DEMS/RACISM/RALLY/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Whatever President Donald Trump was planning to do at his rally Wednesday [7-17-19] night, the crowd outside Minges Coliseum was ready for it and ready to ramp it up. More than three days after President Donald Trump triggered national outrage with tweets telling four Democratic congresswomen of color to ‘go back’ to the countries ‘from which they came,’ the feeling among the throng mustering in the sweltering heat at East Carolina University was that the president had ample rope before he even came close to offending them. The best-selling ‘MAGA’ merchandise, perfectly parroting and even amplifying his taunts on Twitter, indicated just how much latitude he enjoyed…If there had been any doubt about how Trump’s latest political gambit would be received—had it inspired his supporters as much as it had enraged his opponents?—it disappeared here. Earlier in the week, when Trump defended himself against charges of racism, insisting ‘many people agree with me,”’ it was crowds like these he almost certainly had in mind. But until right then and there, he hadn’t heard directly from them—a live audience feeding back direct proof that this was something he could keep running on. This is and always has been the engine of Trump’s political ascent and appeal—not just perpetual, calculated conflict, but particularly and specifically race-laced foils and feuds.”
–Michael Kruse, “Trump’s North Carolina Supporters Were Ready to Unload,” Politico July 18, 2019