Former President Donald Trump hit the rally road to the swing states of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin over the weekend to remind voters that he's the man of the people and, if possible, to give these crucial battlegrounds a shove back into the red, politically speaking. Trump's messaging had a familiar ring; the economy, crime, illegal immigration -- and Joe Biden driving the country toward Third World status.
The campaign stylings of Trump and Biden are polar opposites. The latter loves to appear grandfatherly, quiet, reserved, and ready to give a kid a quarter to buy a stick of candy -- until someone makes Paw Paw mad, and then he lashes out and calls people names. Trump comes off as a fun visiting uncle -- a little crazy with lots of fist-bumping and dancing around, but you always know where he stands and what he believes, and, somehow, that is more attention-grabbing than the incumbent's message: Finish the job.
So how did The Donald, convicted of 34 felony counts, fare in the Keystone and Badger states? He rocked his rallies and made a few new friends along the way with his latest message, which appealed to those hard-working people in the food industry.
First Up, Racine
Racine is about 30 miles south of Milwaukee, where the Republican National Committee will hold its official 2024 nominating convention. In 2020, Racine County went for Trump over Biden, 52% to 47%.
This past spring, the Marquette University Law poll surveyed 814 registered voters in Wisconsin with a makeup of 34% Republican, 31% Democratic, and 34% independent. Biden and Trump are effectively neck and neck at 49% and 51%, respectively. The thin majority for Trump is based on voters' greater confidence in him to handle immigration, border security, and the economy - plus, the Israel-Hamas war and foreign relations.
Biden had the lead on health care, abortion policy, Medicare, and Social Security. Trump played his cards well, taking the stage at 4 p.m. at the Racine Festival Park. It was a hot day, but that did not deter rallygoers, and Mother Nature stepped in with a cool breeze off the harbor. The former president kicked off the whole shebang by debunking his rumored snub of Milwaukee: "You know, I love Milwaukee. I was the one that picked Milwaukee." The crowd cheered, and he went into rattling off Biden's failures on immigration, crime, and the economy. He told the animated crowd:
"Crooked Joe is sending a message to the world that he rewards illegal entry, and that's what's happening. Don't kid yourself: the ones that are hurt the most are the black population, the Hispanic population. And you know who else is hurt badly? Unions."
After the Racine event, Trump took a jab at the coastal elites, saying, "Much better this, or sitting on the Pacific or the Atlantic, which has sharks," He said to laughter from the crowd. "I'll take the one without the sharks." He ended his speech with, "Get out and vote everybody, God bless you all."
Second Trump Tromp -- Philly
The folks of Pennsylvania's bluest big city, Philadelphia, gathered on the campus of Temple University at the Liacouras Center, where Trump made his case. But first, typical of his unscheduled stops, Trump swung into Tony and Nick's Steaks to grip and grin. Owner Nicky Lucidonio called the former president's visit an "unbelievable" moment. For those patrons and staffers, it was indeed momentous.
A teenage boy dressed in a blue suit, red tie, and a Trump blond wig made a new friend and a few bucks. Upon spotting the kid, Trump went over, whipped out his wallet, took a $20 bill and a fine Sharpie pen, signed his signature, and took a photo.
The second "unbelievable" moment was Trump promising wait staff that he would eliminate taxes on tips for those who work in service industry-related jobs. He left a $500 tip for staff and wrote on the ticket: "No tax on tips."
Trump finally made it to the arena with a crowd of 10,000 or so and more spilling outside and lining his route. Supporters braved 100-degree heat wearing mugshot tees that said "Never Surrender" and carrying signs reading "No More Bull****."
The message and high energy matched Racine’s. But the crowd was a bit different in Philly. For a city where Democrats outnumber Republicans by 7-1, minority support has grown since 2020. In Philadelphia, Trump garnered only 5% of that voting group against Biden. Yet the minorities were on hand to speak to the local news as to why they were in sweltering heat to hear the former president speak.
The Philadelphia Inquirer was ground zero for pro-Trump remarks. "Everybody knows he's not polished," Kristopher Liu told the daily. "That's how he is. That's how he talks. But look what he's done for the country."
"It’s President Trump who says, ‘I’m going to open up opportunities for everybody, not just one, but for everybody,’” said James Earl Jones, a black Philadelphia business owner. “And that’s what we need.” Bonnie Harmon, sporting a “Blacks for Trump 2020″ shirt, advised people to move on and give Trump his due: “What is in his heart right now, in real-time, that’s what we have to look at,” she said.
Trump’s messages on illegal immigration, unchecked military threats, and the inability of Americans to make ends meet resonated in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
Both states are critical to winning the whole kit and kaboodle come Nov. 5. Former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker took the stage wearing an American flag shirt and stated: “We can't afford four more years of Joe Biden. We need President Donald Trump to make Wisconsin and America affordable.”
“We win Wisconsin, we win America,” Walker crowed. In Philly, Trump followed days later: "We win Pennsylvania,” Trump said, “we win the presidency.” And no one has to fact-check those statements.
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