Attending a Trump Campaign Event
Westerville, Ohio — Field staff for President Trump’s re-election campaign recently hosted an activist rally featuring Congressman Jim Jordan (R-OH). Congressman Jordan addressed a sizeable audience, speaking in favor of the President. The event drew a large crowd of central Ohio’s most enthusiastic conservative activists, with the intent of hyping up the grassroots base as campaign activity escalates into the end of summer.
The campaign event — titled “MAGA Meetup with Jim Jordan!” — was advertised online under this description:
“Jim Jordan is the featured speaker at our MAGA Meetup at Ohio Trump Victory Headquarters this Thursday. We are looking to have a big turnout for the Cngressman!” [sic.]
So what exactly is a MAGA meetup? The ticket registration link offered more details:
“MAGA Meet-Ups are gatherings of Trump Victory supporters in your neighborhood. MAGA Meet-Ups play a pivotal role in organizing your local community to help Keep America Great. They help us connect with other supporters in the area and recruit new volunteers who are ready to re-elect President Donald J. Trump and Republicans across America.”
I decided to attend this event to experience it first-hand. Other than the staffers, I was one of the only young people in attendance. While there were a few groups of high school or college students present, most of the audience consisted of the 50+ age demographic.
There’s a line to get into the campaign office suite. Before granting entry to attendees, campaign staffers ask everyone to sign-in, which really means collecting your voter-contact data and recruiting you to canvass or phone bank.
Why do young staffers dress like they desperately want to look official?
Inside, there were boomers as far as the eye can see, activist boomers no less.
The venue was packed in tight. I felt very hot and sweat dribbled from my forehead. I don’t like feeling trapped in crowds.
Ten minutes before Jim comes on stage, one of the staffers comes up to the front and instructs us to chant “four more years” when Jim comes out. Fifteen minutes past the scheduled start-time, Congressman Jordan appears front and center through a backdoor. (We all remembered to chant despite Jim being casually late).
In his speech, Congressman Jordan made the case for Trump’s re-election:
“I wish every American could spend one-on-one time with our President… He’s so charismatic, but the thing I like best about our President is that he does what he says!”
Congressman Jordan also touted some of Trump’s accomplishments as President, such as moving the embassy to Jerusalem (which, surprisingly, receives a big round of applause from the crowd), as well as citing the later Jobs Numbers. And by the way, he’s finally building the wall!!! (It’s totally happening, guys!)
Congressman Jordan’s speech also addressed The Crazy Leftist Mob. Riots! Looting! Chaos! He even mentioned the insanity of “cancel culture”. He concluded his thoughts on this subject by referencing an old quote regarding the Culture War:
“Every morning when I wake up, I read the New York times and the Bible, so I can see what both sides are up to today.”
I’ve written before, during the 2018 election, about how this is a good campaign rhetoric strategy for congressional Republican candidates. It seems that this rhetoric and language has been poll-tested, focus-grouped, and work-shopped to perfection for campaign messaging. I expect to keep hearing this bit from more Republicans on the campaign trail, either as Trump surrogates or candidates themselves.
Next, Congressman Jordan briefly spoke on the COVID-19 pandemic:
“The virus we’re dealing with, which is in fact very real, and we have to take precautions but why does that mean that we can’t go back to work? Or let our kids back into school? Or we can’t let people attend funerals for their loved ones? Or, come on…we can’t have college football?!”
The crowd loves this final bit. Buckeyes football reigns supreme in Ohio, especially central Ohio. Jim is an Ohio State alum, he knows his audience well, but I don’t think he intended for some audience members to make the connection to Republican Governor Mike DeWine’s cautious quarantine re-opening and the Big Ten’s ultimately canceled fall 2020 football season.
A shout from the crowd: “Jim Jordan for Governor!”
The crisis management element of the campaign apparatus reacts — people begin chanting: “Go, Jim, go!” — which seamlessly spins focus back to how much us conservatives LOVE Jim Jordan.