Trump wants to draw a contrast with Biden by bringing back campaign rallies in battleground states. But there have been some bumps along the way.
Trump backed off indoor, arena-style rallies in the weeks that followed. It wasn't until his Aug. 27 acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, which he delivered from the South Lawn of the White House, that he spoke at an event that had the feel of a rally. A day later, he traveled to New Hampshire for a"general admission" event that was largely indistinguishable from the airport rallies he held before the pandemic.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat who has drawn Trump's ire in the past, signed an order in March capping outdoor gatherings to 50 people. An extension of that order, signed this month, exempts religious ceremonies, weddings and other activities"constituting the exercise" of First Amendment rights.
"Events look different during a pandemic, but we have adapted to continue harnessing the unmatched organic enthusiasm of the president’s supporters and build on the momentum to carry him to victory in November," said Trump campaign spokeswoman Samantha Zager."President Trump and his campaign have always valued connecting directly with the American people and we’ve been able to do so in a way that prioritizes the health and safety of every event attendee.
Carl Horstkamp, a 50-year-old Winston-Salem man who was attending his first rally, said he thought state government had reacted to the virus too aggressively and that he appreciated a chance to get outside and"see all these people – your fellow citizens." Biden campaign spokesman T.J. Ducklo responded by slamming what he described as Trump's"contempt for experts and willful disregard of science," and said the president was"continuing to put his own supporters in harm's way because it helps him politically."
That argument stands in sharp contrast to images from Trump's rallies. On the riser behind his podium in Winston-Salem, some supporters wore masks while others did not. Away from the risers, the share of people covering their faces was even smaller.Collins, the NIH director, told CNN that aliens arriving on Earth from another planet would scratch their heads trying to figure out why some people used a face covering to slow the spread of a virus and other did not.
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