I believe that Thursday marks the one year anniversary of Trump getting into the race.
I wonder how many of us were with him from day one?
I confess that I was not. But it only took a week or so to bring me on board. I remember being at a Independence Day weekend barbecue and all the talk was of Trump. It was then that I began to realize he could also win.
It was in the first weeks that the repository was begun
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/repositorytrump/index?tab=articles
Many positive articles from before he bacame a candidate. More positive press than tabloid was available from gitgo
I was, and I must tell you I was mad about it. So, were many others. I felt that he was going to be a third party candidate, Ross Perot type, a most despicable man who ushered in Clinton.
But then, when he took the incoming, and stood ground with the press, and even doubled down, I knew he was the man. At least within one month. I knew then and there he’d win.
I think in October, I started the live rallies as they were easy to find.
Before he entered the race, I thought the primary was going to be a circus with 15-16 people declared to run.
I figured the Dems would exploit the fact that we would, like in 2012, assemble the obligatory GOP circular firing squad and eliminate our candidates one by one with no help from the Dems.
With Jeb getting money and traction, it was like despairville for all hope of winning in 2016. Cruz seemed viable, but then I thought his chances were slim. I even thought he was an outsider—imagine that!
And I did not want a third Bush.
I was ready to sit this one out. I could barely pull the lever for Romney in 2012.
In fact, I quit the GOP the day after the 2012 loss, I was so angry at the GOP for giving us such a weak candidate when our country was in mortal danger from another term of Obozo. It was like the 1996 loss all over again..
Then Donald J. Trump and Melania took the famous ride down the escalator.
I was like—oh, another act for the circus!
Then I heard him speak—and he was saying all the things we have clamoring for on FreeRepublic for years. He even dissed John McCain! Woo-hoo!
And he did something I have not seen since Reagan—he fought BACK! No apologies, no back tracking, no mea culpas.
He stayed on his message and within a week or so, I was hooked.
Then, he seemed so unlikely to win anything.
Now, it seems like destiny.
If America is to survive, the Dems, whomever they run, cannot win the Oval Office.
It must be Donald J. Trump.
I was with him from day one. He had me at the escalator ride down....seriously, he had me with this announcement speech.
I remembered listening to him talking with Rush, back in 2012, and thinking “this is the guy who should be running for Prez”.
I wasn’t on board at first either Sam, his kids brought me on board everyone was SCREAMING about how he wasn’t a conservative but when I looked at how those kids were raised he WAS conservative enough for me!!! Mr. Trump IS going to WIN this race !!!!!!
“I wonder how many of us were with him from day one?”
Here’s one. I was stunned when I heard his speech that day and my mouth dropped open. NOBODY ever had said (out loud) what he said. I was on board.
I was with Trump from day one. I knew he was street smart as well as book smart. I thought it was more than likely he would need tutoring on foreign policy, protocol with foreign leaders, and the inner workings of Washington in general, but he’d grasp all the necessary details and move our country away from the cliff. I truly believe he is our last hope to save America.
*** I wonder how many of us were with him from day one? ***
I was for Cruz, but I think after about a week of Trump’s announcing, I was all in. He said what a lot of Americans were thinking. He was unapologetic, and his energy was boundless..
My first thought, btw, of Trump’s running was obnoxious, loud, serial marriages. Looking at his business success, his pragmatism, I realized that what we needed was NOT a politician, but someone like Trump.
I remember him coming down the escalator in Trump Tower and making the whole speech about the scourge of illegal immigration. A candidate gets it. I actually only “knew of” Cruz from all of you, and what I heard I liked, and I had already donated a couple times. But, yes, Donald excited me from moment one.
I was actually surprised at how upset the Hollywood libs around me were about the speech. I saw nothing racist at all. I understood the difference between usurpers and Mexican Americans.
I was mistakenly for Cruz first. Then Cruz was deafeningly silent on illegal immigration while Trump talked walls and deportation. Even better, when the press and his own party attacked him, he didn’t waver.
I was hooked.
>>I wonder how many of us were with him from day one?
Me! Me! Me! : ) I just could not abide any of the others : )
Windflier decided me. I read his post where he wrote that he was changing from Cruz to Donald because Cruz never caught fire. I value his judgement and came with him. Later on down the road, the more I learned about Cruz, the less I liked him. For me, the straw that broke the camel’s back with Ted was his vote for the Corker Amendment and the TPP. In the mean time, the more I learned about Donald, the better I liked him.
I was, but boy was I quiet around here—this place was Cruz Country.
I’ve been onboard with Trump since 2011 when he toyed with running..
I took a lot of guff here on FR when he decided not to run, but by now it’s all been worth it.