What It’s Like Attending A Trump Rally (Charlotte, NC)

Lines Going On For Miles

The day before the long-awaited Trump Rally, the news reported that tents have already been set up in front of Charlotte’s Bojangles Coliseum in anticipation for the event. Supporters for the President waited in line for as long as 24 hours in order to ensure that had a front row seat to watch Donald Trump endorse Republican Congressman hopeful, Mark Harris.

The chilly October rain was not enough to stop supporters from waiting in a line which was so long that it snaked around the arena. While huddled under umbrellas shivering in the cold, spirits were still high. Vendors walked beside the crowd selling various souvenirs such as hats, T-shirts and even towels, all of which were adorned with Trump’s name. Eventually, the line began to slowly inch forward. Event goers laughed along the way, cracking jokes about misguided Democrats and the upcoming election as they walked towards the Coliseum.

Read more about the days leading up to the rally here!

Why Attend A Trump Rally?

Trump and his infamous rallies have been dominating the news ever since he first ran for president in 2015. His hardhanded comments and unfiltered remarks have attracted many Americans under his banner, mostly those who oppose the political elite. There is not a country in the world that has not been shaken by the current president’s opposition to the status quo. The international community as a whole has been left flabbergasted by the country’s current wave of nationalist fervor.

Regardless if you are a supporter or a critic, no one can deny the distinguishable energy which is present during a Trump rally. After years of seeing the events of America’s political drama play out on stage in front of thousands of red hat wearing supporters, it almost seems that these rallies are a work of fiction. The passionate supporters and notorious chants are all too real, but it takes seeing it with one’s own eye to believe it is true.

You can watch Mitt Romney’s denouncing of Trump prior to the 2016 election here!

The Trump Supporters

The crowd was full of young men in suits mimicking the fashion of their icon, Donald Trump himself. There were also plenty of people wearing various forms of Trump ware, ranging from your typical “Trump” printed proudly across the chest to the more unique “Space Force” and “Build the Wall” T-shirts. Many women could also be found lending their support with pink “Women for Trump” shirts and signs in hand.

Contrary to what many may think, the audience was quite diverse, mixing two sides of the Republican Party together in one room. When President Trump first began running for office, many long-term GOP politicians were extremely vocal of their disapproval of his candidacy. As it became evident that Trump has secured his position as the leader of the majority of Republican voters, primarily the working class, the Republican leaders yielded and endorsed him as their candidate for office.

The lines between the working class Trump supporters and upper-class Republicans are all to clear when attending a rally. Much like their President, the crowd will not hesitate to yell out obscenities towards the VIP guests and wealthy Trump supporters.

Filling the Stadium

The doors to the Bojangles Coliseum opened at 4 pm on a Friday, but as mentioned before, supporters have been camping out as early as the day before. Even with these die-hard fans braving the wind and rain to get as close as possible to see their fearless leader, it did not make much of a difference. Rally-goers who lined up the day before the event ended up standing next to people who arrived just an hour before the doors opened.

Some concern was raised by the crowd stating their disappointment that the arena may not fill up. Either due to the weather or the fact that it was a work day, the crowd was sparse at 4 pm. By the time Trump walked onto the stage, however, the 8,600 seat Coliseum was filled to the brim with flag-waving Trump supporters and spectators.

You can read more about the rally here!

The Supporting Act

Although already through the doors and standing in front of the podium, it would still be several hours until Trump would take the stage at 7 pm. Many of the attendees complained about the choice of music played through the speakers, noting that it was not the kind of songs to get the crowd pumped for Trump’s arrival. The supporters did admit that there were many songs that they were unable to use due to out of touch liberal artists.

Prior to the President arriving in Charlotte, local Republican leaders walked out onto the stage to excite the crowd. Unfortunately for them, when they walked across the long catwalk out to the podium they were met with only a few faint claps. After a local pastor and a few other state-level politicians led the crowd in the pledge of allegiance and a short prayer, Richard Childress (a retired NASCAR driver) read from his prepared speech on the importance of voting and supporting the Republican party.

All in all, the first group of speakers were met with a fairly indifferent crowd. These politicians and local celebrities lacked the edge and unconventional blunt charisma of Donald Trump.

You can read more about NASCAR here!

The Donald

The clock finally struck 7, all eyes were glued to the entrance on the far side of the Coliseum. With the end of each song, the supporters murmured amongst themselves when the music would be cued in for the President to emerge onto the stage. Finally, the secret service marched out to place a glass of water and the presidential seal on the podium. The crowd then knew the time to see Trump in person was drawing near.

The loudspeakers then announced the long-awaited coming of the 45th President of the United States as Trump stepped through the dark black curtains. The crowd went wild as he slowly strutted across the walkway with his beaming smile, stopping every several feet to wave at his supporters.

As the crowd’s chanting of “Trump! Trump!” slowly died down, the president then cocked his eyes at the audience and began his speech. President Trump spoke in his iconic slow manner, pronouncing each of his words individually like a hard punch to the gut and the gradual drop of intonation at the end of his sentence. He methodically riled up the crowd to fill in the blanks for many of his buzzwords. When mentioning of the pipe bombings and Hillary Clinton, the crowd instinctively yelled out “Lock her up!” When pointing to the media and alluding to the slander written by various publications Trump’s supporters, cried out “CNN sucks!”

Throughout President Trump’s speech, the crowd stood right behind him, supporting him with banter and praise. The onlookers called out “You are doing great buddy!” and other words of encouragement as if they felt that Trump not only represented the country as a whole but was truly looking out for the little guy.

You can read President Trump’s full speech here!

Attending a Trump Rally

The whole event was paid for by Donald Trump, meaning that the rally was free to attend. Since it was technically a private event, protestors were discouraged from entering the arena and were given a designated  “free speech” area outside of the gates.

Security to the rally was surprisingly lax. After the attendee’s bags were checked and they walked through the metal detector, people were free to wader the Coliseum and find a seat. Those wishing to photograph the rally should be warned that spectators are not allowed to bring in professional photography equipment into the arena. Professional equipment is defined as being any camera with a detachable lens.

The crowd was generally civil, with only a few unruly guests who were promptly removed due to yelling vulgarities rather than protesting the event. Some rally-goers did question other attendees when seen not sporting Trump merchandise or holding up a sign in support. Other than these isolated incidents the crowd was welcoming as long as you did not promote any opposing views.

The debate between Democrats and Republicans and their battle for control over the House and Senate has divided the country into camps. John Brown’s words of  “Free or Slave?” is now substituted with the accusing question of “Republican or Democrat?”

When looking at the faces of the crowd at a Trump rally you not only see intense passion, but you see a glow of hope. Hope and excitement for a better future for themselves and their country. In the end, Democrats and Republicans all are patriots fighting to help their country succeed, but by different means. Many may disagree with the methods and ideology embodied at a Trump rally, labeling the tactics fascist and inciting fear-mongering. What no one can deny, is the devotion supporters put into making America great again, as they would see it.

You can get tickets to a Trump Rally here!