(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . The Missing Signs of Donald Trump this Flag Day [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2024-06-14 In 2016, Trump yard signs appeared everywhere in the Swing States. Somewhere in rural Ohio, someone opened up his “back yard” where supporters could choose among the 5,000 Trump signs placed out for the taking. But that was so 2016. Fours later, Trump signage had taken on a new tone. The Trump flag truck statement, where supporters could give Trump money (or not, plenty of knockoffs were available) and fly their freak flag every day of the week. At least, whenever they went for a drive. You get out on the highway in a Swing State — or just the South, in general — you were bound to encounter one. Or two. Or dozens. This is one of the things that Hope Springs from Field PAC [website] volunteers noticed. And it is one of the questions we have. The Trump campaign noticed, too. They made the Trump Flag Truck Rally an official event. On Flag Day. On July 4th. On Labor Day. For GOTV (get-out-the-vote). The official imprimatur meant that supporters increased in number and the Trump flags seemingly increased in size. The Trump base couldn’t get enough of it. If a Trump truck rally was good, than a Trump boat rally had to be better! The race was on to see where they could have the biggest "Trumptilla" or boat parade. Pennsylvania. Michigan. Ohio. Texas. Florida. Trump Truck Rallies. Trump Boat Parades. These were minor iterations of things that were happening long before Trump became a politician. But no one had done a tractor rally, right? Someone did that, too. These Trump parades — whether by boat, pickup truck or tractor — have become a show of strength for the president’s supporters and a way to make themselves visible in a year when the coronavirus pandemic has upended traditional campaigning and put a stop to huge arena rallies and picnic fundraisers. In the minds of supporters, “Some think they’re revealing an underestimated amount of enthusiasm for the president and buoying his fans in the face of polls showing him trailing in many battleground states.” If nothing else, “It’s really got to deject the other side. Where’s their enthusiasm? Where’s their flags?” But that was before January 6th. A lot of Trump signage disappeared after January 6th because, well, it had Pence’s name on it. Many of us wanted to think that Trump supporters accepted the outcome — the fact that Trump lost. But they claimed otherwise. They couldn’t have something that had the name of an elected official they wanted to hang. The dilemma was real. But it’s 2024. Trump lost in 2020, and — least we forget — the signs were all there four years ago. Donald Trump bragged about the size of his (in person) rallies and compare them to Biden’s (as proof that, of course, he didn’t lose). But Trump rallies started to become like Grateful Dead tours. Seems like there were more Trump supporters determined to be at every rally than there were actually people following the Dead around on their tours back in the day. The Trump rally lost its purpose (aside from making the principal feel better about his insecure self) in 2020, but the Trump Truck rally — now that had a purpose! Own the Libs! Re-elect the Man! Annoy Biden supporters! And then there were was the fact that “Boats Keep Sinking at the Trump Boat Parades.” Now tens of Trump flag-flying trucks parading through town may be self-satisfying, but sinking boats — now that gets media attention! I admit, i still chuckle at them doing this in no-wake zones. Karma, right? But what we need to ask ourselves on Flag Day — something that Trump and his supporters tried to co-opt for themselves — is where are all the pick-ups flying their Trump flags? In every single Swing State where Hope Springs volunteers are knocking on doors, we’ve been asking ourselves, where are all the Trump trucks? Swing State by swing state, we keep looking for the signs. You know, the signs that Trump supporters said would show their enthusiasm. “Where’s their enthusiasm? Where’s their flags?” Hope Springs from Field PAC began knocking on doors again on March 2nd. We target Democrats and unaffiliated voters with a systematic approach that reminds them not only that Democrats care, but Democrats are determined to deliver the best government possible to all Americans. Obviously, we rely on grassroots support, so if you support field/grassroots organizing, voter registration (and follow-up) and our efforts to protect our voters, we would certainly appreciate your support: [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/6/14/2246616/-The-Missing-Signs-of-Donald-Trump-this-Flag-Day?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=latest_community&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/