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Dave DiSanti and John Catanzara wait for President Trump’s address.
American human rights activist and humanitarian aid worker who was killed by ISIS in 2013, addressed the convention.
And then seeing the entire first family come to the podium leading up to the president’s speech was, in a word, surreal.
“I felt like his acceptance speech was more like a State of the Union Address,” Kessem added. “He did a good job of convey- ing where things stand on every single topic. He was very sup- portive of law enforcement. He realizes we are the backbone of this country.”
The pinch-me moments for Kessem, however, came after the speech. While most of the Chicago contingent maneu- vered to view the spectacular fireworks, Kessem worked her way toward the podium. She made it to within 30 feet of the first family, almost standing alongside them listening to the performance of tenor Christopher Macchio, who hit high notes singing convention-closing renditions of “God Bless America” and “America the Beautiful.”
“And then after everybody left, I wanted to see the Rose Garden,” she disclosed. “We asked some of the Secret Service agents, and they let us.”
Catanzara had no trouble deciding what to wear. Beneath his formal attire, he wore a “Cops for Trump” T-shirt and even pulled open his dress shirt for a photo op to show it like the “S” on Superman’s chest.
It was only appropriate for Catanzara to sport a Trump shirt at the White House. He asserts that his donning of a Trump jersey when going to City Hall to call out former Chicago May- or Rahm Emanuel and current Mayor Lori Lightfoot is what first generated the presence that validated his run for Lodge 7 president.
The night took on some added historical significance when Catanzara had a chance to meet Pat Lynch, the venerable president of the New York City police union. Lynch took the podium to give the president another endorsement from law enforcement. And the way the president followed up on that elevated this night from surreal to real.
“He unequivocally defends law enforcement without ques- tion,” Catanzara praised. “I don’t think any president or leader has ever put himself out there on such a limb at such a hard time to do that. He makes no bones about what side he is on.”
And as the fireworks lit up the D.C. sky, another surreal feel- ing no doubt overwhelmed the Chicago contingent. For them, this was truly a night that made America great again.
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