NEWS AND OPINION:
Not everything in the nation’s capital involves social unrest. Ardent fans of President Trump are planning a sizable “National Capital Trumptilla” boat parade on the Potomac River over Labor Day weekend, and their route will glide past some of the most historic sites in the nation — not to mention the White House.
“Washington, D.C. isn’t exactly Trump country but there’s enough Trump supporters around to make some noise. Like Ronald Reagan said, ‘a rising tide lifts all boats,’” LaDonna Hale Curzon, a local volunteer, tells Inside the Beltway.
The boaters will begin their journey at the Wilson Bridge, some seven miles south of Washington on the Beltway in Northern Virginia, then proceed at “no-wake speed” to the Lincoln Memorial, minding the 18-foot clearance of bridges that span the Potomac. Larger boats will continue up the Anacostia River, which heads east.
Organizers are downright exuberant.
“Let’s show our support of President Trump, the U.S. Constitution, law enforcement, fire fighters, emergency responders, frontline healthcare and essential workers and let the voices of freedom and liberty to strongly be heard in our nation’s capital,” planners say in their public advisory. “No boat, no problem. Join the land rally. Come by car, muscle car, antique car, motorcycle, truck, or bike. Bring your lawn chairs, flags, signs, patriotic wear, and let’s do it right! Decorate in red, white, and blue,”
A source hints that a “special couple” may be onboard one of the boats, and that boaters hail from the lower Potomac region, Virginia and points south.
In recent days, similar boat parades have taken place in Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, New Hampshire, New York, California, Tennessee, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, North Dakota, Texas, Pennsylvania and other states — winning praise from Mr. Trump himself.
“I just wish I had time. I’d get on one of those boats, and I’d be carrying a flag also. I just want to thank everybody. And the whole world is watching,” the president said after a floating rally in Clearwater, Florida, drew 2,000 boats — and is now under consideration by Guinness World Records as — yes — a world-record event.
MICHAEL MOORE IS WORRIED
Michael Moore has been monitoring public opinion polls in recent days and now frets that President Trump might just get reelected. The filmmaker has taken to social media to warn Democrats that surveys from CNN, Real Clear Politics and other sources now indicate Mr. Trump is running neck-and-neck with — or even besting — Joseph R. Biden in the race for the White House.
“Are you ready for a Trump victory? Are you mentally prepared to be outsmarted by Trump again? Do you find comfort in your certainty that there is no way Trump can win? Are you content with the trust you’ve placed in the DNC to pull this off?” Mr. Moore wrote on Facebook over the weekend.
“The enthusiasm level for the 60 million in Trump’s base is off the charts! For Joe, not so much. Don’t leave it to the Democrats to get rid of Trump. YOU have to get rid of Trump. We have to wake up every day for the next 67 days and make sure each of us are going to get a hundred people out to vote,” Mr. Moore advised.
He took his warning to Twitter, leading national trends throughout Sunday, garnering some 40,000 comments and retweets.
“Someone needs to pull the fire alarm NOW. Where are the stories about Trump gaining on Biden?” he tweeted. “Last week Trump pulled within 4 pts of Biden. Now in one poll Trump is AHEAD of Biden in MI 47-45. Yet so many Dems convinced Trump’ll lose. DANGER!”
LAURA AND THE PRESIDENT
In the age of hostile media, an interview with Fox News prime-time host Laura Ingraham could certainly sway public opinion.
She has an exclusive interview with President Trump on Monday — set to discuss the outcome of the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, upcoming presidential debates, persistent civil unrest, and the evolving challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. Among other things.
The network advises that the one-hour interview airs at 10 p.m. Eastern.
‘THE PARTY LEFT US’
There’s change afoot in the North Star State. A half-dozen Democrat mayors in the Iron Range region of Minnesota near Lake Superior have publicly endorsed President Trump‘s bid for reelection. They are not holding back.
“Today, we don’t recognize the Democratic Party. It has been moved so far to the left it can no longer claim to be advocates of the working class. The hard-working Minnesotans that built their lives and supported their families here on the Range have been abandoned by radical Democrats. We didn’t choose to leave the Democratic Party, the party left us,” the six wrote in a public letter released Friday.
“Yet, four years ago, something wonderful happened. Donald J. Trump was elected President of the United States, and he stood up to China, implemented tax cuts and fought for the working class. Now, four years later, the Iron Range is roaring back to life and for the first time in a very long time, locals are hopeful because of this,” they continued.
“Lifelong politicians like Joe Biden are out of touch with the working class, out of touch with what the country needs, and out of touch with those of us here on the Iron Range and in small towns like ours across our nation.”
The signers of the letter are Mayors Chris Swanson of Two Harbors, Larry Cuffe of Virginia, John Champa of Chisholm, Chuck Novak of Ely, Robert Vlaisavljevich of Eveleth, and Andrea Zupancich of Babbitt.
POLL DU JOUR
• 21% of U.S. teachers are “very confident” that students will have high-quality education this fall; 10% of parents and 17% of students agree.
• 35% of U.S. teachers are “confident” that this will happen; 19% of parents and 31% of students agree.
• 33% of teachers are “somewhat confident” about this fall’s education; 36% of parents and 32% of students agree.
• 10% of teachers are “not too confident”; 26% of parents and 15% of students agree.
• 2% of teachers are “not at all confident”; 8% of parents and 5% of students agree.
Source: A new Schools Venture Fund / Gallup poll conducted from July 16 TO Aug. 5 and released Thursday. It surveyed 1,111 U.S. teachers, 2,345 U.S. parents AND 1,088 public-school students in grades 3-12.
• Helpful information to jharper@washingtontimes.com
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.
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