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Shortly after lunch, the president lands.
By then, the most devoted had already been in place under the blazing Florida sun at Raymond James Stadium for half a day. The atmosphere is hilarious.
Cars honk and wave “Trump Pence 2020” flags. People wear Trump hats, Trump t-shirts, Trump stickers. People are pouring in from everywhere – there are so many Trump fans in the place that it takes 20 minutes to walk from the parking lot to the arena.
– He’s the best president we’ve ever had in my life. He doesn’t work for his own wallet, he works for everyone! America first! says self-employed Toby, 47, who has donned a flag suit in honor of the day.
Although more cases of coronavirus are reported this week than ever in the United States, masks are very rare among visitors.
– Masks harm people’s immune systems more than they protect them! We refuse to wear a mask because we refuse to let fear control us, says Kathrine George, 68, who moved to Tampa from Arkansas earlier this year to attend Bible school here.
– We cannot return to the greatness that our country represented without cleansing ourselves from sin and turning to God. And Trump upholds those principles better than any other politician. It’s amazing, says Kathrine George.
Angela Malone, 56, also moved here to study the Bible. She and Kathtrine George are sitting in the shade under a tree outside the stadium. Angela Malone wears a T-shirt with the “Black Voices for Trump” print.
– I don’t think it’s racist at all. I believe in your support for all people. People have problems with him wanting to build a wall. But you need a wall to keep the rats out. Now, I’m not saying that some people are rats, but this is how it works.
Among supporters here, Trump is almost infallible. Everything he says and does is right and good for the country.
Shortly after two o’clock, the president takes the podium, wearing the same red cap as the crowd of thousands of visitors. Melania Trump welcomes you. For an hour and a half, he repeats his messages about how well he is doing when he runs the country, how corrupt Biden is and how the country will be dragged into socialism and misery if Biden wins, that the vaccine will come any minute.
– We won again! We have made America powerful again! We have made America rich again! We have made America proud again!
Joy knows no bounds.
“Lack of physical evidence” of Biden’s presence
A few hours later, a few miles away, Joe Biden takes to his stage.
But when the Trump revival meeting caused traffic chaos, it’s as if the Biden meeting barely existed.
“There is a lack of physical evidence that the former vice president and the Democratic candidate are in town. Their visit is barely announced in advance, one is careful to reveal logistical details, and their events are both television studios and the venue. Almost no one can get close “wrote the New York Times when Biden was in Tampa in September.
It is the same now.
300 cars will be allowed in the area of the State Fair in Tampa, then it will stop. Only select media are allowed. Only those admitted will know in advance where the event will take place.
Outside the gates, some supporters wave flags – Trump flags. Because the few gangs waiting to enter the park are almost exclusively sympathetic to the president. A Pinella Park police car passes by and makes a few quick taps for Trump fans and receives cheers.
At the entrance are three people holding “Latinos for Biden” signs. These are the only signs of Biden that are visible.
– We will vote for Biden, thanks a lot to his health plan, says Michelle Artega, 19, who has a Mexican flag as a cape on her back. He is here with his parents Hilda, 55, and Juan, 56.
Michelle Artega believes that it is a good thing that almost no one is at the scene, given the spread of the infection. And while Trump is better off with some Latino groups in Florida, such as Cuban Americans, it is not a difficult choice for those he knows.
– We talk about the children on the border, all the filth – he calls us Latino rapists and drug traffickers and all that.
She’s dominated by pickup trucks honking. From the car windows, people yell “four more years!”
Florida is one of the most important states
Florida will be one of the most important states in Tuesday’s elections. If Trump does not win here, it will be very difficult for him to gather the 270 electoral votes needed.
Trump has made several stops here, and it’s no coincidence that Biden sent Obama here as well.
The latest opinion polls show that Biden has a slight edge. But, as supporters on both sides point out: So did Hillary Clinton in 2016. So Trump still won Florida and the election.
Inside the park, Joe Biden talks about what happened earlier in the day. Once again, it focuses on Trump’s handling of the virus.
– Donald Trump had a “super spreader” event here today. It spreads more than just the coronavirus. It comes with division and discord.
Joe Biden, 77, doesn’t have much time left.
A quarter of an hour after the speech, the sky opens and Biden leaves the stage in the pouring rain.
Biden: “Trump has abandoned our families and given up”
