Trump goes to his comfort zone: campaigner-in-chief

[rooster59]

Trump goes to his comfort zone: campaigner-in-chief

By John Whitesides

 

U.S. President Donald Trump waves as he steps from Air Force One upon his arrival in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., February 17, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - After a tumultuous opening month in the White House, President Donald Trump is heading to a friendlier, familiar and potentially rejuvenating place: the campaign trail.

Beset by vicious fights over his Cabinet, legal setbacks over his immigration orders, the resignation of his national security adviser and an investigation into possible links between his campaign and Russian intelligence, Trump is turning to the winning formula that vaulted him into the White House: big, adoring crowds and fiery, angry speeches.

He has replaced Hillary Clinton, his former Democratic presidential rival, with a new foil: newspapers and TV news outlets that have reported unflattering revelations of dysfunction or other problems in the White House. He has described them as "lying", "corrupt", "failing" and, late on Friday, as "the enemy of the American people."

On Saturday, he holds a campaign rally in an airport hangar in Melbourne, Florida, just up the coast from his Mar-a-Lago resort where he will spend the weekend. The event gives Trump a chance to bypass what he says is an unfair media and take his message straight to his supporters.

"It will remind people that he still has a lot of support out there, and he probably needs the reminder," said Republican strategist John Feehery. "When you are inside the bubble, it's not a bad idea to reconnect with your supporters and get re-energized."

Trump's race against Clinton was marked by big, boisterous rallies, and the event in Florida is likely to be the first of many as he tries to appeal directly to his most passionate supporters and reframe his image following growing questions over his temperament and ties between his campaign and Russian intelligence.

Shortly after an unusually long and combative 77-minute presidential news conference on Thursday, Trump's campaign sent out a fundraising email featuring a "media accountability survey" asking supporters about coverage.

"I've made it a point to cut through the media's noise and go straight to the American people. It worked during the campaign, and it will work again over these next four years," Trump said in the email.

Democrats countered with their own fundraising email, seeking donations to ensure "Trump is a one-term president."

"First he had Republican primary opponents, then he had Hillary Clinton, and now he has the evil media," said Republican strategist Rich Galen. "He's very comfortable in this kind of campaign mode."

EARLY START

The Florida rally marks an extraordinarily early start to the 2020 White House campaign for Trump, who filed re-election papers with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) five hours after he was sworn in as president on Jan. 20. His predecessor, Barack Obama, filed the same form in April 2011, more than two years into his first term as president.

The paperwork was not a formal declaration of Trump's candidacy, but allowed him to continue raising funds, including the money received from sales of his popular red "Make America Great Again" hats. The Trump campaign raised $9.6 million in December and had about $7.6 million on hand at the end of the year, the last time it was required to file a report with the FEC.

Obama and other presidents have traditionally held campaign-style events to support their legislative initiatives, but they were organised and paid for by the White House. Saturday's rally will be organised and run by the campaign, the White House said.

Obama hit the road frequently in early 2009 to rally voters behind his economic stimulus package. But he was also supported by an outside group called Organizing for America that filled some of the role of a campaign organization by building grassroots backing for his policies.

By keeping his campaign intact, including his campaign website, Trump has made the concept of a “permanent campaign” into reality. The website, which features a photo of the inauguration, stresses Trump’s campaign cannot stop because “we still have much work to do.”

Trump's first presidential event outside Washington was on Friday in North Charleston, South Carolina, where he visited an airplane plant operated by Boeing Co <BA.N> to celebrate the unveiling of its latest Dreamliner jet.

On Air Force One after the Charleston event, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said Trump is headed back on to the campaign trail because the media does not always deliver his message well, and "he can do that very effectively by taking the stage and talking to the people of America."

Trump's early re-election campaign start has created some confusion for federal workers worried about possibly violating a U.S. law prohibiting them from engaging in political activity in the workplace.

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel, an independent government agency that protects federal bureaucrats from unfair personnel practices, issued guidance to federal workers last week after it said it received "numerous" questions about whether they can express their views on Trump given his intention to run for re-election.

Federal workers would violate the law if they start calling for his re-election or defeat while on duty, the memo said, but since the election is still three years away workers can express approval or disapproval of his policies or actions but "may not display signs in their office that read 'Reelect Trump in 2020' or express" views on his candidacy while in the workplace.

Once he formally announces his candidacy, the memo said, workers who are on duty or in the office cannot do anything "directed at the success or failure of his candidacy."

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-02-18

[mtls2005]

Wow.

 

He used to rag on Obama for taking some vacation time.

 

Trump has taken three consecutive three-day weekend vacations in Florida in hist first four weeks in office. Does he get tired watching TV and tweeting?

 

 

[Cllingus]

4 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

Wow.

 

He used to rag on Obama for taking some vacation time.

 

Trump has taken three consecutive three-day weekend vacations in Florida in hist first four weeks in office. Does he get tired watching TV and tweeting?

 

 

Is there a possible difference between a well organized office in Florida with first rate IT facilities and top notch security, and a golf course? Could one be perhaps more suited to use as a presidential work area?

[Silurian]

Guess the clown POTUS is tired of the day-to-day. Got to get out and charge up those narcissistic batteries. All that "winning" lately (read as losing) must be wearing him down.

 

Better to go out to those adoring fans so no one can ask those pesky (unfair) questions about Russia. Get away from those disloyal leaking traitors around the White House and go somewhere public he can make into a "situation room".

Edited February 18, 2017 by Silurian

[mtls2005]

7 minutes ago, Cllingus said:

Is there a possible difference between a well organized office in Florida with first rate IT facilities and top notch security, and a golf course? Could one be perhaps more suited to use as a presidential work area?

 

 

[kamahele]

I wouldn't deny the president of any party the right to vacation time but at just three weeks on the job, he's been to his Florida estate / country club every weekend at a cost of 3 million dollars per trip (at least) while his wife stays ensconced in their penthouse in  Manhattan at a cost to tax payers of a half a million dollars per day just for security. On top of that, his glob trotting, adult kids also require security provided by the government. Forget his promise not to accept a salary, accept the measly salary and cut down on your expenses!

[Andaman Al]

He is not stepping in to his 'comfort zone' he is stepping in to the 'Narcissist Personality Disorder Zone". The guy is an utter joke. The entire media apart from Fox and Breitbart should all choose to stay away. When it is the White House Correspondents Dinner will Trump tell them all that he loves them?

[mike324]

Each time Trump takes a vacation at his resorts, his own family profits. He will be the most expensive president in history. Costs for his security for 1 year is more than Obamas 8 years.  Everytime his son goes abroad to promote the Trump business, it costs hundreds of thousands of tax payers money just to protect him. Talk about draining the swamp....they are laughing their way to the bank

 

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/17/trumps-florida-trips-cost-taxpayer-money.html

[Opl]

3 hours ago, Cllingus said:

Is there a possible difference between a well organized office in Florida with first rate IT facilities and top notch security, and a golf course? Could one be perhaps more suited to use as a presidential work area?

 

Do you mean something like ... the new Trump Administration outdoor situation room ? ( missile crisis by candlelight)

 

 

 

Edited February 18, 2017 by Opl

[mtls2005]

1 hour ago, mike324 said:

Each time Trump takes a vacation at his resorts, his own family profits. He will be the most expensive president in history. Costs for his security for 1 year is more than Obamas 8 years.  Everytime his son goes abroad to promote the Trump business, it costs hundreds of thousands of tax payers money just to protect him. Talk about draining the swamp....they are laughing their way to the bank

 

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/17/trumps-florida-trips-cost-taxpayer-money.html

 

 

Well he did increase the initiation fee at Mar-a-Lago from $100,000 to $200,000, much to the chagrin of the all the foreign intelligence services. But still probably easy to get the "home office" to reimburse for the expense?

 

Or for those countries which want to save money, they can just plant waiters, cooks and other staff via H2-B visas. Sure the pay sucks, but easy to photograph documents.

 

Half expecting to see Phillip and Elizabeth (from the TV show The Americans) showing up as waiters at Mar-a-Lago, saying this was so much more difficult in the 1980's.

 

It would be funny if we weren't riding in the car with him as the wheels come off.

 

Future bumper sticker (from 1972) "Don't blame me, I voted for Hillary, 14 times".

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 18, 2017 by mtls2005

[Chicog]

It seems he needs his fragile ego massaged.

[Andaman Al]

I Finally agree with Trump 100%

 

 

[Opl]

5 hours ago, kamahele said:

I wouldn't deny the president of any party the right to vacation time but at just three weeks on the job, he's been to his Florida estate / country club every weekend at a cost of 3 million dollars per trip (at least) while his wife stays ensconced in their penthouse in  Manhattan at a cost to tax payers of a half a million dollars per day just for security. On top of that, his glob trotting, adult kids also require security provided by the government. Forget his promise not to accept a salary, accept the measly salary and cut down on your expenses!

Trump family trips cost taxpayers $11.3m in one month – almost as much as Obama’s cost in a year

Jaunts to estate in Mar-a-Lago, and secret service charges for his son's business trips across the globe, are costing American taxpayers

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-costs-trips-security-taxpayer-barack-obama-month-year-a7586261.html

 

https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/02/trump-family-travel/515874/

Edited February 18, 2017 by Opl

[Opl]

"Trump has a financial incentive to hold an open-air meeting like Saturday night’s to keep up the appearance that, by paying to be a member of his exclusive club, anyone can have access to the most powerful man in the world."

 

https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/02/donald-trump-conflicts-of-interests/508382/

[Credo]

He does more preaching and proselytizing than Jesus or the Popes.   I wish he would leave politics and start his own religion.   

[jerojero]

He does more preaching and proselytizing than Jesus or the Popes.   I wish he would leave politics and start his own religion.   

He has. Trumpism, the Idiot Followers Faith.

[Andaman Al]

1 hour ago, Credo said:

He does more preaching and proselytizing than Jesus or the Popes.   I wish he would leave politics and start his own religion.   

 

1 hour ago, jerojero said:

He has. Trumpism, the Idiot Followers Faith.

He is doing quite well if he stopped and thought about it. Scientology is just made up crap but has 10 million members world-wide and is a multi billion dollar business. Trump already has 10 million retards in the US alone who believe his every word. His own religion would be far more profitable, far less work and far more fun  than the Presidency.

 

I can just imagine the orange one in orange robes dancing and singing 'Hari Trumpster, Hari Trumpster, Hari Trumpster oh Hari Hari"  (you won't get that out your head all day now! ) with 15K devotees at a 'get together' (official uniform are Trump hats and Ivanka sacred line of ancient Trumpster Jewellery - made from the centre of space comets and Melania line of ankle bells). Its a winner Credo !!!

Edited February 18, 2017 by Andaman Al

[elgordo38]

18 hours ago, Chicog said:

It seems he needs his fragile ego massaged.

Once your 70 years of age or over its a basic requirement. 

[Jingthing]

For those with strong stomachs --

 

 

[Grouse]

My local American Bar has taken to giving out embarrassment sensitive sun glasses ?

 

The Trump supporters have gone into hiding rather than face ridicule

 

It's just awful; can't he just be taken away by the men in the white coats?

[Morch]

14 hours ago, Opl said:

"Trump has a financial incentive to hold an open-air meeting like Saturday night’s to keep up the appearance that, by paying to be a member of his exclusive club, anyone can have access to the most powerful man in the world."

 

https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/02/donald-trump-conflicts-of-interests/508382/

 

 

Quote

Leaked Trump tape: 'You are the special people'

Exclusive audio shows how Trump lets loose at his clubs — inviting guests to join him on staff interviews

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/trump-leaked-audio-clubs-guests-235161

 

[boomerangutang]

       It's like the Scientology chief preaching to his Scientology flock.  Trump is doing what Latin American dictators have been doing for decades.   He comes out of his dark well-protected office, preaches to the choir, then retreats back to his cave.  From that point on, whenever anyone or any entity mentions a problem with one of his decisions,  he can shoot back; "EVERYBODY LOVES ME. DON'T QUESTION ME, YOU INFERIOR PIECE OF CRUD."

 

        Similarly, Trump has re-defined the meaning of the phrase 'FAKE NEWS.'   It used to mean; 'news that was fake.' Now, it's defined as 'ANY NEWS WHICH DOESN'T PRAISE TRUMP.'

[boomerangutang]

On 2/18/2017 at 1:53 PM, mtls2005 said:

 

 

        If you were to ask Trump about that scene shown, where he's dealing with N.Korean missile launch while everyone and his sister is gathered around....    He would say, "Shut up.  All those people you see in that photo are either my loyal staff or members of my $200,000/year (actual cost) country club."   So they're all trustworthy."    Hillary used a private server - though no untoward emails were ever found.  No matter to Trumpsters, who chanted "Lock Her Up!" for months.

 

          Meanwhile, Trump is using a mobile phone with signals running through the same transmission avenues that your and my mobile phone would run through.   That's funny, I don't see anyone at Mar A Lago shouting "Lock Him Up!" ....for being such a loose goose with security.

 

P.S., we also see, in that photo, the secret service agent who carries the president's FOOTBALL.  Yes, that's the valise with launch codes for starting WWIII.   Russkies, Chinese, N.Koreans and Iranians are probably laughing out loud about how loose Trump is with security.  They're probably wondering whether it's a SNL skit, because it's so ridiculous.

[elgordo38]

2 hours ago, Jingthing said:

For those with strong stomachs --

 

 

Sorry my stomach was not strong enough to last 1.27:48 after 5 minutes I was done. Thanks for warning me though. 

[Andaman Al]

1 hour ago, Morch said:

 

 

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/trump-leaked-audio-clubs-guests-235161

 

A must read. Thank you.

[Traveler19491]

On 2/18/2017 at 1:45 PM, Cllingus said:

Is there a possible difference between a well organized office in Florida with first rate IT facilities and top notch security, and a golf course? Could one be perhaps more suited to use as a presidential work area?

 

If I'm not mistaken, we American taxpayers have already funded a pretty decent office layout with what I would imagine are "first rate IT facilities and top notch security", and there's even a putting green, all in Washington, all ready for use, and none would incur the additional tax funding of extra Secret Service personnel, logistical planning, local police costs to the Florida taxpayers, or the expenses associated with Air Force One. But, then, he'd miss the adoring, if somewhat mentally challenged, fans and the opportunity to give one more equivalent of a fifth grader's acceptance speech after having won the Student Council election. Of course, the fifth grader's speech would be far more intellectual, far more grammatically correct, and use things like complete sentences.

[Opl]

Fake news by real Donald Trump - Fake President

 

Trump cites non-existent terrorist attack ‘last night in Sweden’ to justify Muslim ban at Florida rally

 

Trump used his speech to talk about migration in Europe and linked it to terror attacks in Brussels, Nice and Paris - before inexplicably adding Sweden to the list.

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/donald-trump-last-night-in-sweden-terror-attack-melbourne-florida-campaign-rally-a7588021.html

 

 

 

[mtls2005]

Bowling Green...Massacre

 

Sweden...Ikeapocalypse

 

Never Remember