Trump returns to campaign mode, rallying supporters, attacking foes, promising a greater America
President Trump returned Saturday to campaign mode -- holding a rally in a Florida airport hangar in which he again railed against the “dishonest media” and repeated his promises to build a “beautiful” border wall, replace “disastrous” ObamaCare and other familiar lines that rallied him to an unexpected White House win.
The roughly 50-minute speech outside Melbourne, Florida, was quintessential Trump -- with the president vowing to help disillusioned Americans find better jobs and live safer, while attacking the news media for unfavorable stories and calling it “a big part of the problem” toward his mission to “make America great again.”
“I am here to tell you about our great progress … and our incredible plans for our future,” said Trump, who since officially taking over the White House in late-January has been unable to hold campaign-style rallies. “I am here because I want to be among my friends and among my people. This was truly a great movement.”
Trump essentially picked up from where he left off during Thursday’s freewheeling, 77-minute press conference in which he accused reporters of knowingly writing incorrect stories to hurt his young administration and perpetuating damaging “fake news.”
“I also want to talk to you without the filters of fake news,” Trump told the estimated crowd of 9,000 at the Orlando Melbourne International Airport near Melbourne. “They have their own agenda.”
On Saturday, he also repeated what he said Thursday about his administration running like a “fine-tuned machine” and that he inherited “one big mess,” knocking back criticism about a rocky start and suggestions that he and his administration are working in coordination with Russia.
The Republican president visited Florida nearly two dozen times during the 2016 presidential campaign, winning the state after President Obama’s 2008 and 2012 victories.
“Thank you,” he said. “This is a state where we all had great victory together.”
The rally, which included about 2,500 protesters outside, also included the kind of unscripted, unconventional stage-craft that riveted voters for roughly 18 months.
This time, first lady Melania Trump started the rally with The Lord’s Prayer. And Trump brought supporter Gene Huber on stage to speak, then admitted such impromptu acts rattle the Secret Service agents who protect him.
Big rowdy events were the hallmark of Trump's winning presidential campaign.
He has continued to do them, although with smaller crowds, throughout the early part of the transition, during what he called a "thank you" tour.
But until this week, Trump has mostly relied on Twitter to sidestep reporters and on spokespeople, who have struggled at times to deliver his agenda -- including plans to temporarily ban travel from seven mostly Muslim nations -- to a largely combative press corps.
The event Saturday was put on by Trump's campaign, rather than the White House.
“I hear your demands. I hear your voices,” Trump said. “And I promise you, I will deliver.”
Asked if the rally was for the 2020 election, spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders called it "a campaign rally for America."
Asked by reporters aboard Air Force One if a campaign rally was too early, Trump said that "life is a campaign" and that making America great again is a campaign. He added that "it's not easy, especially when we're also fighting the press and the media."
The speech was not without Trump’s familiar, tough talk on crime, border security, radical Islamic terrorism and illegal immigration, too.
“I know you want safer neighborhoods where the streets belong to families and communities, not gang members and drug dealers who right now, as I speak, are being thrown out of the country and will not be let back in,” he said. “We will have strong borders. … Get them to hell out of here.” http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/02/18/trump-returns-to-campaign-mode-rallying-supporters-attacking-foes-promising-greater-america.html
The roughly 50-minute speech outside Melbourne, Florida, was quintessential Trump -- with the president vowing to help disillusioned Americans find better jobs and live safer, while attacking the news media for unfavorable stories and calling it “a big part of the problem” toward his mission to “make America great again.”
“I am here to tell you about our great progress … and our incredible plans for our future,” said Trump, who since officially taking over the White House in late-January has been unable to hold campaign-style rallies. “I am here because I want to be among my friends and among my people. This was truly a great movement.”
Trump essentially picked up from where he left off during Thursday’s freewheeling, 77-minute press conference in which he accused reporters of knowingly writing incorrect stories to hurt his young administration and perpetuating damaging “fake news.”
“I also want to talk to you without the filters of fake news,” Trump told the estimated crowd of 9,000 at the Orlando Melbourne International Airport near Melbourne. “They have their own agenda.”
On Saturday, he also repeated what he said Thursday about his administration running like a “fine-tuned machine” and that he inherited “one big mess,” knocking back criticism about a rocky start and suggestions that he and his administration are working in coordination with Russia.
The Republican president visited Florida nearly two dozen times during the 2016 presidential campaign, winning the state after President Obama’s 2008 and 2012 victories.
“Thank you,” he said. “This is a state where we all had great victory together.”
The rally, which included about 2,500 protesters outside, also included the kind of unscripted, unconventional stage-craft that riveted voters for roughly 18 months.
This time, first lady Melania Trump started the rally with The Lord’s Prayer. And Trump brought supporter Gene Huber on stage to speak, then admitted such impromptu acts rattle the Secret Service agents who protect him.
Big rowdy events were the hallmark of Trump's winning presidential campaign.
He has continued to do them, although with smaller crowds, throughout the early part of the transition, during what he called a "thank you" tour.
But until this week, Trump has mostly relied on Twitter to sidestep reporters and on spokespeople, who have struggled at times to deliver his agenda -- including plans to temporarily ban travel from seven mostly Muslim nations -- to a largely combative press corps.
The event Saturday was put on by Trump's campaign, rather than the White House.
“I hear your demands. I hear your voices,” Trump said. “And I promise you, I will deliver.”
Asked if the rally was for the 2020 election, spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders called it "a campaign rally for America."
Asked by reporters aboard Air Force One if a campaign rally was too early, Trump said that "life is a campaign" and that making America great again is a campaign. He added that "it's not easy, especially when we're also fighting the press and the media."
The speech was not without Trump’s familiar, tough talk on crime, border security, radical Islamic terrorism and illegal immigration, too.
“I know you want safer neighborhoods where the streets belong to families and communities, not gang members and drug dealers who right now, as I speak, are being thrown out of the country and will not be let back in,” he said. “We will have strong borders. … Get them to hell out of here.” http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/02/18/trump-returns-to-campaign-mode-rallying-supporters-attacking-foes-promising-greater-america.html
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What an awesome event. He should do these fairly regularly to promote getting things done and to go around the msm to communicate directly with we the people.
Where were you when Trump was campaigning the first time? Oh yeah, you were right along side everyone else who saw Trump for the moron he is (i.e. the majority of Americans). Now you are just that weasel who wants to be part of whatever the conservatives are loosely trying to hold together, no matter how pathetic, un-American, and un-Constitutional it is.
Everyone knew that XX was a Trumpster. He had to pretend he wasnt for the sake of his "religious beliefs" .
I didn't particularly care for him. I preferred all the other GOP presidential candidates to him. I voted independent. However in the here and now, given the choice between supporting him or the political likes of you, I'll take him every time.
How a so called Christian could support Donald Trump for anything will be one of the great mysteries of the ages.
Jesus frowned on stealing and the Democrats love to steal peoples earnings.
Democrats and Republicans both steal your earnings.
The only difference is this, the Democrats give it to the bureaucrats and the Republicans give it to the corporations.
We shall see right now the Republicans are claiming I'm going to see big tax cuts. I will try to hold them to that promise. The Dems never work towards lowering my tax burden.
Yes I'm opposed to government subsidies and that includes corporations. It is the Dems that have been pushing for all these green energy subsidies. It was the Dems that shoved Obamacare down our throats that subsidizes corporations.
I too am looking forward to tax cuts for all.
Dean likely thinks that the poor mother trying to feed her kids, is stealing from the food bank that provides her charity.
“You look at what’s happening,” he told his supporters. “We’ve got to keep our country safe. You look at what’s happening in Germany, you look at what’s happening last night in Sweden . Sweden, who would believe this?”
Exactly, who would believe this?
Think I"ll just stick with the alternative facts.
Sweden has been attacking the consciousness of the entire world since the 1970's. Just try and get this out of your head.
Once seen and heard, cannot be unseen and unheard. They still haunt me to this day as one of my co-workers loves to sing their songs. I need Purple Haze badly.
How do you embed videos from Youtube on this site now? I couldn't figure out how to do it last night.
Steve, click on the film icon, next to the smiley face..It will pop up and click on embed you tube. Than copy and paste the url of the you tube video you want and click on embed.
Cool. Thanks Kavika.
People are such music snobs, and there is no reason for it.
Waterloo is a great record. Top 40. Pop music. Nothing wrong with it at all.
Did you know Bing Crosby was the most successful musical entertainer of the 20th century?
One musical genre is not "better" than another.
Democrats would prefer we not make America great again.
Idiots don't think that American is great...
I agree. America is already great!
And Obama leaving office has indeed returned us to that exceptional status.
Obama being in or out of office has nothing to do with us being exceptional. If you feel that your less than exceptional, it's a personal problem with you, XX.
I have never said America isn't an exceptional nation nor that her population are anything other than exceptional. We were on the wrong track for eight years and we can restore our country to pre Obama greatness.
You just said it again, XX....Do you have trouble with the English language?
Umm, we've been on the wrong track for a lot longer than eight years. Closer to 100 I would say. One President does not a nation make, or break.
Ahhhhhh....... The 'morning dump' from XXXPalin and the fake news channel!
don, why don't you seed your own articles then rather than putting down others who contribute here. You don't like what I seed or say, then compete with your own articles and seeds instead of belly aching about me.
Fair question, XX. 1. I spend about 1 hr. a day on my laptop. I have other and must more constructive things in my life than to hang out here. Like watching paint dry, grass grow, aand counting grains of sand on a beach. Therefore I refuse to come here, bomb NT with 5 articles and then never show my face until the next bomb run on the site. 2. Some things said on this site I consider wrong, inaccurate, and sometimes just plain borderline stupid. My opinion of course, but mine nonetheless, and I offer comments, even insults, if you will to get the seeder to clarify his stance/opinion on certain subjects. 3. Maybe I am a contrary son of a bitch, and just want to piss people off!
One, two, or three, take your pick, pick all three, I don't care. I do know one thing I am not a hypocrite, and have a hard time suffering those who constantly prove their hypocracy and two-facedness on a daily basis.
The left is attacking Trump through protests and biased media. Nobody appears to be organizing anybody to support him so Trump's doing it himself in rallies. If I have to have a boob as president (which would have been the case no matter who was elected), then I want to get some benefit out of it. Maybe he can at least get rid of illegal aliens . . . something democrats will never do.
While I didn't like either, there is much more stuff Trump can get done that I would like to see than Hillary could have. I'd have hated almost everything she tried to do had she won.
There is much more damage he can do as America's first (and LAST) Russian President. He's not my President!
That's good coming from an admitted socialist. We would be in trouble if you approved of him.
That's good coming from an admitted socialist
I am a confirmed Socialist, however Putin is not and neither is Trump. Both are authoritarians, dictators. Putin has already established his dictatorship and is happily and with his cooperation trying to help Trump establish his. After Tillersion works to get the sanctions lifted from Russia hundreds of billions of dollars of gas and oil fields will open up to EXXON?Mobil and there is no doubt the Tillerson and Trump and Putin will all gt a healthy cut. They are all, including Trump, nothing more or less then Russian mobsters. Trump is not an American President (and certainly not my President), he is a Russian one. He is a traitor and is guilty of treason.
And you all got upset when we said not my president regarding Obama.....
Really?
He is a traitor and is guilty of treason.
You have any actual PROOF of this?
Didn't think so...
I thought Trump had German ancestry, not Russian. I have Russian ancestry, but was born in Canada. With your logic, does that make me a German?