Meet Randall Thom. I spoke with Randall the night before the Trump rally in Tulsa. I asked if he was concerned about COVID-19.
"I'm not concerned. My risk factor, what I decided was my risk factor, surely gets outweighed by the fun factor..."
"I'm not concerned. My risk factor, what I decided was my risk factor, surely gets outweighed by the fun factor..."
I asked Randall about how many people have died from COVID-19.
"I guess I haven't even listened to that for the last two weeks. The last time I kinda was aware of it they hit the dreaded 100K. That 100K, you know what, I bet it wasn't a 100K..."
"I guess I haven't even listened to that for the last two weeks. The last time I kinda was aware of it they hit the dreaded 100K. That 100K, you know what, I bet it wasn't a 100K..."
I asked this Trump supporter how her life is better than five years ago.
"...Economically it's gotten better. And, um, the fact that Trump supports our freedoms. He's fighting against the liberals who are behind... the COVID scare. I think all the #'s are extremely inflated."
"...Economically it's gotten better. And, um, the fact that Trump supports our freedoms. He's fighting against the liberals who are behind... the COVID scare. I think all the #'s are extremely inflated."
COVID #'s are up 111% this week in Tulsa. Are you concerned?
"I don't believe that. No, I'm not concerned. That is a leftist lie."
Will you wear a mask inside?
"No I will not... that just takes a little bit more of my freedom away, being told that I have to wear something..."
"I don't believe that. No, I'm not concerned. That is a leftist lie."
Will you wear a mask inside?
"No I will not... that just takes a little bit more of my freedom away, being told that I have to wear something..."
A protester in a car begins to shout at people waiting in line...
What would make you lose your support for Trump?
<long pause>
"Wow. I can't imagine Trump doing something so seriously bad that I'd stop supporting him. Our military is stronger, um... I can't think of anything he would do, unless he made a total about-face..."
<long pause>
"Wow. I can't imagine Trump doing something so seriously bad that I'd stop supporting him. Our military is stronger, um... I can't think of anything he would do, unless he made a total about-face..."
This is Sherry. These are her thoughts on COVID-19.
"The reason the number has gone up as high as it has is because more people are being tested for COVID-19. They're testing 100s of people a day as opposed to 15 or 20."
"The reason the number has gone up as high as it has is because more people are being tested for COVID-19. They're testing 100s of people a day as opposed to 15 or 20."
Every supporter I interviewed had a story like this...
"There was a man, I don't remember where it was, that I find incredibly interesting. He suffered from a gunshot wound and died of COVID-19..."
Where was this?
"I do not remember right off the bat. I'm sorry, I wish I did."
"There was a man, I don't remember where it was, that I find incredibly interesting. He suffered from a gunshot wound and died of COVID-19..."
Where was this?
"I do not remember right off the bat. I'm sorry, I wish I did."
How many people have died from COVID-19 in the U.S.?
"I do not know the numbers. I really don't. I don't have access to the data of private hospitals. I believe there is a sickness going around. I believe that. I truly do. But I don't believe it is as bad as people say it is..."
"I do not know the numbers. I really don't. I don't have access to the data of private hospitals. I believe there is a sickness going around. I believe that. I truly do. But I don't believe it is as bad as people say it is..."
Sherry doesn't believe masks work.
"Here's the thing about masks. All the mask does is keep your spit in your face. It doesn't stop my spit from going through the mask. I'm serious. Read it. All it does is stop your spit from coming out."
<Friend> "She's spitting right now!"
"Here's the thing about masks. All the mask does is keep your spit in your face. It doesn't stop my spit from going through the mask. I'm serious. Read it. All it does is stop your spit from coming out."
<Friend> "She's spitting right now!"
Are you going to wear a mask inside the rally?
"No I will not. If it is airborne, which they still are not sure about... I will have already run into it 500K times w/o a mask... You go to the gas station... How many people are gonna wear a mask to run into the gas station...?"
"No I will not. If it is airborne, which they still are not sure about... I will have already run into it 500K times w/o a mask... You go to the gas station... How many people are gonna wear a mask to run into the gas station...?"
"That's what makes us a great country. If you want to wear that mask, by all means, wear it! I don't want to discourage anybody if it makes them feel safer. I have a very strong immune system. I know that. So.. it's just a matter of, you know, what you think the danger is."
