Trump Capitalizes On Events, Elections In Elkhart
May 12, 2018 at 2:06 a.m.
ELKHART – If timing is everything, it could not have been much better for Republicans on Thursday night in Elkhart as President Donald Trump whipped up the crowd in a raucous campaign rally that looked at both 2018 and 2020.
About 8,000 fans – many sporting “Make America Great Again” hats and other merchandise – packed North Side gym after standing in line for hours for a chance to see Trump and Vice President and former Indiana Gov. Mike Pence in a rare joint campaign appearance.
Hundreds more – maybe more than a thousand – were turned away from the event but given a chance to hear the address delivered on loudspeakers.
For those inside, it was something to remember.
In one of the biggest and most electrifying political gatherings in northern Indiana in a long time, the rally was a homecoming of sorts as Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill, who grew up just blocks from the gym, introduced Pence.
Trump wasted no time feeding off the crowd’s energy after being introduced by Pence.
“He’s making Indiana proud and we are all making America proud,” Trump said of Pence.
“We are rocking,” Trump said as the crowd launched into wild applause.
Throughout the speech, Trump elicited thunderous reactions with mentions of the country’s growing economy and plans to build a wall on the southern border. Equally loud were the boos that echoed across the gym at the mention of liberals, fake news, Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama.
He talked about the new 3.3 million new jobs since he took office and the record-low jobless rate in Elkhart County.
His policies, he said, were leading to new opportunities for prosperity and peace.
“All of these things are happening because America is being respected again,” Trump said, stepping back to huge applause and chants of “USA, USA, USA.”
The rally might have capped off one of Trump’s best weeks.
He’s on the cusp of historic talks with North Korea, and earlier this week he pulled the U.S. out of the Iranian nuclear deal.
On top of that, his trip to Elkhart came hours after he met with three Americans freed earlier in the day by North Korea.
As he began to talk about the hostages, his words were quickly eclipsed with hoots, hollers and overwhelming applause.
“It’s leading to some very big things,” Trump told the crowd. “Kim Jong Un did a great service to himself and his country in doing this. Those hostages came out with respect. We didn’t pay for them.”
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The rally quickly turned into a campaign event and came two days after Indiana’s primary, looking at races in 2018 as well as his own in 2020, and even introduced Trump’s new campaign slogan, “Keep America Great.”
Trump pointed to Republican lawmakers 3rd District Congressman Jim Banks and 2nd District Rep. Jackie Walorski, who he applauded for her work on reducing regulations and her role on the House Ways and Means Committee.
He pointed to Sen. Todd Young in the crowd, calling him “of the people.”
But much of his focus spotlighted businessman Mike Braun, the newly minted Republican nominee for U.S. Sentate who dispatched Rep. Todd Rokita and Luke Messer along the way.
Braun said Trump’s success as an outside agitator inspired him to run.
Trump stepped aside and let Braun address the crowd before he launched into an attack on Donnelly, calling him “Sleepy Joe.”
He predicted if Democrats gain control of the Senate in November they would raise taxes, destroy jobs and “knock the hell out of the borders.”
“We have the worst immigration laws in the history of mankind,” Trump said. “We’re slowly getting them changed. We want to make it quick, so get me some reinforcements, please.”
He touched on an array of hot topics such as gun rights and immigration and even brought up the so-called controversy involving the use of the phrase “Merry Christmas.”
Trump then touted plans of moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem to a temporary location before a new facility is ready.
Construction of the future embassy could take five to 10 years – possibly longer – Trump said, and then floated the idea of extending his presidency to see its completion, a notion that was greeted with applause.
“I don’t think the fake news media would like that,” he said, spurring more boos.
ELKHART – If timing is everything, it could not have been much better for Republicans on Thursday night in Elkhart as President Donald Trump whipped up the crowd in a raucous campaign rally that looked at both 2018 and 2020.
About 8,000 fans – many sporting “Make America Great Again” hats and other merchandise – packed North Side gym after standing in line for hours for a chance to see Trump and Vice President and former Indiana Gov. Mike Pence in a rare joint campaign appearance.
Hundreds more – maybe more than a thousand – were turned away from the event but given a chance to hear the address delivered on loudspeakers.
For those inside, it was something to remember.
In one of the biggest and most electrifying political gatherings in northern Indiana in a long time, the rally was a homecoming of sorts as Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill, who grew up just blocks from the gym, introduced Pence.
Trump wasted no time feeding off the crowd’s energy after being introduced by Pence.
“He’s making Indiana proud and we are all making America proud,” Trump said of Pence.
“We are rocking,” Trump said as the crowd launched into wild applause.
Throughout the speech, Trump elicited thunderous reactions with mentions of the country’s growing economy and plans to build a wall on the southern border. Equally loud were the boos that echoed across the gym at the mention of liberals, fake news, Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama.
He talked about the new 3.3 million new jobs since he took office and the record-low jobless rate in Elkhart County.
His policies, he said, were leading to new opportunities for prosperity and peace.
“All of these things are happening because America is being respected again,” Trump said, stepping back to huge applause and chants of “USA, USA, USA.”
The rally might have capped off one of Trump’s best weeks.
He’s on the cusp of historic talks with North Korea, and earlier this week he pulled the U.S. out of the Iranian nuclear deal.
On top of that, his trip to Elkhart came hours after he met with three Americans freed earlier in the day by North Korea.
As he began to talk about the hostages, his words were quickly eclipsed with hoots, hollers and overwhelming applause.
“It’s leading to some very big things,” Trump told the crowd. “Kim Jong Un did a great service to himself and his country in doing this. Those hostages came out with respect. We didn’t pay for them.”
[[In-content Ad]]
The rally quickly turned into a campaign event and came two days after Indiana’s primary, looking at races in 2018 as well as his own in 2020, and even introduced Trump’s new campaign slogan, “Keep America Great.”
Trump pointed to Republican lawmakers 3rd District Congressman Jim Banks and 2nd District Rep. Jackie Walorski, who he applauded for her work on reducing regulations and her role on the House Ways and Means Committee.
He pointed to Sen. Todd Young in the crowd, calling him “of the people.”
But much of his focus spotlighted businessman Mike Braun, the newly minted Republican nominee for U.S. Sentate who dispatched Rep. Todd Rokita and Luke Messer along the way.
Braun said Trump’s success as an outside agitator inspired him to run.
Trump stepped aside and let Braun address the crowd before he launched into an attack on Donnelly, calling him “Sleepy Joe.”
He predicted if Democrats gain control of the Senate in November they would raise taxes, destroy jobs and “knock the hell out of the borders.”
“We have the worst immigration laws in the history of mankind,” Trump said. “We’re slowly getting them changed. We want to make it quick, so get me some reinforcements, please.”
He touched on an array of hot topics such as gun rights and immigration and even brought up the so-called controversy involving the use of the phrase “Merry Christmas.”
Trump then touted plans of moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem to a temporary location before a new facility is ready.
Construction of the future embassy could take five to 10 years – possibly longer – Trump said, and then floated the idea of extending his presidency to see its completion, a notion that was greeted with applause.
“I don’t think the fake news media would like that,” he said, spurring more boos.