The 85-mile dash to Oklahoma at nearly 100mph was proof that nothing can keep Trump from a Trump rally. Which might not be the good news for Republicans it once was. As the US president embarked on a 32-day campaign blitz aimed at helping them defend narrow congressional majorities in next month’s midterms, some fear that he is driving them towards an electoral wipeout.
Trump’s approval rating is at an all-time low. Voters are angry about the cost of living, the Iran war and excessive immigration crackdowns. Some Republicans are moving to distance themselves from a man they now see as more liability than asset.
Wherever he turns, the outlook is grim as he sets off on an expected schedule of five to seven rallies per week. These rallies have become his lead weight, his proverbial anchor that’s going to drown them all.” Even in a hyper-digital age, Trump’s rallies have shown the enduring power of live performance. The atmosphere, somewhere between cult worship, rock concert and partisan sports event, offers his followers a sense of belonging.
Since launching his bid for president in 2015 he has held roughly a thousand of them, though definitions of what counts as a full “rally” can vary. Blake Marnell, a rally regular in a brick-patterned suit resembling Trump’s border wall, was in Oklahoma on Thursday night. He said: “Getting in the motorcade, driving 100 miles an hour to Durant – he’s not gonna let stuff get in his way.
They’re energising for the crowd and for him. It’s a way for him to connect with the grassroots.” Once in Durant, Trump again basked in the adulation of the rally crowd. Having spotted two diehard supporters being interviewed by TV crews outside the venue, he replayed the clip and summoned them on to the main stage.
Come up here!” The pair were white, male and elderly. One, wearing a green Trump cap and grey Trump T-shirt, stepped up to the microphone and said: “Thank you, President Trump, for all you do. Every day you work harder than any American I know.” The other, wearing a red Make America Great Again cap and red T-shirt, said: “Absolute honour of a lifetime to be with the greatest president this country has ever had!” Marnell, from San Diego, California, loved this example of Trump showmanship and dismissed the notion that his rallies are hurting rather than helping Republicans.
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