Donald Trump flew in a private jet to Las Vegas on Friday, where he campaigned on behalf of Sheriff Joe Lombardo, who is running for governor, and former Attorney General Adam Laxalt, running for U.S. Senate. Trump’s Nevada theme was crime and corruption, and he spoke for 45 minutes about those and other policy goals before a crowd of 300 at the Treasure Island resort.
Trump blasted Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak for “letting your state go to hell,” and for allowing it to become “a cesspool of crime.” The venue was not designed as one of the Save America rallies; Las Vegas reached 110 degrees on Friday — not the kind of weather in which one has people standing for several hours waiting to get into a stadium. The Las Vegas event was a fill-in appearance on the way to Alaska for the main show.
Trump spent the night in Las Vegas before heading for Anchorage Saturday, where he held forth for 98 minutes in the largest indoor venue available in Alaska’s largest city, a university basketball stadium that was packed to the gills with Trump fans. Alaskans came to hear Trump, and he delivered, giving the crowd everything they hoped for and more. He did not hold back, and for many, this was the event of a lifetime.
Before leaving Anchorage on Sunday, he said, I’m still in Alaska after an incredible Rally last night in Anchorage. The crowd and enthusiasm were incredible. Didn’t want to just fly in and fly out of a State that I won twice in a ‘landslide.’ It’s called respect for a great place. I’ll be leaving in two hours, and will miss Alaska, but the people know that no President has ever done so much for Alaska as I have – and that was great for the U.S. also!”
Trump turned 76 one month ago. In November of 2024, when he hopes to be elected president again, he will be 78-1/2 years old, a year younger than President Joe Biden is today. Neither men are young by any standard.
But Joe Biden years are not Donald Trump years. While Biden mangles sentences and searches for words, Trump delivers tongue twisters and jokes. He says the names of dead terrorists, dates they were dispatched, and events that occurred afterwards — mostly without notes.
The Trump who came to Anchorage seemed every bit as vital and focused as the Trump that came down the escalator at Trump Tower in 2015, when he first — to the sneers and jeers of the mainstream media — audaciously announced his run for the U.S. presidency. His remarks started at nearly 4:30 pm Alaska time — 8:30 pm East Coast time, and yet he showed no sign of fatigue.
As he has around the country, Trump thrived on the Save America rally in Anchorage, even though the venue is small compared to the stadiums he usually appears in. A typical Trump event has tens of thousands attending, and more waiting outside, just to soak up the atmosphere.
But even in an arena that held just 6,000, Trump gave it his all, as though there were 50,000 in attendance. He was on a mission to convince Alaskans that Sen. Lisa Murkowski has been bad for the state, and that Kelly Tshibaka will be a change for the good.
His speech was all over the map on substantive topics of national interest. He talked about the humiliation the nation had suffered from the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, which took the lives of 13 soldiers and which left many more Americans wounded. He talked about his negotiations with the Taliban and how he kept them in check — by showing them photos of their homes right after the U.S. had taken out a known terrorist. That got their attention, he implied. He said that had he remained president, Americans would not have lost their lives in a U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Sometimes Trump would use the teleprompter, but most of the time he spoke off the cuff, and he personalized his message for Alaska, talking up the importance of Alaska’s role in securing energy independence once more, the state’s strategic geographic location, and the key role that Sen. Lisa Murkowski has played in taking down the entire nation by enabling President Joe Biden’s America Last agenda and voting against Alaska’s interests time and again.
Trump veered off his prepared remarks at several points, once even inviting to the stage a couple of people wearing unique Trump-themed t-shirts, with Trump’s face printed all over them. He joked about how he wanted those shirts. Another time he joked about his hair and said if he could only thicken it up, he’d get a crew cut. He joked about President Biden, and how he can’t string two words together without being unintelligible. Trump joked about the two “fake” impeachment votes against him in the U.S. House, and reminded the crowd that Sen. Murkowski voted in favor of impeaching him in February of 2021 (after he was no longer president.)
Although he is not an announced candidate for president, and although he steered clear of saying when he will announce, it was apparent the event in Anchorage was a campaign warm-up for a 2024 Trump presidential run. By stumping for other candidates in the midterm, Trump is able to keep his profile high, remain influential in political life, keep the media engaged in battle with him, and remind people of the differences in their lives from when he was in office and what America is like now, with the current officeholder. Any announcement of his candidacy would come after the 2022 midterm elections, likely early 2023.
Can Trump take the rigors of a bruising national campaign again? It appears he can and he will. It appears almost certain. Trump has the stamina of a man 10 or 15 years younger than his biological age. He is energized and thrives on campaigning.
It’s been generations since Alaskans had such a powerful and well-attended event. The last time there was a crowd like this in Alaska was when Rev. Billy Graham flew into Anchorage in 1984 to speak at the Sullivan Arena to a packed house. He was the first speaker to book the brand new arena and Alaskans came by the thousands for the Billy Graham Crusade. (This year, the Sullivan Arena is in disrepair after being used as a homeless camp for the past 30 months and was an unusable venue.)
When Trump stepped out from behind the curtain onto the ramp leading to the stage on Saturday, the applause was thunderous, and he knew how to connect.
The comparison between Trump and Biden is stark. Biden campaigned from his basement in 2020, and when he did attend events, they were tightly controlled, with only a chosen few reporters attending, being kept 10 or more feet apart with painted circles designating their spaces.
Today, Biden can’t seem to put in a four-day work week, and has all the signs of advanced dementia: Difficulty speaking, expressing his thoughts, reading the wrong notes on the teleprompter, and not knowing where he is supposed to be at events. He’s tightly scripted and, even then, his handlers have to explain to the media what Biden meant to say after nearly every media exposure.
Biden’s approval rating, by most measures, is between poor and awful. A Civiq’s poll, which is an ongoing survey, shows found Biden in poor standing in every age bracket of voter, with an average approval rating of 29% (Biden enjoys a 28% approval rating among voters in Alaska). Among younger voters, ages 18-34, Biden only has a 20% approval.
Trump, by comparison, is articulate, bold, engaged, and unscripted. Trump events are still crowded, loud, and energized, just like the man who appears to be on a mission to retake the presidency in just 28 months.
What Trump had in 2016 — campaign mojo and a solid connection to the working men and women of America — appears to be as strong as ever.
What was your impression of the Trump Save America rally in Anchorage? Add your thoughts in the comment section.
[Photo at top of page: Al Grillo]
What happened to Governor Mike Dunleavy last night? He probably didn’t show up because he’s in the pocket of Lisa Murkowski.
Did Trump even mention Dunleavy? He sure did mention Sullivan a few times!
And Suzanne did not report that did she?
He did mention Dunleavy his friend, and he criticized Sullivan and all of those were in the original MRAK report.
We watched the Trump Rally from beginning to end. My impression is that he has a resounding amount of energy for a 76-year old. I wish Frankie had half of Trump’s energy. Trump had more energy yesterday in Anchorage than Frankie had 42 years ago when he got out of banking and headed to the US Senate. I married the wrong man!
No way ma’am. I want to add my thoughts to you miss Suzanne Downing & must read Alaska. What am artful article Suzanne you are doing what you was meant to in life, how Eloquent of you ma’am, when I gave up on Alaska local news, I was thinking lord what will I do for news now I just flat out let it go. But Nope I found must read Alaska in a simple miracle way, and I have never enjoyed letting go of the fake news more. Thank you Suzanne miss integrity you are. Suzanne if president trump steals you away from us because you’re so so good don’t be surprised. WOW Suzanne & team must read of for and by the people your impeccable.
The greatest president of my lifetime, but I think it’s time for him to step aside and allow new blood like DeSantis.
Well written Suzanne! As always you hit the nail on the head.
Wish every elected official felt similarly that he must keep his word, promise, oath to the least of these (in terms of numbers of people) like President Trump does. This nation would be much more US Constitution integrated. The people would find refreshment for their souls.
Most Awesome Rally!!! TRUMP will live up to promises when he is elected in 2024!
Trump was the first president in my lifetime to walk into the White House and spend 4 years trying to accomplish everything he promised in his campaign. The fact that the US House members and senators of the other party spent the entire 4 years attempting to undermine and destroy him and his family should be a glaring affirmation the the congress is engaged in actions that are designed to enrich themselves and enslave the general public. I would vote for him again, I did twice.
Sadly Robert it wasn’t just the other party that fought Him! Can you imagine where our Country would be if the Rinos & Dems would have got behind this Man
Ken, exactly what I was thinking.
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I have no problem with a Republican not liking a Republican President. That is politics. No politician will ever be universally liked, even in their own party.
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What I have a problem with is making that position public. How many Republicans made no bones about their dislike, near hatred, for Trump? Murkowski, Romney, Cheney, etc… Did that do anything but embolden the Democrats to fight against him?
I watched on Rumble from my Palmer home. I wasn’t thrilled about standing for hours….but kudos to all of you that did !!! President Trump was and is a true American and his passion is contagious. He is everything I want in a President, not that bumbling idiot we have now.
Recently a very close friend told me she voted for Biden…after I invited her to the ralley….I was kinda shocked, but ok……when she went on to say she HATED Trump I said why ?? No real answer other than she hates him. Anyways…President Trump has my deepest respect and admiration. Go Kelly & Sarah !
I was amazed when he started naming all these places in AK towards the end, with slight errors in pronunciation, he nailed 6 or 8 AK locations off the top of his head. Impressive.
Watched the event live on FB — had to go to Fox’s as FB disconnected other live feeds. Trump definitely has his mojo going. Kelly and Sarah gave great speeches as well. The energy was palpable and the differences in presentation between Biden and Trump are so stark! Really made me miss having a real president.
Mr. Trump’s speech inspired hope, exuberance, confidence, all of which seem in short supply thanks to Biden-Harris.
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What the Biden-Harris regime’s doing to America and Americans gives new meaning to “hanging on in quiet desperation”.
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At the Trump Save America rally, Americans for a while didn’t have to hang on… be quiet… be desperate, we responded well to that.
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Trump talked to people like he actually knew stuff and gave a damn about what matters to them.
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Trump’s “respect for America” theme had a big impact. Peoples’ postures changed when talked about that, they became even more attentive, louder in their approval.
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What better way to close out the Save America rally than with Sam and Dave’s “Hold on! I’m coming”?
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Talk about respect, didn’t see the Governor or Lieutenant Governor or hear remarks from them, which suggests Charlie Pierce might just win the governor’s race… if the combination of ranked-choice voting, corrupted voter rolls, ballot harvesting, weeks of vote counting and recounting, voter disenfranchisement, and Dominion vote-tabulating gear fails to produce what buyers want.
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Couldn’t help comparing Kelly Tshibaka’s remarks with the iconic Feinstein-Murkowski picture. Voters have a stark choice, one or the other, but… the outcome seems so much more dependent on what hard working folks in charge of that combination decide to do.
(thenewsflasher.com/picture-of-the-day-senator-feinstein-chatting-with-murkowski/)
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Poor Sarah may mean well, but the screeching… put this in your yard, fa’ sure it’ll scare off burglars and large animals… maybe voters too.
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All in all, an uplifting, informative experience..
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Thank you, President Trump.
Very, very few can do what Trump can. Thousands show up for Trump rallies. Then Trump speaks for hours… in a way that 99 percent of political figures can not do.
That being said… Trump lost (the popular vote) to the disaster that is Hillary Clinton. Trump also lost to the pathetically horrible Biden. Republicans need a Ronald Reagan. Reagan won almost all 50 states against liberal Walter Mondale in 1984. Mondale only won his home state of Minnesota by .18%.
Think about that for a minute. If Republicans had a candidate that was correct on the issues (like Trump and Reagan) but also a decent guy (like Reagan), we’d take the White House easily.
Americans don’t want to see open borders, crime infested cities, massive deficits, inflation, recession, or any of the other anti- American crap the Democrats are pushing. But we need a better candidate than Trump.
Such as??
I don’t have the perfect answer Granny, and I’ve thought about this question quite a bit.
First, Trump lost to Hillary (popular vote- not the Electoral College) 65.8 million votes for Hilary, 62.9 million for Trump. Trump then lost to Biden 74 million votes to 81 million for Biden. Even if one accepts the conspiracy theories- for the sake of argument- say Biden had 3 million fraudulent votes, Trump still lost by millions. Why? Its all the temperamental, narcissist ego nonsense Trump displays.
So, if we do not want to take the chance we lose the White House to an insane Democrat, we need a candidate without the baggage.
One choice would be to go with Donald Trump Jr. He has the name recognition. His Dad would help him (one would hope) and the base would come our for him. Trump Jr. is young, and could do two terms without needing to wear Depends in his second term. Don Jr. would not have the extreme baggage that Trump Sr. carries.
Another couple prospects- would be Pompeo, or Sununu. They don’t really have the name recognition…
Pence is a decent guy, but about as exciting as watching paint dry. The guy just does not have the right stuff.
Junior is not in favor of Pebble mine. Alaska needs resource development. Trump Senior understands that.
Victim, and after four years of Trump as president- no Pebble.
DeSantis
The fraud votes swing the electoral numbers in Trump’s favor. Try again
Wow that is GREAT news.
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Now we can get the Democrats to start securing the election processes. If the fraud in the 2020 election swung the election to Trump, but not enough to win, the Democrats should be terrified that the Republicans will do more, significantly more in 2024.
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Better get rid of any voting method that can be compromised. Photo ID must be a requirement, and full audits of the ballots is necessary. Any Democrat that is not behind that wants to see Trump back in the White House.
“Trump lost (the popular vote) to the disaster that is Hillary Clinton. Trump also lost to the pathetically horrible Biden. ”
Losing the popular vote to a Democrat is easy. CA, NY, MA, and IL will ensure that continues happening, even if there is no cheating. In fact, there is something like 12 cities that hold more then 50% of the voting population, and there are all solidly blue. There is a reason why the leftists want to destroy the electoral college, it gives the red states too much power to select the President.
There is no better candidate than Trump. He will give us all we want, but you reject him for Biden just because he is Trump. That makes no sense from any angle.
Jrice,
Huh?
We can not afford another 4 years of Biden- total disaster. He’d allow another 10 million illegals in to permanently skew enough red states to blue. Then, we’d never have a Republican president in a socialist country.
Trump is a proven loser. Why not have a candidate that can, well, actually win? A Reagan- type candidate that could demolish Biden and win the popular vote.
Republicans used to have good candidates. And we won elections.
I attended the rally and it was kind of surreal to see this man in person. From a very close vantage point BTW. Other than a couple of malcontents who infiltrated the crowd and and shreiked unintelligbly, it was a great experience to see the President of the United States speak. Great description of the man’s energy and presence Suzanne.
I cannot disagree with anything you have written here. Also, while I never like the way President Trump says just about anything I was happy to vote for him in 2016 and 2020. I think he was unarguably the best US President for Alaska that Alaskans have seen. He gave Americans a tax cut that worked exactly like he said it would, giving every American a better economy than we would have otherwise had. He furthered development of natural resources in Alaska, pretty much exactly as he had claimed. I cannot honestly say that we have taken what President Trump handed us and done anything with it; we have a state government that prefers paying attorneys over paying cat skinners! My perspective also includes that he stacked the US Supreme Court with justices who clearly believe they must follow the Constitution the way it is written, not inventing concepts not found there nor bending to the direction and strength of the political winds of the moment. While the Biden White House has in a surprisingly short time destroyed the Trump economy and Alaska resource development initiatives the US Supreme Court remains the way Trump left it. President Trump’s speech to Alaskans yesterday was written by someone who has a superior grasp on Alaska issues. I have never heard President Trump say anything that led me to believe he has ever read a book, but I agree with the commentary favorably comparing his faculties with those of President Biden. I still wish that President Trump had stood up to and retaliated against Red China over perpetrating Covid on the world, but I agree with all the think-tank pundits now saying that the war in Ukraine is just a speed bump on the road to an inevitable war between the US and China; so I guess we will have our chance to settle the score. The Governor’s absence was glaring, peculiar and unexpected by everyone, but it was very likely based on some polling few of us will see. It was an historic event, and coverage of it by MustReadAlaska is superior to all the other news coverage of the event I have seen. I think the two candidates President Trump showcased did great jobs speaking to that crowd, and Kelley was very appropriately dressed for her role and for that event.
Glad to see he wan’t pushing Dunleavy, which makes me think he has rethought that endorsement. Most of us Conservative Alaskans want a Solid Conservative Governor like Charlie Pierce with a proven record leading the KPB,
Rock on Charlie.
I was there, exceedingly grateful for Trump, embarrassed by palin ( while forced to vote for her), not surprised at dunleavy being left out of prayer during invocation, and boos when Trump announced governor!!! And confident in Kelly!!
Dave, I cannot understand your defeatist belief that you are “forced to vote for” Palin. Nick Begich has the full arsenal of traits: honesty, intelligence, experience, well-informed, articulate. What are you not seeing? Vote rank 1 for Begich.
B3 was raised outside in an Evangelical home by his grandparents
He is a successful business man, who has created jobs & made a lot of money.
He has lived here (Chugiak) for over 20 years
Ms. Palin has no private sector experience & .was raised by public union, government employees.
She was a populist as Governor, not a conservative
She can’t wait to get into a comfortable congressional seat, where she will vote conservative, but do little else as she is unable to understand complex government policies.
And she CAN”T WAIT to get back in front of those “lame stream media” cameras that she always blames for her shortfalls.
Trump thrives on crowd energy!!
Most egomaniacs do!
I will support Trump all the way, my only disagreement is with his endorsement of Palin , mark my words she will make us all look like goofballs, the only saving grace is this election will just be for the remaining time in Don Young’s term, if she wins she will not have time to quit before the term ends, and will most likely not seek re-election for some lame excuse. Just wait and see,
Archie, you are so right. Vote rank-1 for Nick Begich. He is what we need.
I watched the rally on Rumble. The Invocation, Pledge of Allegience, the singing of “The Star Spangled Banner”, and “Alaska’s Flag” ( which I particularly enjoyed!) really set the mood. I remember at one point (perhaps while Ms. Tshibaka was speaking) seeing a genuine look of sadness and longing in the President’s eyes, as though I was looking at his soul. The man is still carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. May God bless him and give him strength to continue fighting the good fight.
Clearly Dunleavy is hiding. Again. What kind of politician ducks out on a rally this big?
A not very smart one
Also, too, I was happy to see the tee-shirt folded up nicely and delievered to Lindell and Palin to give to Trump later. Also, too, it was so nice to hear our President Trump saying how good-looking each of us are, and how each of us should all, each and every one of us appear in the movies. I thought that was very pleasant to hear.???
He was on a mission last time too and he lost to a semi-retarded and delusional man with no accomplishments to his name at all. Looks to me like he’s upping his game but primarily amongst the same supporters he had last time.
Life is a process. It is also viewed through our individual life experience lense.
For me, as a mere simple citizen, I have a difficult enough time navigating the world we live in and my current and ongoing realty in it all.
We don’t have choices in poverty.
We either fight to survive, or we become criminals – which is oftentimes due to the desperately need of survival, in my humble opinion.
I’ve been living in Las Vegas.
If anyone recalls, I’ve even a part of my own “scandal”.
I was accused of fraud, conspiracy of fraud, and conversion. Because I was and continue to be a broke woman, I represented myself.
I do not have a law degree.
I do not know the rules of evidence or the rules of trial.
Fun fact (in the hindsight is 20:20 spectrum) legal theory is whatever; however, the rules matter.
I lost. Duh.
But that was not the end of my story.
A good-hearted attorney, Walter Featherly, agreed to help me pro bono.
After a jury verdict against me, but before a judgement was ever made, we settled.
A settlement where neither party has liability (something along those lines of legalbatim).
That was just the first windstorm of of situation.
The ground storm was worse.
It came from the home front and if anyone been in a groundstorm in Northwest Alaska – you know how powerful and deadly that is.
The Nome Nugget Newspaper published an article about my trial, which is their right.
However, they used Google search optimization tactics to guarantee that this one-sided article would be on the top of Google search when anyone “googled” my name.
And I know this testimony appears to come across as self-serving, but bear with me, it is not (my life has already been so greatly altered that any piece of me no longer exists anyways).
My message is this:
If a social media platform like Twitter has the power to destroy and silence the then-sitting President Trump, the leader of the free world, look what it did to me.
A nobody.
A nobody who now drives rideshare for 12 to 16 hours a day.
A nobody that has insurmountable student loan debt and the proud holder of her most expensive and unusable piece of wall art – her Master of Business Administration Degree from the Jack Welch Management Institute from Strayer University.
We are in trouble America.
There is no fresh start. I am a horrible example of this.
In my personal experience, the freedom of the press in a tiny town that coupled up with and leveraged the new frontier of the latest wild wild west that is social media is determining the law.
It determined my life trajectory.
Protect yours.
Exercise your voice and your individual rights to advocate about issues.
Politicians have their place in the world, but they do not Re-Place your voice.
Use it.
Exercise your voice.
I dont even care what your opinion is, just express it.
“(This year, the Sullivan Arena is in disrepair after being used as a homeless camp for the past 30 months and was an unusable venue.)” Think about that. Who allowed ingrates to cause enough damage to render the facility unusable? Translating into $millions of repairs? If the mayor fails to investigate such mismanagement of a City asset then he is failing at his job. Heads should be rolling.
agree the mayor hired a company to manage this facility and profit off of it. If there is damage they should be held accountable.
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