In case you can’t beat em, smear em — and anybody who’s voting for them.
That’s the prevailing motto of the panicked Dems, who’re projecting Trump’s Madison Sq. Backyard rally via some evil Nazi funhouse mirror.
Throughout its protection of the occasion, MSNBC grautitiously spliced in disgusting footage of the 1939 Nazi rally that passed off in MSG. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez referred to as it a “mini January 6 rally” and Tim Walz stated there’s “a direct parallel” to the 1939 rally.
These have been deluded dispatches from their couches. I do know as a result of I lined the occasion from each inside and outside the World’s Most Well-known Enviornment.
This Hitler fever dream was no shock. When the rally was introduced, New York State senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal shamelessly tweeted the gathering was a “disastrous choice by Madison Sq. Backyard that can endanger the general public security of New Yorkers and has the potential to incite widespread violence.” He “demanded” the Backyard cancel to “preserve our metropolis protected.”
Secure from whom, he didn’t say however the implication was clear: Republicans and Trump voters have been violent thugs.
I had by no means been to a political rally, and whereas I lean proper, I don’t take into account myself MAGA.
However when one thing of consequence occurs at MSG, whether or not it’s a live performance, faculty hoops, the Rangers or UFC, I wish to be there – even when Hoylman-Sigal stated it might be unhealthy information.
Hey, I lived via the summer time of 2020 riots and all of the persevering with chaos right here because the October 7 assaults in Israel. I needed to see what sort of punch these fascist MAGA meanies have.
Nicely individuals, I’ve information: the supposed ‘Nazis’ and ‘fascists’ have gone gentle.
The group was as ethnically various as a Bennetton advert, if a Bennetton advert featured a great deal of non secular Jews (once more, not expert at doing Nazi stuff).
All of those so-called deplorables, some from as distant as Florida and others current Democrat defectors, waited patiently in line for greater than 4 hours. In tight quarters. Everybody was well mannered, thoughtful and affected person. Nobody complained. I’ve been on rowdier strains at Chipotle.
It was Magapalooza, a purple washed anti battle pageant – minus the medicine and booze.
The place was the violence Hoylman-Sigal promised? On Monday, there have been no experiences of unrest or violent altercations.
Throughout our lengthy wait to enter the constructing, Elmwood Park, New Jersey resident Robert Purvey and his spouse Beverly, welcomed me.
“That is the heartbeat [of the movement],” he advised me, motioning to the gang round us. I had mistakenly assumed he additionally was with the 2 girls subsequent to him. However that they had simply met. “That’s the vibe at Trump rallies. Everybody turns into immediate mates,” he stated.
I made that error quite a bit. It turned troublesome to discern who got here with who. Everybody appeared to be with one another. They have been bonded by their frustration with our present administration, their need for security, safety and a decrease price of residing. Most stated that Trump, along with his widespread sense and tell-it-like-it-is, method, was the one who may ship.
I met sisters Chickie Piazza and Susan Santangelo, who grew up on Thompson Road in Soho, just a few doorways from the place I lived for 15 years. They have been round my mom’s age and we had individuals in widespread. They instantly took me beneath their wing like I used to be their very own.
Piazza, who lives in Greenwich Village, stated she’d be okay if she didn’t make it into the world. “It was simply great to see all these purple hats in Midtown Manhattan.”
However we bought in — albeit about two hours late.
The place was crammed with uncooked vitality, pleasure and excessive camp.
Till yesterday, I had assumed that I’d by no means see Hulk Hogan – previous his prime and retired – stroll onto the ground at MSG to “Actual American.” By a MAGA miracle, there he was, clad in a feather boa, flexing and riling up the gang. It was ridiculous. It was additionally, superior.
If the left claims pleasure, the proper has enjoyable. Plenty of it.
The audio system I heard ranged from weird to good to blockbuster. Assist for Israel was met with thunderous applause.
Vivek Ramaswamy was a power. Byron Donalds confirmed his star energy and JD Vance charmed the 20,000 plus along with his folksy wit. Elon had the viewers on their ft.
And Trump blew the roof off as he walked out to Lee Greenwood singing, “Proud to be an American.”
The group was amped up prefer it was struggle night time at MSG – and for them, it was. That was the unoffical rally theme: invoking Trump’s well-known name to “struggle” after he was shot within the ear again in July.
However to cite the Hulkster: “I don’t see no stinkin’ Nazis right here.”
Simply passionate, peaceable, largely center class individuals hoping for a greater life fo themselves – and their households.
Individuals the Democrats used to welcome with open arms.
