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EXPLAINING TRUMP’S #TulsaRallyFlop
Trump’s return to the political rally scene last night was a disaster & rightly so. His motives for wanting to have this rally & his decisions around the location & timing ultimately proved catastrophic. I will break it down in this THREAD!
Trump’s return to the political rally scene last night was a disaster & rightly so. His motives for wanting to have this rally & his decisions around the location & timing ultimately proved catastrophic. I will break it down in this THREAD!
1. RACE MASSACRE
In 1921 white residents descended on an area in Tulsa called “Black Wall Street" killing 36 black people & injuring hundreds of others. Given the current unrest nationwide (racial injustice), choosing to hold a rally in this location was 100% incendiary.
In 1921 white residents descended on an area in Tulsa called “Black Wall Street" killing 36 black people & injuring hundreds of others. Given the current unrest nationwide (racial injustice), choosing to hold a rally in this location was 100% incendiary.
2. JUNETEENTH
The original date for Trump’s Tulsa rally was 6/19, a commemorative date which marks the end of slavery in the USA. Choosing this was not “coincidental” & like the location the timing was provocative. It took public outrage for the date to be changed to 6/20.
The original date for Trump’s Tulsa rally was 6/19, a commemorative date which marks the end of slavery in the USA. Choosing this was not “coincidental” & like the location the timing was provocative. It took public outrage for the date to be changed to 6/20.
3. PANDEMIC
Trump's decision to hold a mass gathering during a pandemic was completely reckless. In the days prior to the rally Oklahoma was experiencing its highest ever number of new diagnoses of COVID19. Trump prioritized his own needs over those of the people of Oklahoma.
Trump's decision to hold a mass gathering during a pandemic was completely reckless. In the days prior to the rally Oklahoma was experiencing its highest ever number of new diagnoses of COVID19. Trump prioritized his own needs over those of the people of Oklahoma.
4. NARCISSISM
Trump’s narcissism is pathological. The pandemic had curtailed his freedom to conduct his “big rallies” & he resented that. He was bored & needed a “narcissism fix” from a rally. That the attendance was so low (6,200 of 19,000) was surely a huge blow, mentally.
Trump’s narcissism is pathological. The pandemic had curtailed his freedom to conduct his “big rallies” & he resented that. He was bored & needed a “narcissism fix” from a rally. That the attendance was so low (6,200 of 19,000) was surely a huge blow, mentally.
5. PROTESTERS
Prior to the rally Trump ranted on Twitter & basically threatened that anyone protesting at the rally would be dealt with using force. His grouping of protesters with "anarchists & looters" was insulting to those who peacefully express their 1st amendment rights.
Prior to the rally Trump ranted on Twitter & basically threatened that anyone protesting at the rally would be dealt with using force. His grouping of protesters with "anarchists & looters" was insulting to those who peacefully express their 1st amendment rights.
6. TICKETING FIASCO
Prior to the rally, Trump’s campaign manager, Brad Parscale, bragged repeatedly about the public “demand” for tickets. But speculation on social media is that teenagers on #TikTok & #kpopfans requested thousands of tickets with no intention of attending.
Prior to the rally, Trump’s campaign manager, Brad Parscale, bragged repeatedly about the public “demand” for tickets. But speculation on social media is that teenagers on #TikTok & #kpopfans requested thousands of tickets with no intention of attending.
7. SPEECH
Trump’s rally speech itself was an atrocious mess & included various off-script moments such as his crazy rant about #RampGate! But the most appalling moment was his admission that he had basically favored a “no testing, no cases” approach in relation to the pandemic.
Trump’s rally speech itself was an atrocious mess & included various off-script moments such as his crazy rant about #RampGate! But the most appalling moment was his admission that he had basically favored a “no testing, no cases” approach in relation to the pandemic.
8. EXCUSES
Predictably, Trump's campaign has already started making excuses for why the rally was a failure, blaming “protesters” for “scaring away” attendees & blaming the media for (appropriately) drawing attention to the risks of holding a mass gathering during a pandemic.
Predictably, Trump's campaign has already started making excuses for why the rally was a failure, blaming “protesters” for “scaring away” attendees & blaming the media for (appropriately) drawing attention to the risks of holding a mass gathering during a pandemic.
9. KARMA
Trump should never have tried to hold a rally in Tulsa on 6/19 during a pandemic. The entire affair was a fiasco - from being forced to change the date to the bragging beforehand about crowd attendance. It seems a just outcome that only 6,200 turned up!
#TulsaRallyFail
Trump should never have tried to hold a rally in Tulsa on 6/19 during a pandemic. The entire affair was a fiasco - from being forced to change the date to the bragging beforehand about crowd attendance. It seems a just outcome that only 6,200 turned up!
#TulsaRallyFail
