Thousands turned out to see the Donald speak Friday night in Hampton, New Hampshire. According to Trump more than 2,500 people were in attendance, however only 750 made it in to the high school auditorium where the real estate magnate promised to restore the American Dream and rebuild the beleaguered economy.
“We’re going to have so many victories,” Trump told the audience, as the overflow crowd watched simultaneously from a second auditorium and listened outside.
Trump listed off a number of polls showing him leading in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and the Carolinas. He said his heart is set on winning, not just proving a point.
“If this all happens and I don’t win? … Trust me I won’t be happy,” he told the audience who booed loudly later in his remarks when he talked about how weakly America would be led under a potential Jeb Bush or Hillary Clinton presidency.
Instead of America benefiting, China, Iran, and the rest of the world is taking advantage of people like those in the crowd. Trump said, referencing recent jobs cuts at Nabisco as it moves some operations to Mexico from Chicago and decrying China for its recent dramatic currency devaluation.
“What that means is you hear that sucking sound? You know what that sucking sound is?” he asked
“Jobs!” shouted several people in the crowd.
“That means jobs. That means money,” Trump said. “It’s the greatest theft in the history of the United States what China has done to us. We have rebuilt China. Our money has rebuilt China.”
But under Trump all that would change, he said.
“We will make great trade deals. We will save Social Security without cuts, we will come up with health care plans that will be phenomenal — phenomenal, ” he said, adding that his new healthcare system that would displease insurance companies, unlike Obamacare.
“I’m going to do what’s right for the people of this country,” Trump said, adding “I speak from the heart I really do.”
Trump Gets The Crowd’s Permission To Criticize Carly Fiorina
Trump appeared ultra-confident Friday. Though light on policy specifics, he thundered condemnations at weak U.S. leadership and many of his fellow contenders for president. He handed out praise for veterans, hardworking Americans, and the “smart, industrious” people of New Hampshire.
He returned to his staple rallying cries through illustrative anecdotes, like “America doesn’t win anymore and it should.” The other candidates on both sides are weak, and bought out by donors or with poor track records like Scott Walker. Jeb Bush is a controlled “puppet” who Trump said won’t fund women’s health issues, a comment Trump likened to Mitt Romney’s 47 percent moment.
Trump said he was wary to criticize Carly Fiorina because of her gender, but then asked the crowd if they thought it was okay anyways, and to roaring approval, he went on to say she ran Hewlett Packard “into the ground.”
Anyone who goes after him plummets in the polls, Trump said proudly, referencing Lindsey Graham, Rick Perry, and now Rand Paul. Specific details of his platform including tax policy are to be released “very soon” likely by September, according to Trump who said he has some of the brightest people in the country helping him craft his specifics.
The audience spontaneously shouted and cheered the loudest all night when Trump said: “You don’t want a politically correct president.”
Trump went on to talk about how America needs great leaders once again and a military led by men like General Douglas MacArthur and George Patton. Much of the crowd rose to their feet waving American flags and cheering as he talked about how nobody would mess with America once he was in charge.
“Nobody would be playing with us, nobody,” he said.
Speaking to the media prior to his speech, he emphasized that he doesn’t believe Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic nominee for president and said he believes Al Gore and Joe Biden may be “involved at some point.”
“There’s a lot of pressure on Hillary right now,” he said in response to a question from The Federalist. “I think at some point she’s perhaps not going to be able to run, she’s going to have to end her campaign. I was saying that two months ago and everyone thought you’re not right … Look at General Petraeus, his life was destroyed with a tiny fraction of what she’s done … She’s got much bigger problems than running for office.”
Trump Says He Loves Veterans And Women
“Our politicians have let the vets down. Rand Paul has let the vets down,” he added in responding to another question about his opinion of Paul. He said Paul doing “so poorly” and running a losing campaign where he’s “using the people of Kentucky” by running for president at the same time as senator.
A veteran in the crowd asked if Trump would get the FBI to investigate Veterans Affairs and said the situation with veterans committing suicide and not getting proper care is worse than Trump knows. When Trump said he would order an investigation the crowd applauded loudly.
Despite telling a rather mawkish story of being paid “a lot” of money to attend a dinner of Qatari airline officials and learning from it how outdated the U.S. airplanes often are, Trump continued to present himself as someone in touch with working people and despite his wealth, just another guy who’s made it, but still cares about helping others.
“I think we should be much more open about campaign finance,” Trump told the media before his speech, saying Bush and other candidates should fully release all their donors.
On women, Trump said he couldn’t be more of a supporter of female empowerment.
“I cherish women. Women will be taken care of better under President Trump than anybody else, Republican or Democrat,” Trump said. “You can look at my company, I have many women executives. They make in many cases more money. Second question how many do you have? Many. And I’m going to be introducing them over a period of time, too.”
The atmosphere in the surrounding Hampton community prior to Trump’s appearance was mainly bemused.
“Have you seen Celebrity Apprentice?” a Dunkin’ Donuts server asked his workmate with a laugh behind the counter as they prepared drinks.
“He’s good at reality TV, he should stick to that,” a middle-aged man awaiting his order at a pizza parlor commented gruffly to the seemingly indifferent attendant behind the counter.
At the rally, however, it was an entirely different ballpark, as hundreds of people lined up several hours ahead of time to get in and supporters tripped over themselves to talk to the milling media about how Trump is their guy.
“Somebody needs to put Putin in his place,” said supporter Carol Dawe from nearby Topsfield, Massachusetts.
“Americans first,” said supporter Patty Femino as she carried a stack of Trump lawn signs to put on her lawn and give to friends.
Femino said she also is deeply concerned that cities nearby to where she lives in Revere, Massachusetts are sanctuary cities, with Lawrence, Massachusetts the latest to join the club.
“I’m actually afraid to say it, I just found out I live in the vicinity of sanctuary cities. I’m horrified,” she said. “It’s a huge issue for me.”
Donald Trump is someone she’s looked up to for years and Femino is very enthusiastic.
“I love his words, love his energy, love his passion,” she said. “He does great all the time. Everyday I watch him.”
As for what’s next for Trump in the immediate future? Jury duty. He’s still just one of us, after all.
