Trump launches re-election campaign, presents himself as outsider and victim

[webfact]

Trump launches re-election campaign, presents himself as outsider and victim

By Steve Holland

 

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a fundraiser in Des Moines, Iowa, June 11, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/Files

 

ORLANDO, Fla. (Reuters) - President Donald Trump formally launched his 2020 re-election campaign on Tuesday by presenting himself as the same political insurgent who shook up the Washington establishment four years ago and who is now a victim of an attempted ouster by Democrats.

 

At a packed rally in Orlando, Florida, Trump made clear he would run for re-election as an outsider, just as he did in 2016. Whether he can pull it off remains far from certain as Trump has been in Washington now for 2-1/2 years.

 

"Together we stared down a broken political establishment and we restored government by and for the people," Trump said. "As long as you keep this team in place, we have a tremendous way to go. Our future has never looked brighter or sharper."

 

As thousands cheered him on in Orlando's Amway Center, Trump said his Democratic challengers would radically change the United States and would seek to legalize migrants coming across the southern border so they could vote and boost the Democratic political base.

 

It was a return to a major theme of his 2016 campaign when he warned of the threat of illegal immigration and promised a crackdown.

 

Trump said the Democrats "want to destroy our country as we know it" and that it's "not going to happen."

 

Two dozen Democrats are competing for their party's nomination to face off against Trump in the November 2020 election. Many of the top Democrats lead Trump in opinion polls in many battleground states.

 

"Just think what this angry left-wing mob would do if they were in charge of this country. Imagine if we had a Democrat president and a Democrat Congress in 2020. They would shut down your free speech, use the power of the law to punish their opponents," Trump said.

 

AIRING GRIEVANCES

Trump made his re-election launch official at what was his 60th political rally since he took office in January 2017. He brought his wife, Melania, and a large contingent of senior White House staff.

 

“Tonight I stand before you to officially launch my campaign for a second term as president of the United States," Trump said. "I promise you I will never ever let you down."

 

The Trump of 2020 bears a strong resemblance to the Trump of 2016 - brash and eager to blast opponents and promote tough policies on trade and immigration.

 

During his speech, Trump declared himself a victim and aired his grievances.

 

He made an issue of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. The probe found insufficient evidence to establish that the Trump campaign engaged in a criminal conspiracy with Moscow. It also described numerous attempts by Trump to impede Mueller's probe, but stopped short of declaring that he committed a crime.

 

"We went through the biggest witch hunt in political history," said Trump. "It was all an illegal attempt to overturn the results of the election."

 

Two-and-a-half years into his tenure, Trump sees plenty of positive factors, led by a growing economy with low unemployment.

 

"If the economy stays strong, he is very likely to get re-elected," said Trump confidant Newt Gingrich, a former Republican speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

 

But the lingering aftermath of the Russia probe, coupled with a presidential style marked by name-calling and eye-popping tweets, has undermined some Americans' confidence in Trump before the November 2020 election.

 

He also has stirred division with his hard-line policies on immigration and unsettled business and farm groups with his use of tariffs in trade disputes with China and some allies.

 

Democrats cite a string of broken promises in Trump's first term, from lowering drug prices to closing corporate tax loopholes and stopping plant closures. In a media call on Tuesday, Democratic Party officials focused on his moves to weaken the signature healthcare law of his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, without providing an alternative.

 

"Donald Trump is launching his campaign for re-election tonight and the American people face a choice - we can make Trump an aberration or let him fundamentally and forever alter the character of this nation," said Kate Bedingfield, deputy campaign manager for Democratic front-runner Joe Biden.

 

POLLING CONCERNS

A Reuters/Ipsos poll on June 11 gave Trump a 40% job approval rating, compared with 57% who disapproved. Other opinion polls have shown him running consistently behind his main Democratic challengers, such as Biden, in key battleground states.

 

Republican strategists say the fundamentals favor Trump as he heads into his election but that he faces challenges given his bare-knuckled approach, which he refuses to temper.

 

"His support with his base is as strong as it’s ever been for any Republican incumbent president. The challenge is adding to that and building the coalition he needs for re-election," said Republican strategist Ryan Williams, a former adviser to 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney.

 

In a Twitter post before his trip, Trump said: "Republican enthusiasm is at an all time high. Look what is going on in Orlando, Florida, right now!"

 

The Orlando Sentinel, however, welcomed the president's visit with an editorial titled: "Our endorsement for president in 2020: Not Donald Trump."

 

Trump supporters with tents and sleeping bags started camping out at the rally venue on Monday and thousands had gathered by Tuesday afternoon in a torrential downpour. "It was like a big Trump party," said Maureen Bailey, who slept in a tent with her twin sister, Laureen Vartanian.

 

(Reporting by Steve Holland; Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu in Washington and Carlo Allegri in Orlando; Editing by Bill Trott and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-06-19

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[Berkshire]

12 minutes ago, webfact said:

The Orlando Sentinel, however, welcomed the president's visit with an editorial titled: "Our endorsement for president in 2020: Not Donald Trump."

555555.....this is what most Americans think of Trump.  Most Americans are not MAGA rubes.  The Orlando Sentinel is expressing what most Americans think which is "we want someone not named Trump to be President."

 

[Some readers will wonder how we could possibly eliminate a candidate so far before an election, and before knowing the identity of his opponent.

Because there’s no point pretending we would ever recommend that readers vote for Trump.

 

After 2½ years we’ve seen enough.

 

Enough of the chaos, the division, the schoolyard insults, the self-aggrandizement, the corruption, and especially the lies.

So many lies — from white lies to whoppers — told out of ignorance, laziness, recklessness, expediency or opportunity.

Trump’s capacity for lying isn’t the surprise here, though the frequency is. It’s the tolerance so many Americans have for it.]

 

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/editorials/os-op-sentinel-not-endorsing-donald-trump-2020-20190618-63ya7cyb5ngf3irllodwxnznui-story.html

[simple1]

36 minutes ago, webfact said:

we restored government by and for the people,

It's mind boggling his base believes this stuff coming out of the mouth of a self serving arrogant elitist.

[darksidedog]

45 minutes ago, webfact said:

As long as you keep this team in place, we have a tremendous way to go.

That is because this team never go anywhere, so will always have a tremendous way to go. All that has happened since Donald took office is growing disunity across the country, and the world. The vitriol between parties has never been, and never should be the way it is today.

I appreciate some died in the wool republicans will never be able to accept they have a bad candidate, or understand the overall damage that has been done in the last two and a half years and will blindly follow. One can only hope that such people are in the minority when the next elections come round.

America and the world need a leader they can trust. Donald Trump is not, and never will be that person.

[Tug]

Unbelievable that con man up there playing the victim but even more so is people believe him how many people has he ripped off cheated assualted and those rubes just gobble up the bs god I hope we survive this he has done great damage

[Basil B]

4 minutes ago, Tug said:

Unbelievable that con man up there playing the victim but even more so is people believe him how many people has he ripped off cheated assualted and those rubes just gobble up the bs god I hope we survive this he has done great damage

Yes he has done a lot of damage but he is also very vindictive and when he loses the presidency I see him doing his worst in his last 2 months.

 

              ...God Help America. 

[Puchaiyank]

More delusion by progressive liberal social activists...Trump has been under assualt by mainstream media, the Democratic machine, and the government swamp every step of the way...

 

Amazing he has been able to accomplish so much in a short period of 2 years...

 

I know...I know...you can not see any benefit to you personally because of your unwavering hatred for the man and his family...

Many of the top Democrats lead Trump in opinion polls in many battleground states. 

Shades of 2016...more disppointment for Dems...????

[Jingthing]

He launched his reelection campaign the moment he was inaugurated in front of a tiny crowd. Orlando was a fake launch. You don't get multiple launches. It's like people saying their Granny died 10 times as an excuse. You get one time.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[lannarebirth]

4 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

He launched his reelection campaign the moment he was inaugurated in front of a tiny crowd. Orlando was a fake launch. You don't get multiple launches. It's like people saying their Granny died 10 times as an excuse. You get one time.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

 

Like Giilibrand, Beto, Harris and Booker. Let's cull that herd and get down to business.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

As thousands cheered him on in Orlando's Amway Center,

 Bet the Dems are sweating. They've been telling everyone for the past 2 1/2 years that Trump is evil incarnate, and he is still popular.

 

[bristolboy]

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

 Bet the Dems are sweating. They've been telling everyone for the past 2 1/2 years that Trump is evil incarnate, and he is still popular.

 

Trump's pollsters would disagree with you. Do you have access to more advanced methods for determining his popularity?

[thaibeachlovers]

53 minutes ago, Basil B said:

Yes he has done a lot of damage but he is also very vindictive and when he loses the presidency I see him doing his worst in his last 2 months.

 

              ...God Help America. 

If the Dems win, he might be like Obama, and bring in a load of regulations to booby trap the next president.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Trump's pollsters would disagree with you. Do you have access to more advanced methods for determining his popularity?

LOL, LOL, LOL

What does "As thousands cheered him on in Orlando's Amway Center" mean to you?

 

 

[bristolboy]

Just now, thaibeachlovers said:

LOL, LOL, LOL

What does "As thousands cheered him on in Orlando's Amway Center" mean to you?

 

BTW, quit the baiting.

About 138,000,000 Americans voted in the last Presidental election. What electoral or popular significance do you believe can be assigned to a crowd of thousands?

I think you need to look up a definition of "baiting."

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, Tug said:

Unbelievable that con man up there playing the victim but even more so is people believe him how many people has he ripped off cheated assualted and those rubes just gobble up the bs god I hope we survive this he has done great damage

When he wins again, can we expect another 4 years of Trump hatred on TVF? The same old Trump bad mantra repeated ad nauseam gets boring after 2 1/2 years of it.

[lannarebirth]

4 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

LOL, LOL, LOL

What does "As thousands cheered him on in Orlando's Amway Center" mean to you?

 

 

 

Orlando in Orange County isn't the county you need to win to win Florida. Let's see how he draws in Miami -Dade County and Broward County.

[thaibeachlovers]

3 minutes ago, lannarebirth said:

 

Orlando in Orange County isn't the county you need to win to win Florida. Let's see how he draws in Miami -Dade County and Broward County.

I wasn't trying to get bogged down in details. The point I was making is that despite 2 1/2 years of Dem demonization, Trump can still get a cheering crowd of thousands. If the propaganda had worked, he'd have had a few tramps and a old cat to greet him.

Back to the drawing board, Dems.

[bristolboy]

20 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I wasn't trying to get bogged down in details. The point I was making is that despite 2 1/2 years of Dem demonization, Trump can still get a cheering crowd of thousands. If the propaganda had worked, he'd have had a few tramps and a old cat to greet him.

Back to the drawing board, Dems.

Really? In a country of 138,000,000 voters, Trump's support should be zero or close to it? And anything more than that is proof of his popularity? Can you define popularity in percentage terms?  

A mathematician named John Allen Paulos coined the word "innumeracy:" You should look it up.

[Puchaiyank]

19 minutes ago, lannarebirth said:

 

Orlando in Orange County isn't the county you need to win to win Florida. Let's see how he draws in Miami -Dade County and Broward County.

Don't you worry none...the Dem machine there has been busy since the last Dem rigged election...working overtime to ensure Trump does not win the southern colorful counties...

[soalbundy]

39 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

 Bet the Dems are sweating. They've been telling everyone for the past 2 1/2 years that Trump is evil incarnate, and he is still popular.

 

A lot of low IQ's out there.

[soalbundy]

24 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I wasn't trying to get bogged down in details. The point I was making is that despite 2 1/2 years of Dem demonization, Trump can still get a cheering crowd of thousands. If the propaganda had worked, he'd have had a few tramps and a old cat to greet him.

Back to the drawing board, Dems.

Maybe many came just for a laugh

[bristolboy]

14 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

Don't you worry none...the Dem machine there has been busy since the last Dem rigged election...working overtime to ensure Trump does not win the southern colorful counties...

Because Trump is so popular among racial minority voters?

[Becker]

43 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

When he wins again, can we expect another 4 years of Trump hatred on TVF? The same old Trump bad mantra repeated ad nauseam gets boring after 2 1/2 years of it.

So why do you participate?

[thaibeachlovers]

5 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

A lot of low IQ's out there.

It somewhat puzzles me that some seem to think some citizens are of low intelligence because they cheer Trump. Is that because in their opinion they are superior beings?

[thaibeachlovers]

2 minutes ago, Becker said:

So why do you participate?

Good question. I guess I don't want the resistance to think they succeeded in driving any that don't support their view point off the forum.

[puck2]

Stupidity, incompetence, racist ideas, egoism, big mouth with a small brain, lies, fake news   ..... the liste goes on .... will win again?

 

USA, please surprise me !

[billd766]

52 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

 Bet the Dems are sweating. They've been telling everyone for the past 2 1/2 years that Trump is evil incarnate, and he is still popular.

 

quote from the O/P " 3 hours ago, webfact said:
As thousands cheered him on in Orlando's Amway Center,

 

Why would the Democrats be sweating?

 

With the us voting population at 2018 of 153.07 why should they worry about the thousands in Orlando's Amway Center.

 

https://www.statista.com/statistics/273743/number-of-registered-voters-in-the-united-states/

 

57 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

LOL, LOL, LOL

What does "As thousands cheered him on in Orlando's Amway Center" mean to you?

 

 

Not a lot.

 

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

7 minutes ago, billd766 said:

quote from the O/P " 3 hours ago, webfact said:
As thousands cheered him on in Orlando's Amway Center,

 

Why would the Democrats be sweating?

 

With the us voting population at 2018 of 153.07 why should they worry about the thousands in Orlando's Amway Center.

 

https://www.statista.com/statistics/273743/number-of-registered-voters-in-the-united-states/

 

Not a lot.

 

 

 

Why are you repeating everything bristolboy said already?

[habanero]

3 hours ago, Berkshire said:

555555.....this is what most Americans think of Trump.  Most Americans are not MAGA rubes.  The Orlando Sentinel is expressing what most Americans think which is "we want someone not named Trump to be President."

 

[Some readers will wonder how we could possibly eliminate a candidate so far before an election, and before knowing the identity of his opponent.

Because there’s no point pretending we would ever recommend that readers vote for Trump.

 

After 2½ years we’ve seen enough.

 

Enough of the chaos, the division, the schoolyard insults, the self-aggrandizement, the corruption, and especially the lies.

So many lies — from white lies to whoppers — told out of ignorance, laziness, recklessness, expediency or opportunity.

Trump’s capacity for lying isn’t the surprise here, though the frequency is. It’s the tolerance so many Americans have for it.]

 

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/editorials/os-op-sentinel-not-endorsing-donald-trump-2020-20190618-63ya7cyb5ngf3irllodwxnznui-story.html

I think I heard this same argument in 2016. Everyone on the left said, " No way Donald Trump is ever going to be President". 

Guess what? They were wrong then and they are wrong now.

[monkeycu]

Whats the going rate that this rent a crowd charges