,
45 tweets,
7 min read
Read on Twitter
President Trump, who has just landed in North Carolina for a rally, spoke to press briefly upon arrival about this.
"We have just received an overwhelming vote against impeachment and that's the end of it," he said.
"We have just received an overwhelming vote against impeachment and that's the end of it," he said.
A smattering of airport greeters, and fans of the president along the route to tonight's rally in Greenville, NC. 
🤫
The scene for the rally. The President is due to speak shortly after 7 pm.
The crowd has a wave going as they wait.
The rally is being held at Minges Coliseum (cap: 8,000).
Signs and T-shirts spotted:
"Friends don't let friends vote Democrat"
"Promises made, promises kept"
"Women for Trump"
MAGA (obvs)
Playlist so far:
YMCA
Macho Man
Thunderstruck
Signs and T-shirts spotted:
"Friends don't let friends vote Democrat"
"Promises made, promises kept"
"Women for Trump"
MAGA (obvs)
Playlist so far:
YMCA
Macho Man
Thunderstruck
(The audio level is somewhere between auto race and aircraft carrier deck.)
Vice President Mike Pence is speaking now.
"North Carolina and America need four more years," he says. (Trump won NC by 4 points in 2016).
"It's time for round two," Pence says.
"North Carolina and America need four more years," he says. (Trump won NC by 4 points in 2016).
"It's time for round two," Pence says.
"He's a man who says what he means and means what he says," Pence says. Things he's citing to get this N.C. crowd riled up: veterans choice reform, moving the embassy to Jerusalem, action on the border.
"Build that wall" chant breaks out when Pence cites the June drop in border crossings, which even the government's Department of Homeland Security said could just be because of the summer heat. Migration numbers typically drop in summer.
Background: bloomberg.com/news/articles/…
Background: bloomberg.com/news/articles/…
"The truth is jobs are back, confidence is back," Pence says.
"It's going to take a good four more years to drain that swamp," Pence says, to an eruption of cheers.
"It's going to take a good four more years to drain that swamp," Pence says, to an eruption of cheers.
"I stand with President Trump," his vice-president says, just in case there was any ambiguity on that.
He's been criticizing "radical" and far-left Democrats.
Huge chorus of boos when Pence cites Dem (@AOC's) "concentration camps" remarks.
He's been criticizing "radical" and far-left Democrats.
Huge chorus of boos when Pence cites Dem (@AOC's) "concentration camps" remarks.
Pence calls to elect Republican majorities in Washington along with re-election Trump. "This president will make America greater than ever before."
Trump coming out now.
Trump coming out now.
He's basking in the cheers for a bit. "USA, USA" chants, etc.
"The United States House of Representatives has overwhelmingly voted to kill the most ridiculous project I have ever been involved in," he says, referring to the impeachment vote.
"How stupid is that," he adds.
"How stupid is that," he adds.
"Our economic policy can be summed up in three very beautiful and simple words: jobs, jobs, jobs."
(Trump is, of course, boasting about the economy at a time when he's also basically demanding the Fed cut rates, which is not something a central bank tends to do during great times.)
"Bullshit," someone yells as Trump is talking about what he calls the witch hunt.
"I won't say it," Trump says, to laughter from the crowd. *Brief beat.* "Bullshit," Trump adds.
"I won't say it," Trump says, to laughter from the crowd. *Brief beat.* "Bullshit," Trump adds.
Trump is hailing low unemployment rates of "Hispanic Americans," adding: "They understand the border better than anybody and they don't want criminals coming in."
"Women filled 60 percent of all of the new jobs created last year," Trump says.
A protester jumped up in the crowd and shouted "You are a child" at the president. Security tackled him and led him out to an eruption of cheers.
Trump is taking aim now at Ilhan Omar. "Send her back," chant erupts in the crowd.
Trump talked also about Tlaib and "Alexandria OKAY-zeeoh cortez". Huge boos for the mention of Ocasio-Cortez.
Trump now talking about the migrants detained at the border, and claiming their conditions are better than their home nations.
"Some of them said, we've never lived like this before. They have water, they have air conditioning."
"Some of them said, we've never lived like this before. They have water, they have air conditioning."
Trump has now made a point of criticizing all four of the so-called "The Squad" Congresswomen.
Trump also took aim at Biden and, at greater length than I'd heard previously, Buttigieg, saying he's a failed mayor.
Trump also took aim at Biden and, at greater length than I'd heard previously, Buttigieg, saying he's a failed mayor.
"I don't see him dealing with President Xi of China. I don't see him meeting successfully with Kim Jong Un," Trump says of Buttigieg.
It's still going. Some general highlights:
Doubling down on tweets:
"They can come back if they want" and "But they don't love our country. In some cases, I think they hate our country"
Also:
"We'll have over 400 miles of wall built by the end of next year."
Doubling down on tweets:
"They can come back if they want" and "But they don't love our country. In some cases, I think they hate our country"
Also:
"We'll have over 400 miles of wall built by the end of next year."
Now he's introducing candidates in upcoming special elections.
Trump also took a while to criticize "antifa," saying "they are very evil, they're hitting people over the head with sticks."
Basically, Trump has woven the themes of his tweets and attacks on the four Congresswomen into more run-of-the-mill rally speech material tonight. He's doubling down yet again on the tweets and "go back" messaging widely condemned as racist.
(Not everyone loves the volume.)
"We haven't had any empty seat in any event," Trump says, predicting he could have sold out this arena several times over.
The 8000-capacity venue is quite full but there are indeed a smattering of empty seats (that'd have crummy views.)
The 8000-capacity venue is quite full but there are indeed a smattering of empty seats (that'd have crummy views.)
Trump is now talking about drug overdose death, saying it's dropped for the first time in more than 30 years. (NYT: drug overdose deaths dropped for first time since 1990.)
Trump is saying he will for sure leave in 2024, and that people will lose their minds if he suggests otherwise.
"I promise, 2024, I leave."
He warns that 401ks will crash if he loses in 2020 though.
"I promise, 2024, I leave."
He warns that 401ks will crash if he loses in 2020 though.
Trump says that everything he has done "can be decimated very quickly" if someone else wins.
(I am glazing over various attacks he's ducked back to on Democrats. He spent a lot of time on Warren / "Pocahontas", after earlier dedicating a lot of time to attacking Omar and AOC.)
Rich guys want me to win because they will lose a lot of money if I lose, Trump says.
"I lost all my friends, they've tightened up, they've choked," Trump says of friends who now address him as "Mr. President."
"I lost all my friends, they've tightened up, they've choked," Trump says of friends who now address him as "Mr. President."
Huge cheers for the mention of Brett Kavanaugh.
Still going.
He specified "raisin like raisin."
"We are one big beautiful movement," Trump says.
"We are so respected," by other nations now, Trump says -- in a month where he sparred with the envoy from the (supposedly "Special Relationship") U.K., whose leaked diplomatic cables described widespread dysfunction in the Trump administration.
Over. "You can't always get what you want" is the exit song.
Press van is playing Fishin' in the Dark as we careen to the airport, though.
