OPINION: Think support for Trump is dying down? His New York rally told a different story.

even a liberal woman writer for liberal USA Today feels the Trump effect!

OPINION: Think support for Trump is dying down? His New York rally told a different story.


Sara Pequeño, USA TODAY
Sun, September 22, 2024 at 4:11 AM CDT·4 min read


UNIONDALE, N.Y. — The sales pitch started on the walk over to the Nassau Coliseum, where men were hawking "Make America Great Again" hats. A giant digital sign above the arena flashed a picture of former President Donald Trump’s face.


As I got closer to the arena Wednesday, I stood in line with supporters amid a maze of lawn chairs and trash left by people who had been in line for hours prior. People saw folks they knew and made small talk. Supersized Trump flags waved in the breeze above more people selling Trump merchandise, in case you failed to bring your own. To my left was a large sign warning about the “mind virus” that is “fake news media.”


“We are going to rescue our Democrat-run states,” Trump told a lively audience later that night. “We are going to start by saving the great state of New York.”


It’s unlikely that Trump will win New York, a state that has gone blue in every election since Ronald Reagan. In 2020, Joe Biden beat Trump in his home state by 23 percentage points. But even if Trump doesn’t fulfill his dream of winning New York, his Long Island rally showed me that he can still bring out a crowd – and why that’s cause for concern.


The polls say one thing about enthusiasm for Trump. I saw another.

Inside, the stadium was filling up with red hats. Supporters chatted with their friends in their seats or stood in line for hot dogs and soft pretzels as they waited for Trump to speak at his second rally since the second assassination attempt, held on the day he was supposed to be sentenced by a Manhattan judge in his hush-money case.


The crowd nearly filled the 16,000-seat stadium.


If you’ve been watching the news, you may assume that Trump rallies are dying down. The polls may be providing a sense of relief: ABC News' "538" says Vice President Kamala Harris is favored to win the election.


Harris is also leading Trump in fundraising, with $47 million raised in 24 hours after the presidential debate.


The problem is that we’ve seen this all before. In 2016, people underestimated Trump’s ability to win. The polls suggested that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would prevail. She proceeded to win the popular vote but lost the Electoral College.


It is entirely within the realm of possibility that history repeats itself this November.

Trump sees a second wave of support post-assassination attempt

Many people I know believe that Harris will win the 2024 election. While I’m cautiously optimistic, I’m not sure that people realize how close this race will end up being. MAGA seems to be gaining a second wind after the attempts on Trump’s life.


I spoke with Tatiana Agarwal, 19, and Maximillian Stebelsky, 20, two New York University students who waited for more than two hours to get into the arena. They were wearing Make America Great Again hats in neon pink and blue, respectively.


“Regardless of what party you’re with: He may be a Republican, he may be the former president, he may not be liked by a lot of people, but at the end of the day he’s a human just like everybody else,” Stebelsky said when I asked about the second assassination attempt.


“These should be spaces for people to just gather around and socialize and come together in favor of a certain candidate,” Agarwal added. “It shouldn’t be about violence.”


The American people live within two realities. There are people who believe that Trump – a convicted felon, a reported sexual abuser, a raging narcissist and a person in obvious mental decline – is the one who will save our country. There are about as many people who believe he is a danger to democracy, and should not be allowed to return to the White House. Still, the Electoral College could mean that Trump wins once again.


I might not be buying what Trump is selling, but a lot of people are. It’s important not to lose sight of that come November.


Follow USA TODAY elections columnist Sara Pequeño on X, formerly Twitter: @sara__pequeno

lol people in the usual suspect forums .. come on man, you know the forum .. are desperately trying to claim people leave Trump's rally's early. after over an hour.


if they were leaving after 30 minutes .. they aren't .. they might be on to something.


otherwise it's a nothing burger with a heavy dose of tds fear sauce


bahahahahahahahaaaa

Are you talking about this rally with 3 videos showing all the empty seats? The maximum seating capacity in the Nassau Coliseum is only 16,000. Look at the videos. I'd say easily 1/3 of the seats are empty.

https://www.newsweek.com/videos-appe...-rally-1956115

Are you talking about this rally with 3 videos showing all the empty seats? The maximum seating capacity in the Nassau Coliseum is only 16,000. Look at the videos. I'd say easily 1/3 of the seats are empty.

https://www.newsweek.com/videos-appe...-rally-1956115 Originally Posted by woodywouldpekher

Yeah, well…….

Whether it’s Trump, Harris or any politician….you have to be a special kind of stupid to pay money to go listen to the same rehashed bullshit they all dish out constantly, year after year, without change.

Idolizing politicians is for fools. Giving your money to multimillionaires who will gladly fuck you over is even stupider.

elg…..

even a liberal woman writer for liberal USA Today feels the Trump effect!

OPINION: Think support for Trump is dying down? His New York rally told a different story. Originally Posted by The_Waco_Kid

Here's what you may not fully realize about NY, Kid. Outside of the biggest cities, the State is VERY red. Long Island is a good example of that. It might border NYC, but it is overwhelmingly conservative. No surprise that a Trump rally would do well there. It don't mean jack.

.

Yeah, well…….

Whether it’s Trump, Harris or any politician….you have to be a special kind of stupid to pay money to go listen to the same rehashed bullshit they all dish out constantly, year after year, without change.

Idolizing politicians is for fools. Giving your money to multimillionaires who will gladly fuck you over is even stupider.

elg….. Originally Posted by elghund

omg! dozens of empty seats ... in a 16,000 seat arena

was there a point here?

Recently released video footage appears to show dozens of empty seats toward the end of former President Donald Trump's Wednesday speech at a Long Island Campaign rally.


The 16,000-seat Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum was packed at the beginning of the rally, with thousands more in the overflow area outside, watching the event on large screens.


this is the best the liberal press has?


pathetic

Here's what you may not fully realize about NY, Kid. Outside of the biggest cities, the State is VERY red. Long Island is a good example of that. It might border NYC, but it is overwhelmingly conservative. No surprise that a Trump rally would do well there. It don't mean jack.

. Originally Posted by rooster

i do know that .. why else do you say "UPSET NY" eh ??


bahahahaha

i do know that .. why else do you say "UPSET NY" eh ??


bahahahaha Originally Posted by The_Waco_Kid

i do know that .. why else do you say "UPSET NY" eh ??


bahahahaha Originally Posted by The_Waco_Kid

Then why would you think a 16000 seat rally in Nassau County was significant or surprising? Or even newsworthy? The populations of Nassau itself is close to 1.4 Million people. Suffolk, the next county over, is roughly the same. Brooklyn and Queens are both physically part of LI also. An easy drive to the Coliseum. Millions more people to draw on.
I'm thinckin an ICKY Meet and Greet could draw that many....

.

Then why would you think a 16000 seat rally in Nassau County was significant or surprising? Or even newsworthy? The populations of Nassau itself is close to 1.4 Million people. Suffolk, the next county over, is roughly the same. Brooklyn and Queens are both physically part of LI also. An easy drive to the Coliseum. Millions more people to draw on.
I'm thinckin an ICKY Meet and Greet could draw that many....

. Originally Posted by rooster

then ask elg why a "few dozen people out of 16,000" leaving toward the end means anything? he seems to think so. can ya help him out on that?

and what if Trump got a full house at an event in Manhattan? he did hold a rally in NYC area recently and the press actually was surprised at the turnout.

some of u fellas are missing the point here.


Trump is getting packed arenas everywhere.

Trump is getting packed arenas everywhere. Originally Posted by The_Waco_Kid

Not to mention there’s also overflow outside watching it on a big screen.

Right or wrong, Kamala isn’t getting anything even close. And the more she opens her pie hole, the more I think she’s full of shit.

then ask elg why a "few dozen people out of 16,000" leaving toward the end means anything? he seems to think so. can ya help him out on that?

and what if Trump got a full house at an event in Manhattan? he did hold a rally in NYC area recently and the press actually was surprised at the turnout.

some of u fellas are missing the point here.


Trump is getting packed arenas everywhere. Originally Posted by The_Waco_Kid

Actually, I never commented on that. Notice the “Yeah, well…

I said that anyone that attends any paid political rally of either side is a dumb fuck.

elg……

Actually, I never commented on that. Notice the “Yeah, well…

I said that anyone that attends any paid political rally of either side is a dumb fuck.

elg…… Originally Posted by elghund

So edgy

Actually, I never commented on that. Notice the “Yeah, well…

I said that anyone that attends any paid political rally of either side is a dumb fuck.

elg…… Originally Posted by elghund

ok. woody posted that newsweek article. i'll give you that.

any opinion on Trump's sellout/overflow crowds in the Empire State? i mean other than they are "dumbfucks" IMHO?


the point is the same .. Trump is pulling BIG crowds .. everywhere.

My point was to back up what Harris said during the debate. She invited people to attend a trump rally and watch the seats empty out due to "exhaustion and boredom".


I think it's fair to post this link here:
https://www.newsweek.com/fact-check-...boasts-1956361