Campaigns and candidates have long relied on the energy and enthusiasm of a good ole rally to gauge how things are going. This sometimes runs counter to the polls (and logic in some cases) as receiving love from a supportive audience bolsters optimism. Many a doomed candidate pondered over how they could possibly be losing when their eyes observed such fervor for their cause.
Donald Trump and his campaign seemed to follow that very script in 2016. The candidate observed the wild crowds in swing states such as Wisconsin and Michigan with renewed hope that the polls were wrong. This was one time the rallies foretold election day glory.
So what to make of the sparsely attended Tulsa rally Saturday night? Covid fear? Fathers Day? The putrid results continue a thread of ominous signs point to rough re-election waters.
Something that really made me laugh in regards to some of Trump's underwhelming rallies is the one where a large group of liberals bought tickets so that Trump supporters could not go. I found it amusing because the Trump campaign still received all that money. now I do understand they were more concerned with breaking the morale of President Trump by making it look like none of his supporters showed up. An interesting way to go about it though.
Hello Dr. Sullivan,
I agree that the Trump administration has returned to rallying as a method of boosting their campaign and chances of winning in the 2020 race. I think that the reason for fewer participants in his Tulsa rally is due to his low approval ratings and the Coronavirus outbreak. I don't think that the strategy used in 2016 will be effective or reasonable now, considering the circumstances. If Trump is serious about the election he should focus on finding another way to win, or lose.
I think that the turnout at this rally did not help his public image, and is a contradicting circumstance compared to his previous rally turn outs. I personally have been able to attend a Trump rally. It was last September in Denver, and the turn out was unbelievable. Thousands of people waited 5+ hours just to get their seat in the arena, and by the time they closed the doors, thousands remained outside. I knew a lot of people who registered, expecting to go, but changed their mind when massive crowds were reported. A lot of them were unable to get down early enough and assumed they would not make it into the arena. This could be one of the…
According to Pres. Donald Trump's official twitter, on June 15,2020 almost one million people requested tickets to his rally in Tulsa.
However, according to a spokesman for the Tulsa Fire Department on Sunday, the fire marshal counted 6,200 scanned tickets of attendees. (That number would not include staff, media or those in box suites.)
Tim Murtaugh, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, said protesters stopped supporters from entering the rally, held at the BOK Center, which has a 19,000-seat capacity.
Also cited as reasons, was that protesters blocked access to metal detectors, it was father's day, there were covid fears, media induced fears of violence and host of other reasons.
Additionally, hundreds of teenage TikTok users and K-pop fans say they’re at least…
Hello Robert,
I very much agree with the spread of controversy with a rally happening in our current circumstances. It seems like everything is going wrong for possible re-election hopes given our current circumstances. It will be interesting to see how things unfold!