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Arizona Rally: The Opening Act, Oh My!
The Arizona MAGA Rally was another great success, no thanks to the new Arizona Republican Party Chairman. The structure of these rallies is set and well known by now. President Trump is the headliner, and he will bring up a person who he wants to highlight during his speech. Before that, there are a series of opening acts, following the consistent opening ceremony, comprised of: the Pledge of Allegiance, public prayer invocation, and the National Anthem. Stunningly, the new guy in Arizona, Jonathan Lines, managed to mangle both the National Anthem and the opening acts.
Setting the Scene:
You must understand that MAGA rallies are paid for by the Donald J. Trump campaign. If you didn’t know that, you were informed as you approached the Secret Service screening point. A big screen, with closed captions, and speakers generating plenty of volume, informed attendees that President Trump values and defends the First Amendment, so he provides a designated protest area. However, since this is a paid-for venue, disruptive speech will lead to removal from the venue. Supporters are instructed how to non-violently drown out would-be disruptive individuals, cueing law enforcement to escort them out without giving the media what they want.
The physical set-up is always the same. A set of risers behind the podium and lectern provide the visual of super-supporters and elected officials, facing the riser full of media, across the sea of standing, waving, chanting rally attendees. A variety of signs, with different messages, are provided after the screening point. It has become a bit like a long-running cult film or musical act, where the audience participates with actions and well-known lines.
You must further understand that “crazy” has become a powerful weapon in the McSally-Sinema Senate Race. Sinema was caught on video, out of state, calling Arizonans “Crazy.” So, several signs carried variations on “crazy” at the Arizona rally. “Crazy Voting Deplorable,” “5 C’s of Arizona, Crazy,” “Crazy to Vote Democrat.” Martha McSally is swinging this hammer at Sinema daily. She drove it home in her MAGA rally speech with President Trump standing next to her.
Crazy Opening Act?
The rally started normally, sort of. The Arizona GOP Chairman stepped up to the microphone, acting as the MC. He bungled the location, saying “Phoenix,” when we were clearly in the east end of Mesa for reasons having to do with Phoenix Democrat craziness. But, he got the first guy introduced and we said the Pledge of Allegiance with red MAGA hats over hearts. We bowed our heads for the invocation. Some took lines in the invocation as an occasion for cheering, a secular variant on some faith traditions’ mid-prayer “amens” or “yes, Lord.” Then the MC, the Arizona GOP Chairman, stepped back up to introduce the National Anthem performer.
It was his wife with another woman. He proudly informed us that his wife was the mother of 11 children and that he was one of 10 children. While this is a clear signal of his virtue as a Mormon, it was irrelevant, potentially distracting, and hinted at trouble ahead, as neither his job, nor the MAGA rally was about him. But, alright, we were there for President Trump and victory in November, so bless him and his lovely family.
The two women stepped up to the lectern and began to sing. Yikes. There is a long, regrettable, painful history of performers deciding the National Anthem is about them, resulting in all manner of vocal, musical gymnastics, contortions, and distortions. There are times when the audience braces itself before the performance. It ought never be so.
It is not about you. It is not supposed to be an American Idol audition. It is about honoring the Nation and our heroes. Just freakin’ sing it, straight! The very best, the truly great, get this and get out of the way, lending their vocal gifts to a reverent rendition.
So, was the Arizona audience, and the nation through the media, subjected to painfully bad or wildly inappropriate phrasing? No. Was it off-key caterwauling? No. Worse. In the midst of a hotly contested election, critical to Arizona and America, we were treated to an idiosyncratic choice of verses.
From the opening bar, we knew something was off, as it did not start “O, say can you see.” What we got was the final verse. Why? It was not cheered strongly, as would always happen with a good, rousing rendition of the verse every competent performer uses. We shrugged it off, but we had to shrug it off, carrying the rally instead of being aided by the Arizona Republican Party Chairman.
The man deserves no credit for the speakers that then stood forth. The candidate for Secretary of State, Arizona’s first in the line of succession to the governor, did a manly job. Congressman Andy Biggs has the MAGA conviction and delivered. Governor Ducey fired up the crowd and conveyed confidence in his further stewardship. Then . . . nothing.
Nothing but canned music for the better part of an hour, until the Presidential ground vehicles rolled up, followed by two V-22 Ospreys touching down in the dark outside the lighted hanger. Shortly after they lifted off, the distinct heavy beating of the Sikorsky engine and blades of Marine One filled the hanger, and the President strode up onto the podium.
Now, that time gap stood in stark contrast with the message of urgency, the message of voting straight Republican, the call to electoral zeal, in the face of Democrat Party cheating. The risers behind the President included other members of our Congressional delegation and candidates to state office. Each would have been welcomed by the crowd to air their two-minute pitch, ending with a consistent MAGA, get-out-and-vote theme. But, they were snubbed by their state party chairman.
A party chairman has one job: to defend and expand the offices held by the party. Not to facilitate “American Idol” audition tapes by family members. President Trump carried the rally, showing ever-increasing mastery of persuasive, public, political speaking. The candidates for office all sang in the key of GOP with MAGA variations. It was another smashing success, no thanks to the opening act MC.
Published in Elections
Thank you for your excellent history of what you saw at the Mesa Trump Rally. In August 2017, I protested outside of a Trump rally, shortly after Charlottesville. I did not go and protest this year. First, I want Martha McSally and Doug Ducey to both win. Second, I am still in the glow of Kavanaugh. The hyperlink to my protest of Trump is attached below. Thanks again for painting such a detailed picture.
Gary
http://ricochet.com/archives/what-i-saw-at-the-anti-trump-rally-revolution/
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This was the opening act. I’ll get to the main event later on Sunday.
Later: Hmm, make that Monday. Lots of photos uploaded for illustration. Bigger story.
Outline:
Staging: (location contrast to last rally, effect on crowds and protesters)
President Trump’s performance (briefer, more disciplined yet loose, energy, contrast last Phoenix rally)
President Trump’s messages, with links, examples in other states (PowerLine has great stuff)
Congresswoman McSally’s remarks (how introduced, what she did and did not say)
Summary assessment: mission accomplished?
“Gary Robbins is a Flagstaff family law attorney who ran for Superior Court in 2012. He describes his politics as being a national NeverTrump Republican and an Arizona Democrat.”
Meanwhile Slow Joe Biden went up against Trump in Nevada.
Estimates of Biden crowd at about 200. Astroturfed Union members….
Ah, the canard that will not die. I have addressed this a dozen times so far, I will address it as long as someone decides to slur me and not meet my arguments head on.
I live in Coconino County, Arizona, the third most liberal of all of Arizona’s counties. All of members of the Board of Supervisors and City Counsel and all county-wide seats (except for one judge) are Democrats. When I wrote an article about going to a rally, I described myself as a National NeverTrump Republican and an Arizona Democrat.
Locally, my Democratic friends were appalled that I would describe myself as a National Republican. There are a few members of Ricochet who keep throwing in my face that for the purpose of this article, I described myself as an Arizona Democrat.
My point is that the Republican Party has such nuts like Joe Arpaio, Kelli Ward and Congressman Paul Gosar*. Given that, I must distinguish myself from them.
I have not voted for a Democrat for President since 1972 when I was in college. I am a registered Republican. I have been a Republican Precinct Committee-person. I have twice attended the Arizona Republican Party State Convention. One year I gave the maximum allowable to my Republican Congressman. I have run for office as a Republican. I have given over $20,000 to Republicans, and less than $2,000 to Democrats. I am a Reagan Republican.
I am saving this response so that I can cut and paste it the next time someone decides to make a knowing misrepresentation of my views.
*In October 2017, Gosar promoted the conspiracy theory that the violent march of white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, that occurred earlier that year was a left-wing plot to stoke racial discord and to undermine President Donald Trump.[28] Gosar’s statements echoed debunked claims that were circulating among the far right and promoted by conspiracy theorists such as Alex Jones of Infowars.[28] Gosar further believes the Charlottesville rally may have been funded by George Soros, who Gosar said “turned in his own people to the Nazis.”[29]\ Soros was 14 in 1944 and escaped Vienna with the help of his parents. Seven of Gosar’s own siblings wrote an open letter to the Kingman (Arizona) Daily Miner newspaper denouncing Gosar’s claims about Soros as “despicable slander…without a shred of truth”, saying the congressman “owes George Soros a personal apology.”
And I am having trouble finding the distinction you want to make.
As I’ve stated before it’s not a canard if you said it.
I don’t care where you live or how liberal the area is. That’s irrelevant.
As long as you try to promote policies I feel are destructive, and I can’t think of one more destructive then electing Democrats at this time, of any stripe, I’ll be here pushing back.
Martha McSalley prevailed in the primary over Ward and Arpaio. Gosar is not your representative. Are you still of the opinion that George Soros funded efforts are not the force behind much of the anti-Trump protests fomenting violence in public venues? It doesn’t matter what Soros was or did back then. You will have a tough time convincing me that mobs dressed in black wearing face coverings and carrying weapons are peaceful protesters enjoying First Amendment protection of their rights. Charlottesville was an early event in these mob undertakings that took place before Democrats and the MSM lost all credibility. What does it take for you to see?
According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, a canard is a false report or a piece of information intended to deceive people. You are strip-quoting me.
William F. Buckley once said that he would be vote for the most conservative viable candidate. You would like to be pure. Fine. I suggest that we run candidates who reflect their districts.
Let me see if I’ve got this straight. Clifford A. Brown paints a very vivid picture of a Trump rally that he went to. I comment that unlike the Trump rally in August 2017 that I went to, I did not go to this rally, essentially saying that I have mellowed. Seeing my name, and angry that I have an issue that the House Republicans have no provided any check on Trump, you decide to engage in an ad hominem attack on me. I suggest that you stick to the issues and play the ball, not the man.
Have you gone to a Trump rally? What did you see? What do you think about Clifford said in his post?
You have been an ER physician. What can you contribute about your experience?
You have been to Saudi. What was your experience?
Taking ad hominem pot shots unrelated to the OP is beneath you.
Thank goodness.
Actually he used to be my representative. I have walked with him in the Fourth of July parade in Flagstaff. I have gone to meeting with other Republican Precinct Committeepeople at his Flagstaff office. Gosar moved to Prescott after redistricting.
They are a force, but not “the force” behind Trump protests.
What I saw was that they were 1% of the August 2017 protest I attended.
Charlottesville is why I attended the protest in August 2017. Time has moved on. I did not protest at the Mesa rally.
I think I see pretty well. What concerns me is that Clifford has written a very detailed OP, and the Comments are focusing on someone who didn’t protest it.
Have you gone to a Trump rally? What did you think of it? I’d love to hear more of your experience and receive less personal attacks.
When Arizona only has Democrats on the ballot, like California, then someone who does not support Democrat policies can vote for the Democrat who will do the least damage. A Reagan Republican stance is not effective against the current crop of Democrat dolts.
The “Democrat” in my congressional district served 8 years as a Republican in the Arizona Legislature before he got primaried. He is one of the half dozen most conservative Democrats in Congress. He is a Charlie Stenholm/Scoop Jackson Democrat, not one of the Kamala Harris-Mazie Hirono-Spartacus Democrat dolts.
But more importantly , let’s focus on Clifford’s post and not your disagreements with me. Or you can create your own post: “My problems with Gary Robbins” or “Resolved: Ricochet should ban or at least chide severely anyone who has voted for Democrats.”
I will acknowledge your position that you could have a local Democrat who is acceptable from a policy standpoint, but recognize this cannot be applied to any federal office that operates under the likes of Schumer/Pelosi leadership. There we are in dangerous territory.
That is a massive problem for me. However if the Dems win only by a couple of votes, doubt that Pelosi will be Speaker. I would like to suggest that Tom O’Halleran (AZ-1) could be a compromise speaker.
If that happened, would all the House committees be going after Trump for various ‘alleged’ misdeeds that he committed as a private citizen? I really dislike the idea that they think it’s ok to get a look at his tax returns without his consent. The IRS looks at his tax returns.
Interestingly, in Mesa, the Antifa crowd…wasn’t. There were a handful of protestors with handmade signs and people along to catch their 15 minutes of fame. It never got beyond banter. Pictures to prove it. Quite different from the last Phoenix event, where the left was out in force and the punks who wanted to brawl started their street theater with the cops down the block from the venue.
I’ll post more on that later this evening. Knocked out two group writing posts today, after jumping on the open date with one and being kindly reminded that I had promised another — three deep in my pile of draft posts. </snivel>
Thanks for the report. I agree about how the Star Spangled Banner should not be sung.
Back in the 80s Mrs R and I went to a $$-a-plate dinner for a congressional candidate. It was interesting how some Republicans used the event as a way to snub other Republicans. Haven’t been to one since, not necessarily to avoid that stuff.
Based on the above I assume it’s O”Halleran
Does he caucus with the Democrats? What’s his voting record?
His lifetime Freedom Works score is 16%
He’s pro abortion and supports public funding for same.
Sounds like he earned the title Democrat and not the “scare quotes” you throw in.
The crowds for the upcoming rally in Houston are just insane. People have been camping out, and they estimate a crowd of around a 100,000.
Amazing.
I, too, wish that we could focus on the OP. If we could just quote people without being accused of dishonesty…
So true. People even do this with religious songs now, and non-religious Christmas tunes. Makes a body wanna throw away his radio.
I don’t think I would complain about the ladies singing the last verse of the anthem. I wish more people could hear the neglected verses; not just the first verse, and the one about “the hireling and slave.”
I suspect there are Ricochet libertarians who would tell us that now that most of us are hirelings, the world is better in every possible way.
According to govtrack.us, O’Halleran is the 8th most conservative Democrat in Congress.
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/report-cards/2017/party-house-democrat/ideology
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Mesa PD says 40,000 attended the Mesa, AZ rally, almost double the 2017 Phoenix rally.
“Jobs Not Mobs”
So according to this ranking Kyrsten Sinema, Netroots fan, former Green Party member, Prada Socialist is the Second Most Conservative Democrat in the House?
Addendum. Your “conservative Democrat” has an ACU lifetime rating of …. 3.7
Putting him about 40 among Democrats. Conyers (4.67) , Guttierez (4.82), and Jackson Lee(5.13) scored more conservative than O”Halleran. Hell Sinema(13.04) is a Rock Ribbed Conservative compared to him.
The President name-checked every AZ member of the House GOP caucus who was present, praising each seperately, along with Governor Ducey, before introducing Martha McSally.
Representative Debbie Lesko, Congressman Andy Biggs, Congressman Dave Schweikert, and Governor Doug Ducey, were there.
Representative Paul Gozar was not. I expect he will be reelected.
The candidate for the marginal seat that Martha McSally left uncovered (possibly to avoid defeat), Lea Marquez Peterson, was also not present, or was not acknowledged. There has only been one poll, taken before the Kavanaugh vote, and it gave an 11 point lead to the Democrat, who was a Congresswoman in another district before. We may lose this one, but it is worth working for.
Yikes! I just checked the Arizona GOP website, for with the hapless GOP Chairman is responsible. I guess he was too busy helping his wife rehearse the odd version of the National Anthem to check the copy: