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20-minute wait, we saw no arguments, no fights, no ignorant behavior like you would find at a venue here. I was really struck by how pleasant people are in other places and how we’ve grown accustomed to the disrespectful treatment back home.
The logistics of security often go unnoticed, but we couldn’t help seeing the operations from our vantage point. We weren’t sure if they were military or some level of law enforcement, but individuals dressed in fatigues/BDUs were in at least three ele- vated positions: one team on top of an airplane hangar canopy, one group on a hotel roof and another on the parking garage rooftop. When the sniper and spotter on the airplane hangar canopy took their prone positions, it was an indicator that the president’s plane was inbound.
Another impressive sight is the caravan of vehicles that arrive as part of the president’s advance party. It makes one imagine that every person who’s part of the caravan has a specific duty.
Another indicator that the president was near: A very young-looking Secret Service agent took the stage with disin- fectant wipes and sanitized everything that the president might come into contact with. Another agent affixed the presidential seal to the front of the podium and removed covers from the teleprompters.
Attention began to turn to the airstrip, which was out of sight from our vantage point. The crowd’s excitement grew as the sound of a jumbo jet landed and faded. Almost everyone with a view had cell phones in hand, taking pictures and then texting and posting to their social media accounts. Our cell phones stopped working, most likely due to the local cell tower being inundated with cell traffic or possibly the Secret Service jam- ming cell phone signals.
Several minutes before the president entered, a single-file group of six photographers entered with backpacks, split in dif- ferent directions and assumed crouched positions. They began quickly photographing the entire venue, the crowd, the stage and the surrounding outside area. I noticed a 3D camera with a massive zoom lens on a monopod; I assume this was done to capture faces and images in the event of an incident.
Rain began to fall and, through a gauntlet of American flags, the first thing we saw was the hair. The cheers and the tears reminded me of the old video clips from Beatles and Elvis con- certs. The president made his entry in his normal fashion, stop- ping at various points and waving to the crowd as members of his security team repositioned themselves. The president took his position, pointed to the sky and took note of the rain gain- ing in intensity.
As the president began his speech, he thanked Pennsylvania and talked about his SCOTUS nomination. He explained that if other groups were to have their choice, they would “cripple police departments.”
As one unidentifiable person entered the center isle and be- gan yelling, it was not immediately clear if he or she was a sup- porter or a demonstrator. Deceptively dressed in Trump attire and a red hat and yelling inaudible comments while pointing toward the stage, the protester was stopped by a Trump sup- porter, who jumped from his seat and appropriately handled the situation for a few seconds until security removed the pro- tester. The entire incident lasted 14 seconds, and the president complimented the security staff’s response. During that inci- dent, neither the president nor Secret Service were fazed, and the president thanked the supporter for intervening. President Trump made a few additional comments to put everyone at ease.
fraud, lost-and-found mail-in ballots, his political opponent, government corruption, deleted emails, the stock market, the pandemic, foreign affairs, national security, national defense and fake news media. The president seriously, but joking at the same time, said, “Russia, if you are listening, find those emails.” It amazes me how he can remain in such an unbothered mood when every mainstream news outlet either attacks his ideas or mischaracterizes his words — even when sound bites of former presidents and candidates show they have held the same posi- tions and opinions. I suppose he channels his frustration by his occasional use of dry humor.
I noticed that some of the loudest cheers of support came when the president vowed to save the Second Amendment, to bring manufacturing back to the country and to support law enforcement. When the topics of law enforcement, violence and public safety did come up, President Trump acknowledged that he accepted the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Po- lice. He invited National FOP President Pat Yoes to the stage, where Yoes publicly thanked the president for his support of law enforcement. The chants began again: “Back the Blue, Back the Blue!”
The impact of being 75 feet from the president of the United States, seeing and hearing him live, was so different than seeing and hearing him on television. Hearing his message and saying things that we either can’t find the words to say — or are afraid to say because of discipline or attacks — really was a morale boost. Again, I was honored that we were invited to the rally and felt a restored sense of the pride that has been snatched away bit by bit in recent months. I can tell you firsthand that people in this country authentically care about the service that cops provide day in and day out (just not so much here in Chi- cago).
The president spoke on a number of topics, including voter
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