than anyone when to bust out the big guns on his opponent. His strength is his patience.
He looked a tad bit more animated at this rally. I believe he was a little worn out at the Wildwood one.
None of this matters if they remove him from office.
He can run again
The impeachment does not apply to the future inspite of the Articles infringement
I've noticed he does seem fatigued on occasion. When I see that and consider his age I begin to be concerned, but he always pops up somewhere else looking young and refreshed.
Not according to the second impeachment article.
"The title is a poor choice of words"
Please expand on your statement.
>>>
Wherefore, President Trump, by such conduct, has demonstrated that he will remain a threat to the Constitution if allowed to remain in office, and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with self-governance and the rule of law. President Trump thus warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and
* disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.*
>>>
https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2019/12/politics/impeachment-articles-annotated/
THAT would be glorious!!
Sounds like the cspan comments I heard last night during the dinner break.
His speech was flawless...I loved when he talked about the Environazis flying in their private jets...
The article is irrelevant. Impeachment applies only to removing the President from office and is not valid for future events. The article is a bogus hoax and grab for power.
To prevent the president from running would require a trial in a court of law
(at least, that’s what Trump will claim and the democrats must contest)
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