Trump Rally in Tulsa

Where does one begin with the sad tale of a Trump rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma? Yesterday, at the BOK Arena, Trump appeared at what was supposed to be an oversubscribed rally with a million tickets distributed and plans for both an indoor event and an outdoor event in front of throngs of his MAGA cult. In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic the idea of an indoor event with thousands of unmasked people, yelling, screaming, and cheering was (and is) an epidemiologist’s nightmare. In the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the overwhelming response that Black Lives do Matter, the added complexities of such an event made its reality even more fraught.

So, what did we see? First, the crowd size was gratifyingly much less than the Trump campaign predicted. In an arena that could hold over 19,000 people, only 6,600 people showed up. Photos and videos of the crowd showed the expected: almost all white people, many older, almost everyone costumed in MAGA paraphernalia (hats, shirts, flags, etc.), and almost everyone unmasked. There was zero social distancing to be seen, except for the performer at the lectern. Second, the message that was delivered by the reality TV star himself was pure Trump. He claims that he alone has been the reason that America has done so well, eliding past a pandemic, an economic collapse, and the revelations of the white supremacy long at the heart of American society. He states that he instructed his administration to “slow down testing” so that fewer COVID-19 cases were reported. He uses racial slurs when he talks about the coronavirus. He decries the “fake media” just as the Nazis decried the Lügenpresse in their fascist state. He calls for law and order and revels in police brutality. His crowd loves it. Last, he is so concerned that his weakness while addressing the graduating class at West Point was exposed that he spends over 10 minutes in a play within a play explaining why his problems at West Point were not his but were the result of saluting the cadets and wearing leather-soled shoes. 

There were lots of video clips posted of this travesty last night as it occurred. They are worthwhile to watch. The upper reaches of the arena were almost empty of people. Instead, a sea of empty blue seats (appropriate color) was in evidence. There were videos of his cult using their cell phones to video the vaudevillian while deeply yawning; even they were not excited by what he was saying. I will say that there is something entertaining about Mr. Trump. But it is entertainment of the lowest sort, using rhetoric that elevates division, elevates violence, elevates the worst of racism. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, it is in no way the rhetoric of a true leader. It is the rhetoric of a scared narcissist, It is the rhetoric of a non-patriot. It is the rhetoric of a sociopath. It is the rhetoric of a loser. From a public health standpoint, we will have to wait to ascertain whether or not this will also add a superspreader episode to the already out of control COVID-19 problem.

So where were the million people who procured tickets to this non-event? That may in the end be the best and most delicious part of the story. There is a story that teens across the United States, using a number of social media platforms, may have perpetrated the best and biggest senior prank of the century. Apparently they wrote in and got tickets in bucketfuls, with no intention of using them at all. The Trump campaign immediately denied that and blamed protesters for making the MAGA-ts so uncomfortable that they did not attend. Is the story true? I hope so, but even if not, the pathetic turnout in Tulsa says volumes about what even Mr. Trump’s base thinks of him and his message. After all, this was Oklahoma, a state he carried in 2016 by 35+ points over Clinton. As commentators have been speculating, these rallies now represent a quasi-religious event for the cult faithful, a ritual that buoys them up. Ritual they are, ungrounded in rationality, logic, and reality. This traveling medicine show needs to be sent home in November. I hope all of those teens realize the better way to prank this fraudster is by voting him out of office.