(April 28, 2016) They parked in cornfields and waited by the thousands for several hours outside Stephen Decatur High School, last Wednesday evening, all for the opportunity to see, hear or even catch a glimpse of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Some would and some would not, as the size of the crowd was roughly three times greater than what the school could hold.
The lines wrapped around the enormous makeshift parking lot, tucked between farmland and a former Harley-Davidson store, now gone out of business. State and local police guided traffic — cars and people —and swept the area with German shepherds.
At around 4 p.m., the first Trump supporters filed in through the school towards the gymnasium, which, on a good day, can hold maybe a thousand people.
Tickets given out for the event were said to be in upwards of 20,000, and police estimated 10,000 attended, and 3,000 were let into the building. Some of the overflow was taken to satellite locations inside Decatur, where, through streaming video, they watched the first presidential candidate to speak in the area since John F. Kennedy in 1960.
Inside the gym, supporters, many carrying signs and cheering as they walked through the double doors, climbed into the bleachers. Others formed a standing-room-only crowd around a small stage set up toward the scoreboard end of the gym.
Protests had been talked about all week on social media, but little of that materialized on the day of the event, with the exception of the well-behaved placard holding crowd lining Seahawk Road. A handful of high-schoolers were escorted from the gym just after 6 p.m., although hardly anyone seemed to notice, and the kids themselves didn’t seem to take their removal all that seriously, as they laughed their way out the door.
State police said three arrests were made during the entire day, all related to disorderly conduct.
At about 6:45, Decatur student Heather McDonough, a senior, sang the national anthem. Just after, chants of “U.S.A.” and “build that wall” briefly erupted, then dissipated.
The New York businessman and television celebrity arrived a half-hour late, at about 7:30 p.m., having flown into Salisbury airport and traveled by escorted motorcade down a cleared Route 50 to Berlin. He spoke for just less than 45 minutes, starting with the topic of his decisive primary election victory in New York, the day before.
“We had a great night last night,” he said. “The media was saying you can’t get over 50 [percent]. Very hard to get over 50, even if you’re really against two guys who don’t have what it takes. Yet, we got 61.”
He went on to predict a decisive general election win against former secretary of state and senator Hillary Clinton.
“’Crooked’ Hillary Clinton will not have a chance. She’s not bringing jobs back. She doesn’t know about the economy. She makes bad decisions … she’s got bad judgement. We are going to beat her so badly,” he said. “It’s going to be something that you’re going to watch and really enjoy watching.”
Trump said Clinton “should not be allowed to run” for president, and declared that the statute of limitations would still allow her to be prosecuted for her actions while serving as secretary of state.
“What’s she done is terrible,” he said. “So many people, for doing so far less – whether it’s General [David] Petraeus or others – they’ve suffered dearly for doing just a small fraction of what she did.”
He promised, as the theme of his campaign has gone, to make “our country great again.” and said, as president, he would create new jobs.
“Honestly, you either have that instinct or you don’t,” he said. “I happen to be born with that ability. Jobs [are] being moved to Mexico for no reason whatsoever,” Trump continued.
“The Hispanics are great people. The Mexicans are great people. I employ thousands … of Hispanics. They’re great. The problem is, the Mexican leaders are too smart, too cunning, too sharp for our leaders, and they’re ripping us so badly – and I don’t blame them. I blame our leaders. I don’t blame them. My hat’s off to them if they can get away with it. With me, they’re not getting away with it.”
The crowd erupted into another chant of “build that wall” at the Mexican border. When Trump asked who would pay for it, the crowd screamed, in unison, “Mexico.”
“Hey, is it fun being at a Trump rally?” he asked. “Do you think this happens with lyin’ Ted Cruz? First of all, the crowd would be about 25 people, then they’d start falling asleep listening to this guy.”
Trump vowed to make the military “strong again,” erase trade deficits with China, Mexico and Japan, and lower taxes for the middle class and for businesses.
“Right now we’re the highest taxed nation in the world, and the most regulated nation in the world,” he said. “We’re going to knock the hell out of the regulatory [systems].”
He proposed imposing a 35 percent tax on goods sold by American businesses that set up shop overseas.
“One of two things will happen; they’ll either pay the tax and we’ll make a fortune, or, mostly likely, they won’t leave … that’s probably more likely,” he said.
“We’re going to be tough. We’re going to be smart. We’re not going to be so politically correct,” Trump continued. “And we’re going to bring our jobs back.”
At one point, Trump introduced staffer Kevin Chmielewski, a Stephen Decatur High School graduate, class of 1998.
“I don’t know what they produce at this school, but this guy is a champ,” Trump said. “He’s great. He’s been with me right from the beginning and he’s tough as hell.”
The crowd briefly breaking out into chants of “Kevin! Kevin! Kevin!” as Chmielewski approached the microphone, chewing gum and appearing more than a little flummoxed.
“Thank you guys,” Chmielewski said.
“He’s a great speaker too,” Trump said, deadpanning.
“You’re going to remember this evening when you look back … when you go to vote,” he said, referring to Maryland’s primary election on Tuesday “You’re going to vote and that’s when our country will have started, because that vote is very important.
“The vote from Maryland is very, very important. “We’re going to do things that have never been done before. We’re going to make, not only our country great, we’re going to make our country better than ever before,” Trump continued.
After he finished speaking, Trump stayed to sign autographs for hundreds of supporters who flocked around the staging area.
Others, no less energized, rushed outside, hoping to find their cars in the dark, in the cornfield.
Later that evening, Trump tweeted, “Thank you Maryland- what a great way to conclude the day! Will be back soon.”
Full details of the April 26 primary were not available at press time, but unofficial results suggested Trump won the state, handily, carrying all 35 available Republican delegates. In Worcester County, he won more than 60 percent of the vote.
This article is updated from a story that originally ran in Ocean City Today on Friday, April 22.
Some would and some would not, as the size of the crowd was roughly three times greater than what the school could hold.
The lines wrapped around the enormous makeshift parking lot, tucked between farmland and a former Harley-Davidson store, now gone out of business. State and local police guided traffic — cars and people —and swept the area with German shepherds.
At around 4 p.m., the first Trump supporters filed in through the school towards the gymnasium, which, on a good day, can hold maybe a thousand people.
Tickets given out for the event were said to be in upwards of 20,000, and police estimated 10,000 attended, and 3,000 were let into the building. Some of the overflow was taken to satellite locations inside Decatur, where, through streaming video, they watched the first presidential candidate to speak in the area since John F. Kennedy in 1960.
Inside the gym, supporters, many carrying signs and cheering as they walked through the double doors, climbed into the bleachers. Others formed a standing-room-only crowd around a small stage set up toward the scoreboard end of the gym.
Protests had been talked about all week on social media, but little of that materialized on the day of the event, with the exception of the well-behaved placard holding crowd lining Seahawk Road. A handful of high-schoolers were escorted from the gym just after 6 p.m., although hardly anyone seemed to notice, and the kids themselves didn’t seem to take their removal all that seriously, as they laughed their way out the door.
State police said three arrests were made during the entire day, all related to disorderly conduct.
At about 6:45, Decatur student Heather McDonough, a senior, sang the national anthem. Just after, chants of “U.S.A.” and “build that wall” briefly erupted, then dissipated.
The New York businessman and television celebrity arrived a half-hour late, at about 7:30 p.m., having flown into Salisbury airport and traveled by escorted motorcade down a cleared Route 50 to Berlin. He spoke for just less than 45 minutes, starting with the topic of his decisive primary election victory in New York, the day before.
“We had a great night last night,” he said. “The media was saying you can’t get over 50 [percent]. Very hard to get over 50, even if you’re really against two guys who don’t have what it takes. Yet, we got 61.”
He went on to predict a decisive general election win against former secretary of state and senator Hillary Clinton.
“’Crooked’ Hillary Clinton will not have a chance. She’s not bringing jobs back. She doesn’t know about the economy. She makes bad decisions … she’s got bad judgement. We are going to beat her so badly,” he said. “It’s going to be something that you’re going to watch and really enjoy watching.”
Trump said Clinton “should not be allowed to run” for president, and declared that the statute of limitations would still allow her to be prosecuted for her actions while serving as secretary of state.
“What’s she done is terrible,” he said. “So many people, for doing so far less – whether it’s General [David] Petraeus or others – they’ve suffered dearly for doing just a small fraction of what she did.”
He promised, as the theme of his campaign has gone, to make “our country great again.” and said, as president, he would create new jobs.
“Honestly, you either have that instinct or you don’t,” he said. “I happen to be born with that ability. Jobs [are] being moved to Mexico for no reason whatsoever,” Trump continued.
“The Hispanics are great people. The Mexicans are great people. I employ thousands … of Hispanics. They’re great. The problem is, the Mexican leaders are too smart, too cunning, too sharp for our leaders, and they’re ripping us so badly – and I don’t blame them. I blame our leaders. I don’t blame them. My hat’s off to them if they can get away with it. With me, they’re not getting away with it.”
The crowd erupted into another chant of “build that wall” at the Mexican border. When Trump asked who would pay for it, the crowd screamed, in unison, “Mexico.”
“Hey, is it fun being at a Trump rally?” he asked. “Do you think this happens with lyin’ Ted Cruz? First of all, the crowd would be about 25 people, then they’d start falling asleep listening to this guy.”
Trump vowed to make the military “strong again,” erase trade deficits with China, Mexico and Japan, and lower taxes for the middle class and for businesses.
“Right now we’re the highest taxed nation in the world, and the most regulated nation in the world,” he said. “We’re going to knock the hell out of the regulatory [systems].”
He proposed imposing a 35 percent tax on goods sold by American businesses that set up shop overseas.
“One of two things will happen; they’ll either pay the tax and we’ll make a fortune, or, mostly likely, they won’t leave … that’s probably more likely,” he said.
“We’re going to be tough. We’re going to be smart. We’re not going to be so politically correct,” Trump continued. “And we’re going to bring our jobs back.”
At one point, Trump introduced staffer Kevin Chmielewski, a Stephen Decatur High School graduate, class of 1998.
“I don’t know what they produce at this school, but this guy is a champ,” Trump said. “He’s great. He’s been with me right from the beginning and he’s tough as hell.”
The crowd briefly breaking out into chants of “Kevin! Kevin! Kevin!” as Chmielewski approached the microphone, chewing gum and appearing more than a little flummoxed.
“Thank you guys,” Chmielewski said.
“He’s a great speaker too,” Trump said, deadpanning.
“You’re going to remember this evening when you look back … when you go to vote,” he said, referring to Maryland’s primary election on Tuesday “You’re going to vote and that’s when our country will have started, because that vote is very important.
“The vote from Maryland is very, very important. “We’re going to do things that have never been done before. We’re going to make, not only our country great, we’re going to make our country better than ever before,” Trump continued.
After he finished speaking, Trump stayed to sign autographs for hundreds of supporters who flocked around the staging area.
Others, no less energized, rushed outside, hoping to find their cars in the dark, in the cornfield.
Later that evening, Trump tweeted, “Thank you Maryland- what a great way to conclude the day! Will be back soon.”
Full details of the April 26 primary were not available at press time, but unofficial results suggested Trump won the state, handily, carrying all 35 available Republican delegates. In Worcester County, he won more than 60 percent of the vote.
This article is updated from a story that originally ran in Ocean City Today on Friday, April 22.