President Trump brings rally to middle Georgia

With early voting already in progress, and Election Day just weeks away, President Donald Trump overcame a bout with COVID-19 and wasted little time hitting the campaign trail. The president announced that he was administered an experimental coronavirus treatment that produced quick results. He appeared to be fully recuperated as he took the podium in middle Georgia on Friday and spoke before a crowd of supporters at a presidential rally held in Macon.

During his address, Trump took many stabs at both his opponent and the media. Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, was referred to several times as, “Sleepy Joe.” At one time, Trump called Biden, “the worst candidate in the history of presidential politics,” and Biden’s family, “a criminal enterprise.” Pointing into the cameras of certain ones of the national television news channels that were there to capture him, Trump, on numerous occasions called them, “fake news media.” As with most all political rallies, no doubt there were hecklers among the audience members, but from the volume of the cheers that roared behind his words, most of the crowd agreed with Trump’s sentiments.

The “Make America Great Again” rally was held at the Middle Georgia Regional Airport, and the throng that welcomed him appeared to number into the thousands. At one point, Trump indicated that there were tens of thousands there. Chants of, “Four more years” and “We love Trump” could be heard, and despite his speech lasting the better part of two hours, the energy in the space did not seem to fade throughout.

“Eighteen days from now, we’re going to win the state of Georgia!” Trump declared to the roars of the crowd. “Early voting is underway,” he added. “Go out and vote!”

Despite his voiced confidence, Trump later tackled the issue of voting and specifically, voting by absentee ballot. His words seemed to question whether all votes would be counted. “We have to be very, very careful with the ballots because they found ballots in the garbage can last week. Military ballots with the name Trump on them,” he stated, “they found them in the garbage can.

“They found 50,000 ballots from Ohio; they [found] them in North Carolina dumped in a river. They found, I think, 500,000 ballots in Virginia—they were incorrect,” Trump revealed. “They’re printing them wrong. They had one little problem… They forgot to put the name of Donald Trump on the ballot.”

Trump voiced his disagreement of using COVID as a reason not to go out and vote. He cited that people went to the polls and voted during WWI, at a time when, as he put it, there was “a pandemic that made this one look like peanuts.” Of the absentee voting process, Trump later warned that, “It’s going to work against us. I promise you.”

Speaking of the opposing party, the president said, “The Democratic Party has gone crazy. They have contempt for America. They have contempt for the United States. I don’t think Biden does,” he quickly added, “but Biden has no power. He’s gone. He’s gone.” Pointing at his own head in illustration, Trump said, “Up here, he’s gone.”

In stark contrast, he stated that, “The Republican Party is proud of America. We love America. We celebrate American values, American history, American culture—and we’re working to deliver a truly extraordinary American future, but I want the Republican Party to get tougher. The Republican Party are good people, but they’re not tough enough in terms of our values and what we stand for. They let these other people—these lunatics—get away with things like, you can’t spy on a campaign; you can’t try and take over a duly elected President of the United States. And when you get caught, you have to suffer the consequences. It’s very simple,” Trump charged.

Among the things highlighted that he has done for Georgians and Americans at large, Trump cited his support of farmers, his backing of law enforcement, his lowering of taxes and his determination to protect the citizens’ 2nd Amendment rights. “I am the only thing standing in the way of you and your 2nd Amendment,” he insisted.

As strong as his Georgia support appears to be, Trump hinted that losing the election was a possibility. “I shouldn’t joke,” he said. “Running against the worst candidate in the history of presidential politics puts pressure on me. Could you imagine if I lose? My whole life, what am I going to do? I’m going to say, I lost to the worst candidate in the history of politics. I’m not going to feel so good. Maybe I’ll have to leave the country; I don’t know.”

What ultimately happens and who eventually claims the victory as the next President of the United States of America remains to be seen. Here locally, according to Houston County Board of Elections Assistant Supervisor Andy Holland, we are on track for a record-breaking year with voter turnout. Early voting in Georgia will continue through Friday, October 30. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2020.

HHJ News