Trump's Tulsa Rally Adds to Week of Warning Signs for Campaign
(Bloomberg) -- Donald Trumps first campaign rally since coronavirus swept the U.S. will be remembered more for what the president would rather forget, as his attempt to reset his re-election bid drew a disappointing crowd in a safe state.
The event in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday attracted far fewer supporters than Trump and his advisers had promised. And it was overshadowed by continuing criticism of his response to the pandemic and to nationwide protests against police brutality.
The ouster of the top federal prosecutor in New York emerged as a fresh controversy just hours before the president touched down in the city.
Trump and his campaign manager, Brad Parscale, had boasted that a million people requested tickets online for the Tulsa rally, and Trump flatly promised there wouldnt be an empty seat. He had planned to speak to crowds both outdoors and inside, but scrapped the outdoor remarks after a scant showing. Inside Tulsas BOK Center, upper-level seating was mostly empty.
The campaign blamed protesters, claiming they had blocked Trump supporters from passing through security checkpoints. That could not be verified, and the Tulsa police department said in a tweet that protesters had been overwhelmingly peaceful. The poor showing added to indications that Trumps re-election is far from certain and that his campaign risks derailment.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trumps-tulsa-rally-adds-to-week-of-warning-signs-for-campaign/ar-BB15MD9J?li=BBnb7Kz