The View from a Tampa Trump Rally
Walking up to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, at 10:30 in the morning of Thursday Oct. 27, there are thousands of people streaming in the gates to welcome the 45th President of the United States of America. There are vendors on sidewalk, selling Trump merchandise, as people crowd around the tables.
There is a gentleman walking around with a petition to ban abortion, attempting to get supporters to sign it. This gentleman comes up to me and asks me to sign it, beginning to talk religion, sounding like a Jehovah’s Witness.
Signing the petition, I move towards the gates of the rally, thousands of people in a single file line. This line snakes around a parking lot next to the stadium, to help guide people through. There are tents throughout this huge line, under the tents, are volunteers, handing out bottles of cold water. Continuing to walk through the line, there are fans that shoot a mist of cold water, keeping people cool, on the hot Thursday morning.
Looking towards the end of the line, there are more and more supporters that come pooling in. Getting to the front of the line, the supporters are met at large tents with security. They are told to put their items on the table, as they move through the metal detectors. Once through, the security guards, wand them, and they are either escorted out, or moved through.
Once through, there is a large field, with a stage in the center, with bike racks surrounding the stage. Outside the bike racks, there are three sets of red, white, and blue bleachers.
Trump supporters pile in by the thousands, and fill up the bleachers, and fill the area around the stage. The media is outside the crowd, in front of the president. They have tables set up behind them, and the bleachers they are stationed at.
The sun beats down on Raymond James Stadium, as Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” blasts over the speakers.
President Donald Trump, donning a bright red, Make America Great Again hat, Navy blue suit, with a red tie, and First Lady, Melania Trump, wearing a black and white, cheetah print looking suit, walk towards the stage of his rally in Tampa.
Fifteen thousand people rise to their feet, some in tears, as they feel their patriotism, in the song that they are hearing over the speakers.
First Lady Melania Trump speaks first, taking the podium, with thousands of people wearing either Trump shirts, or red shirts, screaming for Trump.
“Hello, Florida! It is wonderful to be here in our home state,” she begins. Melania discusses how her husband, is ready to push towards the future. She pushes for the safety of children, the health and safety of the American people, and the safety and security of the nation’s streets.
The 15,000 strong Trump supporters rise to their feet, screaming in approval.
I feel the sun burning on my face, as well as a few in the crowd.
During the entire rally, many people pass out, due to heat exhaustion. However, as senate speakers, Governor Ron DeSantis, Melania Trump, and President Trump speak, they acknowledge those who drop, asking for paramedics to help them. “Medic, medic, somebody has fallen, a woman right here,” Trump yells.
“So, I’m thrilled to be here in my, our, home state, Florida. I love this state, and I love the people of this state,” Trump begins.
The crowd is deafening, you look around you, and all you see, is a sea of red. Families with young children, watch intently, as the President gives a powerful speech, that shows that he will fight against all adversity.
He tells the American people, that he has had to face moderators, as well as Biden. He also states, that although he expected to have to fight the moderators and Biden, he didn’t expect how much he had to fight against the press.
“The fake news, Melania, you don’t know much about them, you’ve dealt with them enough. We’ve won Florida every single time. It is a terrible thing for them, actually it’s a good thing for them, they just don’t know it yet,” Trump says.
Trump touches on all topics, starting with the fight against Big Tech.
“Ninety-four percent of the stories about us, are negative. Think of it. 64% of the stories of “Sleepy” Joe Biden are positive. How the hell do you have a positive story about this guy?” Trump asks.
“Everybody in Pennsylvania knows about his no fracking, no fracking, no fracking. He goes to Pennsylvania, and he changes all of a sudden, and he says, “Yes, I have nothing against fracking”, and the press doesn’t call him out on it, right?”
Trump looks out into the crowd and asks where Hunter Biden is. As soon as he asks, he is uplifted by a roar of the crowd, screaming, “Where is Hun-Ter?!”
“My plan for America will bring a safe vaccine, you’ll get it in a few weeks. Great companies, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, many many companies. Seniors will be the first ones to get it. We will give it to everybody, free. It is not your fault. We are protecting out seniors,” Trump says.
Trump wins over the Hispanic voters by saying, “My opponent stands with socialistic communists, I stand with the proud people of Cuba, and Nicaragua, and Venezuela, and their righteous struggle for freedom, and we’re winning.”
He concludes with a pep talk that results in cheering and chanting for him.
“We will restore patriotic education to our schools. We will teach our children to love our country, honor our history, and always respect our great American flag. And we will live by the timeless words of our national motto, In God We Trust. For years you had a president who apologized for America. Now you have a president who’s standing up for America!”
After an hour and 45 minutes, the 15,000 strong chanted “USA” together, as they all gave a standing ovation, as the President left Tampa.
Just watching the rally, he has touched on every single topic that was brought up in the presidential debates. It was similar to watching a sports game, it was better watching it live, and far better than watching it on TV.
“We have made America powerful again. We have made America wealthy again. We have made America strong again. We have made America proud again. We have made America safe again. And we will make America great again!”
