In Alabama, Trump’s Wizard of Oz Act Leaves Some Fans Underwhelmed

National Review ^ | August 22, 2015g | QUIN HILLYER

[Steelfish]

In Alabama, Trump’s Wizard of Oz Act Leaves Some Fans Underwhelmed

QUIN HILLYER

Toto the dog wasn’t needed in Mobile, Ala., Friday night to pull the curtain from behind The Great and Mighty Trump. Trump let his own curtain flutter open, showing to much of the audience the humbug within. In an hour-long verbal meanderthon at half-filled Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Trump allowed an atmosphere of electric excitement to dissipate, and then he split town without his promised post-show press conference.

As I left the stadium, a red-hatted lady of my acquaintance spotted me and pulled me aside, saying: “Somebody needs to tell that man when to shut the you-know-what up. People were leaving in droves.” Well, not entirely droves, but by my estimate, about 15–20 percent of the 18,000 or so attendees — Trump publicity organs had earlier said they expected up to 35,000 — had filed out before Trump wound up his many-versed hymn to his own toughness and deal-making skills.

The line of the evening belonged to Rob Holbert, a former press aide to Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi and now the co-publisher of the port city’s Lagniappe weekly. “That speech was more disjointed,” he said, “than a skeleton after tumbling down four flights of stairs.”

[datura]

National Review has published ZERO positive Trump articles from what I’ve seen. Most are over the top anti Trump.

Just like you.

[Steelfish]

I am NOT a Trump fan and will not fall for Trumpoonery. I am a solid Ted Cruz guy who will donate and work for his election as the only true and electable conservative in the race.

[Teacher317]

at half-filled Ladd-Peebles Stadium,

Amazing how they can use this as a slight. With only days to go before the event, they knew that the 11,400 seat Civic Center wasn't going to be big enough, so they quickly found the next bigger place in town that was available on short notice... 33,471 seat Ladd-Peebles. If even only "half full", that's still 16,700, allowing an extra 5,300 people to attend (and likely several thousand more... the number was probably closer to 23,000).

The second-best crowd-gatherer so far is Bernie Sanders, and he is pulling in 8,000 in Marxist heaven Madison WI. Trump is doubling the #2 draw, and they use it as an excuse to dig at him. The media on both sides is openly fake, hostile, and slanted. Pathetic.

[old curmudgeon]

I also am a Cruz fan to the point of sending money.

However, there is a good chance that Trump will be the man.

So those who call themselves conservatives and say that Trump is not, I say:

Trump is far more conservative than Jeb Bush, Rubio. Walker and Kasich.

The GOPe has run one loser aftr another . If their past record is an indication of the future, we are going to end up with Uncle Joe or Elizabeth “Indian Princess” Warren.

[ripnbang]

The line of the evening belonged to Rob Holbert, a former press aide to Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi.....
============================================================Say no more....

[Steelfish]

Not exactly. The article goes on to say:

“And I woke up this morning to this e-mail from a retired professional who is an outspoken conservative and longtime Mobile civic leader: What happened with Trump? Why was he so late going on stage? Why did he cancel the press conference? Was he insulted by the turnout and had to be talked into going on stage and canceled the press conference because he didn’t want to justify the smaller crowd?”

“compared with the remarkable buzz leading up to the tycoon’s visit, the actual performance was missed opportunity. Typical was this frustrated Facebook post by a local tea-party leader: “Substance!!!!!!!!! No substance!!!!! . . . Trump, please stop rambling. Please, do you have a plan???”

[re_nortex]

Trent Lott is as big a POS as Theo Bilbo ever was.

Theo Bilbo, self-proclaimed as "The Man" was a midget in stature as well as mentally.

The Great State of Mississippi has come a long way from the one-party 'RAT dictatorship it suffered under for decades. Once reliably for Roosevelt, the TVA and other far left (commie) ideas, it has become a strong force for Christianity and Conservatism. It was on the vanguard of the Conservative Revival in 1964 by standing with Barry Goldwater. I think that was the turning point for its shedding of the leftism of Bilbo and other DemomKKKrats like him.

That said, it would have been great has the Personhood election gone the other way.

[ripnbang]

I too hope that,after the bluster has died down, Ted Cruz will rise to the top as the premier constitutional conservative.

---

I know it’s very early in this thing...I know that Ted Cruz is a stalwart defender of the Constitution... I know he is a conservative’s conservative...however, Ted Cruz isn’t even polling first in his own state, and in most of the other states he’s not even in the top three and this is the Republican primary....not even the general election where he’ll be smeared by the media as “the guy” that obstructed Congress and closed the parks and prevented poor people from getting their checks...who do you think the LIV is going to believe?

[posterchild]

Trump is far more conservative than Jeb Bush, Rubio. Walker and Kasich.

LOL! It sounds like damning with faint praise!

[rikkir]

I watched the speech on C-Span this morning.

It was a little disjointed.

The problem was, and this is the first time I’ve seen this, Trump was using notes, whereas he usually speaks from the cuff.

My opinion is that upon finding out how big this crowd was going to be, he wanted to give a blowout speech, and not miss anything.

He would read a note from the card, make a point, and then go off in another direction for a few minutes. Then he would repeat the process.

He probably learned something very important last night.
He needs to keep winging it on stage, or he needs to hire a speechwriter, and follow what is written, but an experienced speaker knows you can’t combine the 2 methods.

They didn’t show any wide shots, so I didn’t see any people leaving. The ones behind him certainly didn’t.

W was like this also. Everyone made fun of W giving speeches, but when he spoke from the heart, no one was more eloquent. Remember the speech at Ground Zero.

Trump is that way. He’s not as polished as W, but that’s because he’s not a politician.
When he’s given speeches in the past, it’s been to trade groups, and employees. If he’s passionate (his off the cuff speeches are that) he gets the points across fine.

[chris37]

I call myself a conservative, and I’m also a Cruz supporter, but I will go ahead and say that if Trump wins the nomination, I will vote for him.

I am also wrestling with myself over when the Florida primary comes, do I vote for Cruz or Trump?

I dunno.

Much as I love Ted Cruz, as another poster stated up thread, he doesn’t seem to inspire.

Leaders, people with leadership ability, have the ability to inspire others.

You lead, people follow, that’s how leadership works.

I see that quality in Trump, and I don’t see it in Ted, and it makes me real sad to say that, but that is how it appears to me at this time.

[chris37]

So people get tickets to go see Trump speak and then complain that he won’t shut the **** up?

Sorry, I don’t believe that.

[ObozoMustGo2012]

I read somewhere recently that a figure like 59% said they’d vote for him.

[ctdonath2]

Title just 2 threads before this one: “Donald Trump Pulling Away As 30,000 Attend Republican Rally In Alabama”

Interesting juxtaposition.

[RegulatorCountry]

I’ve seen these various conflicting reports on attendance at this Trump rally yesterday evening in Mobile, AL, and it’s clear that some have grossly underestimated for political reasons, just as some have overestimated for political reasons.

I watched some of it on YouTube and I’d say the stadium was realistically 75% full at peak plus the number of people on the field. That’s a pretty decent crowd for any candidate regardless, particularly considering the threatening weather.

I’m no Trump diehard, but I do view his presence in the campaign favorably, despite having some reservations. He’d be better than several others, and the energy he’s brought to the race as well as his willingness to bring illegal immigration into serious debate are positives.

If you support another candidate, support your candidate.

[Steelfish]

Soon people will find out he is more bluster than ballast. Hopefully, the mantle will fall to Ted Cruz as others peel off.

[Longbow1969]

Not a Trump fan, though I do agree with many of his points (especially on immigration) - when he can make them without meandering off into how great he is, or how high his polls are, etc.

It wasn’t a good speech. I know the Trumpsters will pretty much love and defend anything “the Donald” does, but that was one of the worst speeches or pep rallies or whatever one want’s to call it I’ve ever heard.

Going forward it might be helpful if Trump picks a few topics and sticks to them and avoids changing thoughts after every few words.

[5th MEB]

Just as am mater of interest GIBBERING JEB couldn’t win at a game of TIC TAC TOE.

[grey_whiskers]

RINO, please!

[crz]

Trump needs a speech writer, get away from his rants.

The speech writer could write him a short speech which would list some points. At the end, he could go through each of those points to elaborate.

I couldnt watch the whole thing, it got old pretty fast.

The man does not realize that if he keeps up like he is doing, he WILL burn out. A half hour at the most. The beginning should be done by speakers who would fire the crowd up. Sessions would have been perfect to do this at the AL event.