Endurance in the Mosh Pit at a Trump Rally
From 2016
So, there I was in 2016, sweating it out in the desert heat of Tucson, Arizona. The political circus had rolled into town, and I decided to witness it firsthand. First up: the Donald Trump rally at the city’s convention center. It was like stepping into a dystopian pep rally, complete with MAGA hats and enough "build the wall" chants to make your head spin. The crowd was electrified, hanging on every word, like they were at the altar of some new-age prophet. I filmed the whole thing, wide-eyed, soaking in the madness.
The very next day, it was time for the Hillary Clinton rally, where none other than Bill Clinton himself took the stage. The energy was different, calmer, more measured—like everyone was already rehearsing the victory speech. Bill did his thing, charming the crowd with that folksy drawl, making them believe Hillary had it all in the bag. I put together a video of the whole experience, capturing the contrasts and, at the end, I made the bold declaration: Hillary was going to win.
Fast forward a few weeks to late October, and James Comey decided to drop his bombshell—Hillary Clinton was still under investigation. The infamous October Surprise. The media storm that followed was like watching a slow-motion car crash, and well, we all know how that story ended.
Donald Trump's first term in office was marked by a series of controversies and crises. The administration’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic faced heavy criticism for downplaying the severity of the virus, delaying the federal response, and prioritizing economic reopening over public health measures. Public health experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, frequently clashed with Trump's messaging. A million innocent people died.
During his term, Trump was impeached twice: first, for pressuring Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden, and later for inciting the January 6 Capitol riot by encouraging unfounded claims of election fraud, leading to a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Throughout his presidency, Trump was accused of deepening political and social divisions, notably during the Black Lives Matter protests, where he emphasized law and order over addressing systemic racism. His immigration policies, such as family separations and restrictions on asylum, drew significant backlash. Environmental regulations were rolled back, while his foreign policy often favored authoritarian leaders and strained relations with traditional U.S. allies. The 2017 tax cuts benefited the wealthy, intensifying debates over inequality. By the end of his term, Trump’s refusal to concede the 2020 election and his promotion of baseless fraud claims further eroded trust in democratic institutions.
The prospect of a second Trump term sickens me.
Bret, I hope you're feeling better now. More and more people are deciding that they can't stomach another Trump presidency. The recent news of Trump's proven inhumanity and mental disorders will seal the deal. When the former president was told by an aide that his VP Pence was at risk of being killed on that day of the riot in the Capitol, the orange man said, "So what?" Enough, right?
I wish that rather than just criticizing the other party/candidate, people would hold their own party/candidates feet to the fire. There are rational reasons for and against the candidates, but no one is rational anymore. It’s just team sport. Trump lovers and Kamala lovers are going to eventually have that awful rude awakening that they are not who they say they are, and they don’t really give a fuck about the people they purport to represent. They all support the establishment and are controlled by the powers that be. The system is probably so rigged and corrupt that any change from within is impossible.
Trump supporters believed that he would drain the swamp. He hired the swamp. The democrats party, what they’ve done to Bernie and Biden as they simultaneously cry about “democracy” and shit on it at the same time, is just as bad. Maybe worse because with Trump there’s no filter. He says every dumb thought that comes to his head. Democrats will hear or see something and tell you you didn’t hear it or see it.
Also, when the fuck did the democrat party become the party of war mongering, censorship loving neocons? Maybe they always were, but the people who belonged to the party would hold them accountable. Union lovers? Let’s see if they handle the Longshoreman strike as brutally as they did the railroad strike.
Bret, you’re so cool and smart, and you write so well. I wish you’d check out some alt media like Jimmy Dore, Glen Greenwald, Matt Taibbi, An0maly, Aaron Mate, ReallyGraceful. Most from the left, and in support of classical liberalism, and truthful reporting.